Saturday, November 17, 2007

Colour me disappointed

I have an announcement to make:
I love Norah Gaughan
well not LOVE love

... but I could honestly say that I adore her design sensibilities, her scientific curiosity, her mathematical abilities.

Her Knitting Nature is a fabulous read and not just for the knitting ... who knew Phylotaxis was so fascinating?
I will admit to never having actually finished one of her designs but the Brea Bag is THIS close, [ imagine that said in Maxwell Smart voice with appropriate finger gestures. ]
and now a small side journey - did you know that Gaughan is pronounced Gorn? Like Vaughan but with a G ? The inner voice was pronouncing it Gay-gan.
Anyway, moving on: when I got an email this morning alerting me to a new free Norah pattern, I was over there quicker than you could say " Bob's your auntie's live in lover" [ extra points if you get the pop culture reference ] with the expectation of something wonderful.
Sorry
don't like it
if it was just the yarn or the colour I disliked - well - I could see past that, but am I alone in thinking that anyone bigger than a size 8 is going to look like an elephant? an elephant wearing saddlebags?

ETA okay maybe it IS just me. I checked Lotus on Ravelry and 49 people have queued it and 2 have cast on already.
ETA some more - just checked again and in the last hour the queued number has dropped back to 42 - so I guess a few people have thought twice about whether it really is for them. Ve-rr-ry in-ter-est-ing.

11 comments:

crazyhaberdasher said...

I would prefer it in a solid colour if I was going to make it.

Rose Red said...

I'm with you on Norah (I also mispronounce her name in my head...thank you for the advice!). And totally agree on that pattern - not so flattering for the large of hip.

Tanya Brown said...

Mmmm. No, it isn't a great pattern. It's as though the designer lost her train of thought between the breasts and the waistline and said "Hey, what the hell! I'll toss half a rag rug on the sides!"

Life is too short to make things that you aren't in love with.

Alwen said...

Ho-kay, I went over there, and I had my browser window small so I could keep an eye on something else.

As I was scrolling from the neck down, I was thinking, "Well, this isn't so bad," then I got below the bustline and said, "Oh."

Anyone else notice the directions are for size X-Small?

Anonymous said...

Hi Susan,
For the fist time in ages I am going through my favourite blogs. I love that piece of knitting you have done, beautiful colour too.
I note that you gave me a mention after our encounter on Wednesday in Brenda's. Sorry that we didn't get around to the quilting group. It was a lovely offer to meet with like minded people. Perhaps we can meet up another time. We have a little quilt group in Bendigo who meet on alternate Mondays. Please keep in touch.
Cheers for now,
Jenny (aka Jorja's Nana)

catsmum said...

Hi Jenny
[waves frantically ]
it was so nice to meet you the other day.
let me know next time you two are heading this way and maybe we can meet for a coffee.

Bells said...

I'm always surprised when I heard people say Gay-gun. I just assumed it was like Vaughan!

I'm with you though - not for me that one. Maybe it's the colours....not sure. I think it looks like it sits funny.

Anonymous said...

Okay - that "peplum" is just not cool - anyone built on the generous side would look like they were trying to smuggle washing machines :)

But the bodice - now that's not too bad so I'd be tempted to use that and try to come up with a different skirt.

And please cite the reference for "Bob's your auntie's live-in lover". I admit to not knowing even as I busily add this amusing phrase to my idiomatic vocabulary :)

Anonymous said...

Hmm. I don't have strong feelings about Ms. G one way or the other, but this particular design...doesn't do it for me. The bodice is really pretty, but the bottom half looks like she was just jumping on the Sunrise Circle bandwagon. I agree with crazyhaberdasher (hi Mez!) that it would look better in a solid color.

Anonymous said...

Ack! Hi MAz! (sorry!)

Sheepish Annie said...

I'll have to check it out...but the buzz is not good at this point. Not that I could knit a Nora pattern anyway. And, I have to say, your judgement on these things is always dead on. You're like a guru to this Knitting Knovice!

I knew how to pronounce her name, but that has nothing to do with any great intelligence on my part. That's just how we'd say it in these here parts!