Sunday, March 16, 2008

What the Heck is a Kauni?

Thurs was my birthday and I turned 46. Time flies when you're having fun. We didn't do anything special, just a relaxing low key day of enjoying my family. I guess I should show the birthday haul. Here's what I got:


The soundtrack to the film Once. I have been obsessing over it and now I can drive around and torture the kids with it.




A new gnome, carrying an odd duck.





And some Kauni yarn.   Now you may ask yourself,  What the heck is a Kauni?




There is a sweater that has been circulating in the blogosphere that was designed by Ruth Sorensen. It looks complex, but the color changes in the yarn are supposed to do all of the work for you. The yarns are staggered and follow a simple repeat that will result in this spectacular sweater. At least in theory that is supposed to happen. I saw one at Stitches and followed the wearer around a bit (I hope she didn't notice). Most people did theirs in a rainbow colorway. I don't think I can pull off a rainbow. But I picked out a neutral/autumn palette. Mind you, this is purely for research. After I get the lengths of the repeats measured, I plan to dye some of my own variations of the Kauni patterning . The Kauni yarn is from a Danish company, though I heard the yarn is of Estonian origin. It feels slightly wiry like maybe a shetland yarn. I read that it softens up if you soak the yarn in a vinegar and water solution that smoothes the wool scales down. I will worry about that later as I am just getting over the fact that is is going to be my first 'steeked' sweater.

Okay, here is the steek link:
http://www.tradewindknits.com/tbsteek.html

I am sure there will be a bunch of blog posts regarding this whole process. Gotta go embrace this gorgeous day, laters!


3 comments :

woolydaisy said...

hey soxy-happy belated birthday!!!! did i know you were a fellow piscean??? love the gnome with the odd duck-ha! i keep thinking this kauni stuff is hawaiian.(sounds hawaiian to me) but i don't think there was much knitting happening with the native Polynesians! ha! you are so brave to try a steek-it's purely insane to me. scares the crap out of me!!! it only works in the round? maybe i would try a pullover then. i'm sure those hula girls wore lots of pullovers. wish we were closer-we could have gone out for that drink we didn't have at stitches.-rain check-who knows. any departure dates yet?

kaoticorchid said...

Happy belated birthday!! I remember drooling over kauni when the YH was knitting it. I have come to the sad conclusion that I just do not have the patience for sweaters. I'll have to live vicariously though you on that one.

Sharon said...

I woke up one morning with the soundtrack from Once running through my head, and after it played in my head for about a week, I finally broke down and bought it out of self preservation.