From the early reaches of yesterday morning to late this cold winter afternoon, I have been in the clutches of a February flu and its faithful demons – chills, fever, loss of appetite, now that I don’t mind so much since any opportunity I have to lose weight is welcome, flu or no flu.

What better time to entice you into getting hooked?

Hooked?

Helplessly hooked into knitting something that will not only cause people to part like the Red Sea and utter, “Wow!” in your presence, will also give you the simple pleasure of creating something by hand.

My Auntie Anna had that effect on people whether she was on stage seated at a grand piano or dashing across 57th Street with a Cortot edition of the Chopin Ballades in her portfolio, if it is at all possible to dash in a pair of Ferragamo pumps while humming the melody the fourth Ballade as she did the day she treated us to lunch at the Russian Tea Room after our June piano recitals.  She could enslave you with one demure and dimpled smile pressing a small giftbox from Lord and Taylor into your hands “for playing so beautifully, you are so talented!” and with a lilting laugh, she would walk away, the shadow of an unforgettable moment with cast by her unmistakeable silhouette.  Tall, slender, always impeccably dressed in her signature cheongsam with a matching fitted jacket, Ferragamo pumps and handbag to match.

Get Hooked on Wow!

For those of you who are new to  Getting to Wow! I wrote in an earlier post that to embark on this journey is a lot like falling in love.  It demands Desire, Vulnerability and Courage.  Quick confession:  I have always desired to be as cool and classy as my Auntie Anna.  I made an appointment with her tailor to have a cheongsam made, vulnerable to the fact I may never carry it off as effortlessly as she did.  Now all I need is the courage and a fabulous quelque chose to wrap around my shoulders should I find myself out on a cool summer evening in my cheongsam cradling a prosecco in my hand.

A Whisper Wrap

A light and lacy dress scarf – I just made that up, dress scarf, what images that conjures! – that finishes off a great dress that you may not have a jacket to wear with.  It is made of lace mohair, so ethereal and delicate, you could wear this anytime you want to frame your face in softness, and oh so gracefully toss over your shoulder as you walk away with a lingering smile.

Confession

Its true.  I cannot read patterns.  Everything I knit, I design.  So there.

However, because of you, dear readers,  I am going to write up my patterns and begin with the Whisper Wrap.  Everything I knit is designed to be simple, to drape well and to be knittable on planes, trains and other journeys.  The Whisper Wrap can be knit over several trips to Boston and back, or on a round trip visit to Taos, where I was part of the Grantmakers in the Arts Conference knitting circle.

Having knit this several times, I highly recommend investing in a pair of wood or bamboo needles.  The mohair behaves much better and it is much easier to work the points of your needles into the stitches.

Look out for the Whisper Wrap pattern, coming soon!

If you want more Wow! and Nonprofit Knitwear, here’s a little video of a knitting circle I was a part of at the Annual Convention for Americans in the Arts in Seattle last June.  Great people doing good, knitting good.

I always learn so much from other knitters.  Thank you all so much for sharing your tips and techniques.  It is truly not about getting as it is about giving.  Except for getting hooked.