G is for.......

Green!

I know it's not very original, but there seems to have been a lot of green about in my life recently

First there was the lace leaf throw

then there was the shrug I was knitting with the help of the dog, which turned out like this!

As you can see there is quite a lot of green about in my garden too!

Specifications?

It's the Vienna lace Shrug from Interweave Knits Summer 2005

Knitted flat rather than in the round and seamed because I started knitting with my favourite 4mm bamboos and didn't want to change. Ribbing in 3.75mm bamboo straights.

Yarn: Rowanspun DK - can't remember the colour number but it has little pale yellow,turquoise and pale blue flecks in it - very Spring like!

No more green at the moment, I have just swatched for the cable cardi in the Winter magazine that I showed you last week (airforce blue and cream) and I am about to cast on soon for Eleanora Socks ( Socketta variagated greys and lilac) and the Mountain Peaks shawl ( Knitpicks Shimmer - Maple leaf autumnal colours).

Both patterns by the talented Mim

I do however have more lace/leaves to show you.

I have finished My Sockpal's socks!

Specifications:

Embossed Leaf Socks

Interweave Winter 2005

A variagated pink yarn from an Ebayer who's link I seem to have mislaid.

Knitted on 2.5mm Addi Bamboo Dpn's

I did one lace repeat short on the feet or they would have been miles too long for my pal. I used the pattern's toe and heel and I am very pleased with both the look and the fit. I am already planning a pair of these for myself - just deciding on the colour - If I can find some they may well be green.

I almost forgot to mention. Guernsey's flag may be red white and gold

  But our sporting teams all wear

Green and white.

Some of our athletes at the Commenwealth Games earlier this month in Australia (with thanks to the local newspaper for the use of their photo)

I leave you with this analysis that I found on the colour green when used in a sporting context. I thought it was rather interesting

Green

Green puts things into perspective: ... "it was here before man, and it is ever ready to reclaim it’s own." (Pavey, 1980, p.206). It is the colours of spring and the renewal of life. (Fabri, 1967, p.63; Fontana, 1993, p.67; Pavey, 1980, p.206).

Green was worn by outlaw Robin Hood and was admired for its ability to camouflage man with nature (Pavey, 1980, p.206). It was an ancient observation that "emerald delights the eye without fatiguing it and it was later discovered that green light focuses almost exactly on the retina." (Healey, 1982, p.44). Therefore, green brings on a tranquil and soothing state of mind that refreshes, relaxes and heals. (Bustanoby, 1947, p.102; Pavey, 1980, p.206). Hence the term "The Green Room" which calms guests prior to a performance in theatre and television studios. This term has also been adopted in the sport of surfing to denote a state of ultimate tranquility and release from the limitations of existence for the soul.

Psychologically green is a cool and fresh colour that helps to overcome discomforts of high temperatures (Bustanoby, 1947, p.102). However, green can also represent poison, envy, and jealously (Bustanoby, 1947, p.102; Pavey, 1980, p.206; Fontana, 1993, p.67; Fabri, 1967, p.63). Many countries currencies are coloured green to represent security and stability. However, ironically both money and green promote envy and jealousy.

Children’s appetite for the colour green is due to its associations with slime, creepiness and green men in spaceships (Pavey, 1980, p.206). Teams such as the Canberra Raiders (NRL), Boston Celtics (NBA), and Green Bay Packers (NFL) use green as a primary colour in their uniforms. It can be argued that green is an attractive colour to use within sports, as few teams use it as their primary colour, and when employed successfully it reaps attention.

Colour Does Matter!

An Investigation of Colour in Sport

Amanda Allegos and Helen Allegos (RMIT University)

Off to do more knitting:-)

Comments

[Chris]

And G is for Guernsey. :)

There's definitely a leaf theme going on in your knitting! It's lovely. :)

[margene]

I thought that G would be for Guersey! It's starting to Green up here too so Green is a Good G.

[Judy]

Ooh, lovely sockpal socks!!

[Vicki]

I love the shrug - that is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for Spring. Your pup looked like quite a help too... ;-) Seems like dogs have been drawn to knitting worldwide this week...

[jacqueline]

i love the shrug!

G is for Games, I live in Melbourne and had the best time during the games. I think I even saw a couple of your atheletes compete.

[Debi]

What an in depth study of green! Thanks for the info Janine!

Your shrug is lovely, it looks wonderful on you! I think I have some of the Rowanspun in the stash, I think the color is "goblin".

Love the socks too, wasn't it a great pattern?

[alison]

Very pretty socks! And your shrug came out great. You must like doing lace!

[Jen the Knittingspaz]

Very nice shrug! I was thinking of doing one of these as well. And aren't the toe decreases on the Embossed Leaves socks cute? I thought I'd feel meh about them, but they're really starting to grow on me. And go figure, green must be the theme this week as my EL socks are green too!

Knit green!

[Michelle]

Nice embossed leaves socks! I did those for my sock pal, too! I love the pattern, and plan to make some for myself soon!

[Bev]

The socks turned out lovely and the variegated yarn only highlights the leaves instead of taking attention away - good choice.