I have taken a pause from new design project, to put together a gift for a friend’s grand-child who is turning three soon, and taking this opportunity to augment my recent Patamanta pattern into a small collection. Not sure, probably will just add some thumbhole “sleeves” or long fingerless mitts & legwarmers, as well as more variations of the original chullo, with augmented charts and sizes. I managed to sample these mini sizes just by using the smallest of the sizes and odd bits of sock-weight yarn. Thus far at least I have the present ready on time, but as yet I still must knit some adult sized samples in heavier weight un-dyed alpaca, before it is complete. Who knows what else I will knit from it, because I am unable to stop as these little colorwork pieces are so fun to knit, and completely addictive!
I want to tell you a little story about the Christmas hats I made for you. I wrote the pattern for this chullo in Spring of 2017 when your PopPop, Papa & Aunt Zan were in the Andes Mountains of Peru, walking the Camino Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I started when PopPop left, knitted a pile of them, wrote and submitted the pattern, and by the time he got back home a week later, I had finished everything! I named the design Camino Inca Chullo and there are many ways you can make them, but I knitted the improvisational variations for yours, making it up as I knitted along, from bits of yarn I had in a drawer, some that I overdyed with colors I thought you’d like. Nora, your Papa thought I ought to put kitty ears on yours, so I did, and positioned the ears where they worked best, as the top of the hat tends to slouch back. A soft slouchy chullo with cat ears sounds like a great hat I think , but the ears can be easily taken off if they’re not behaving. Fin-ster, I just want you to know that in the traditional dress of the Peruvians who live in the Andes Mountains, especially near Machu Picchu, only the men and boys wear these style hats, and usually have many very big fluffy tassels and pompoms, yours only has one rather small one by comparison, so wear it with pride Little Man! PopPop wanted me to make them for you, so I did, they are made of superwash wool, so they won’t shrink if you throw ’em in the washing machine, and also, the wool was grown from sheep in the Peruvian Mountains! I better get them in the mail now, I hope you like them, and Happy Christmas! Love, Nanna.
Just off the needles, photographed in my favorite flooded light place on the landing of the stairs, beneath the roof window facing to the southern sky. Every half hour the sun progress across, the light and shadow changes dramatically, the angles creating dark against light and every grey in between.Â
I think of my brother, how he is always in need for a new chullo, and needing a fresh idea for yet another, it came into being, trying out light and shadow … with variegating color.
Just a little knitted bit between bigger knitting bits.
A diversion of an idea . . .
And of course, tassels galore, the Peruvian way!
I made these with two-stitch i-cord and unravelled the yarn. I somehow really enjoyed the un-twisting and picking each strand-of-four out. Crazy , I know.
I just get so excited about photographing the new knitted things, but I’m heading on down to Oakville Post to send this fun frolick off to my brother now, and upon my return it is time to get back to the forthcoming thing I’ve taken too long of a break from. Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in colors Natural, Black, and Arco Iris Pattern: chullo modification of Forthcoming
Today I tripped over a jewel forgotten since the wildfire! Looking in my design computer files I discovered a partially written pattern, along with a few photos of a hat that I knit for my brothers birthday. The pattern was almost finished except for a few details which needed doing, and so I spent most of yesterday finishing the pattern. Wow, I am amazed. I did that?
It is an intensely colorful folksy chullo, and which I posted about way back here.  It one of my best colorwork pieces in my opinion, inspired by South American motifs, in four shades of blue, from very dark to very light, complete with tassels & knitted braid!  Intensely blue I tell you! But it could be any other color as well, in four shades.
I think I’ll knit up another one of these!
The design is completely my own colorwork motifs, and had originally some very poignant meaning, and a series all in queue as I recall that much, but of which now I can not remember (since the disruption of the wildfire), only that there were some discussions with a long time writing friend of mine from Argentina who lectures on varied subjects of philosophy from time to time at a Seminary in a small town called Azul.
Seminario de Azul
I therefore had named it at the time “Azul” .
The actual knitted Azul chullo has long disappeared into my brother’s possession, but as I had detailed photos I was able to assemble the pattern. Voila! (( There is-was a vest pattern in the works too, but that is another matter )).  For now, there is Azul Chullo. And as it is presently the middle of winter in Argentina, I will make haste…
Edit in: After discussing with Alejandro just now about what we may have been discussing at the time I designed this colorwork pattern, and as our topics of discussion often have reference to the Andes Mountains, and as I personally echo the sentiment of such a new title, this chullo will now be officially named “Montañas Azules”, meaning “Blue Mountains”, as are the Andes of Argentina!
Mountains & harsh elements seem to be the thread which is woven into most of my life it seems, so I hope to pick up that series of the design in the near future to work it through. Forthcoming, perhaps more Azules.
And of course, tassels galore, the Peruvian way!
