Ernestina

Family historian Hilda (Lillian) recognized the name Hoss when she learned about marriage plans for me and Pete, and dug into our tree to find out more.  "Edwin Ziegler married an Ernestina Hoss," she reported. 

In 1871, Hans Ziegler and his wife Anna Habisreutinger traveled to the United States from Switzerland with two sons and settled in Malden, Massachusetts.  Their sons had sons – Jacob begot Edwin, and Ulrich, my great-grandfather Albert.

c.1979

c.1900

Later Pete's mom verified the connection, "Of course," she said, "Aunt Ernestine."  They knew each other well.  Edwin, my 1st-cousin-3-times-removed married Peter's great-aunt.  My husband and I are related.

Six degrees of separation, it turns out, exists in both current space and over time.

Ernestina will be the name of my next design – slowly coming into focus.  More on that soon.

Update – Ernestina published 9/15/2015.

Haze of childhood

When I was 8 I had a birds egg blue vinyl spring jacket – that may or may not be the one pictured below, but no matter, close enough.  And through the magic of photoshop it now is. 

Aren't so many of our selections in life based on memories from the haze of childhood.  It's my recollection of this vinyl jacket that has prompted my design currently underway – a garter stitch cardigan made from Quince&Co's lark wool in birds egg blue.  Zippered instead of buttoned and a bit more hip, I like to think, but its essence is surely this.  And it's almost done, just in time for spring.  I'll post soon.

Update –  Connie published 4/26/2015

Linda

I'm thrilled to announce the recent publication of Linda, my scarf design included among so many other lovelies, in Scarves, etc 4, a pattern collection by Quince&Co.

I named this piece after a dear cousin, who perhaps sent me luck in my submission to Quince's annual scarf call last fall.  It happened to coincide with some explorations I was doing at the time on knitted trims having just rediscovered Nicky Epstein's book Knitting on the Edge.  Lots of interesting stuff there but it was the fringe that caught my eye.  

I had given Marlene a scarf some years before with horizontal fringe.  I liked the twist on the classic – you didn't need to get to its ends to see it and when she wrapped it twice around her neck the fringe was everywhere – very fun!  So is Linda, I think, and I'm certainly grateful that Quince did too :).