Kimono-ish is now ready and can be purchased as a PDF here.

It has a simple crochet edging around the fronts and neck, but for those who don’t crochet, it could be left out. In that case the button loops, which are written as part of the crochet edging, could be made as chains and attached separately. Even the buttons aren’t really necessary. I added them just in case I wanted the option of wearing it closed but for the most part, I wear it unbuttoned.

and now, to food.

David and I went to see Julie & Julia the other day. If you’re going to have your life story made into a movie and you’re a woman, you’re in good hands with Nora Ephron directing the proceedings. What a beautiful film, full of humour and humanity. I’m brimming with love for this movie. Much has been said about Meryl Streep’s genius. What I adore about her is the twinkle in her eye and her lack of vanity. She IS Julia Child.

It’s hard not to view Julie Powell, (whose book on which half of the movie was based I have not read) as a coattail rider. Contrasted with Julia’s good humoured perseverance during ten years of writing her tome on French cooking and being rejected by numerous publishers, the younger woman’s tantrums when things aren’t going her way make her seem shallow and self involved. But thankfully, Amy Adams makes her likable and Julie Powell must be applauded for bringing a new audience to Julia’s life’s work. Even loyal fans of Julia would have to admit that in recent times the fad for “quick and easy” cooking has replaced the long, slow simmer.

I recently watched some of Julia’s shows with a group of foodie girlfriends. My favourite was the “bouillabaisse” episode. Julia made it from scratch, using a whole fish. No pre-chopped chowder pieces for her. Her earthy style is a far cry from the glitz of Gordon Ramsey and the kittenishness of Nigella Lawson. Julia is simply herself, selling a love of food and it’s careful preparation with more than an ounce of wit and charm.

Like cooking, knitting has been through it’s fast fad days. Chunky ten minute knits. Why bother, when the real pleasure is in the knitting, not a race to the finish line?

Even though I enjoy making small, easily completed projects while I’m working on a marathon, I almost never choose a yarn because it will be a fast knit. At some point word got around that it was faster to use huge needles and chunky yarn and new knitters thought that’s what you did. Some would look at a 5mm needle and gasp “how tiny, I can’t knit with that!” I always thought it odd, because the actual knitting, the fun part, is much slower on huge needles.

Julie Powell’s year of cooking and writing her blog has reminded us of Julia’s work and the fact that not everything must be done in a hurry.

Speaking of food, who doesn’t love Blue Sky Alpacas’ Knit Chickens (above) or the knitted cupcakes in Leigh Radford’s  book, One Skein.

Julia would approve, I’m sure.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 12:17 pm and is filed under designs, inspiration, patterns for sale. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.