coffee achiever*

pretty photo thanks to NotHip.


Hey there Coffee,

Thanks for yesterday. You had my back. I had an awful cold and dreadful fatigue, and needed to get through a long day with Sebastian. I strategized, making you, coffee, in the machine rather than french press, so I could afford a steady stream rather than a stiff but all-too-early shot.

And you came through. You bounced me along as we lived through a 6:30 waking, a trip to OMSI, and a long afternoon of walking, cooking, watching Reading Rainbow again and again, playing as the day slipped into night and Sebastian's playfulness turned to overtired screeching and then, finally, quiet snoring.

You are powerful. Even as you lift me up you give me a sinking, drained feeling that can only lead me to more of you. (Sometimes in the morning I wake up grateful that a new day is starting and that I can have more because the previous day, er, I reached some kind of limit even for me.)

After all those years in college (let's leave it at that, ok?), and all those mornings in New York when I struggled through the crowds on the PATH train with my little blue Greek deli cup ("regular," meaning cream and sugar) I thought I came to understand your power.

But while I was writing our knitting book I became newly impressed and amazed at the color you impart to yarn.  So full of caramel and life. So rich. (It sure makes me wonder about the  possible handpainted nature of my esophagus.)

I remember when I first got the coffee yarn for the French Press Cozy design. I was going to design something cabley and reminiscent of steam. But when I saw the color you, coffee, made with the yarn it totally changed my direction.

my own crummy picture.

Your yarn looked like paneling, like wood, which made me invent a sort of mod, uneven ribbing design.  Later, the steamy image came through in the faintly racy i-cord lacing. And besides being a knitter's delight - with pretty yarn and a satisfying knitted-on edging - I'm happy to say the cozy really works to keep you hot.

How do you like it?

Thanks again, coffee, my old friend.

Write back!

Larissa

* Post Title: Martin loves to talk about the coffee achievers, and how David Bowie was one of them.
** Pattern: French Press Cozy from my book Knitalong. Also on ravelry.
***Yarn: Kona Superwash dyed with Stumptown coffee grounds. Available in a kit with enough yarn for 2 cozies or 1 cozy and another small item, exclusively at Abundant Yarn who is happy to ship. Call Stevanie or Rodger and get yourself some! It is so good.

Comments

[mamazen]

OMG that is some yummy yarn! if I used my FP ever, I'd knit one of those. Hmmmm. maybe that's what i'll get ryan for fathers day or his birthday, a little FP with a cozy!

[sarah gilbert]

'I wake up grateful that a new day is starting and that I can have more because the previous day, er, I reached some kind of limit even for me.'

your "previous day" is my today. 'til tomorrow, liquid wonder! i can't wait to buy myself a new french press and knit up some warm cozies of my own.

[Karen]

I just received your book in the mail and love it!

[ash]

Yay for coffee!

[Knittripps]

Hip hip hurray for tea and coffee!

[Magpie Ima]

Hey Larissa--I finally saw the book today at Lynn's house. It's lovely, really. And thanks for mentioning us. I got quite a little thrill and that 11 (now almost 13!) year old knitter is really tickled.

[raina]

yeah...coffee...I start work at 6:15 a.m. - I can't even function without having a cup of coffee first. The yarn colorway is just like cafe au lait.

[Alice]

My book arrived and it's gorgeous! I still haven't gotten total uninterrupted time to read through it all but I love the pictures, patterns, and the journaling especially.

Well done. :)

[Natalia]

Yeay for coffee, coffee dyed yarn, and your fabulous book. My french press wants me to knit that cozy, good thing I agree.

[jan]

Stumptown meets yarn. That is sooooo PDX.

[Julia]

I love the cozy and the yarn - yum! I actually don't drink coffee (*gasp*), but my herbal tea brews happily in a french press which now seems in dire need of a cozy...

[ali]

As a major coffee drinker, I appreciate this post! I may have t whip up a cozy for my french press, but then I may have to switch to drinking all of my coffee from clear glass cups, so I can have the pleasure of seeing it's browny goodness... Sometimes I just like to look at the coffee, and somehow seeing it adds to the flavor...
Now I must go grab another cup of today's Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, mmm, good stuff!

Happy knitting-
ali

[Jaime]

The cozy is lovely and organic, wonderful. And Stumptown *sigh*, I wish I could get to Portland more.