One More Time

Peace? Not So Much.

I've been knitting quite a bit on my "Imagine" pullover. I was almost finished with the charted peace symbol when I decided that I just don't like round forms turned into grid form. Round pegs....square holes? I know that blocking may have helped, but the circular peace symbol just wasn't pleasing me. FROG...rip-it, rip-it, rip-it!

Upside Down Peace? Not So Much.

I cast on yet again and started ribbing at the neckline. I've decided to knit the yoke of the sweater in plain stockinet. THEN, I will crochet a peace symbol and applique it onto the sweater in the same color olive green yarn. Of course, this will happen after blocking. I think that the raised stitches of the peace symbol will look great and still make a subtle statement.

Stay tuned.

A Subtle Peace

In-between colorful crochet projects, I've been knitting a bit on my Peace Slipover. I really like this yarn. It has a rugged, tweedy beauty to it.

I've only worked 17 rows of the peace symbol pattern, but I can already tell that I'm going to like this sweater. I like that the peace symbol shows up in an understated way. Afterall, I'm not one for bringing attention to my chest. In fact, since this is a top-down, in-the-round pullover and the back and front are esstentially the same, I may just wear the peace symbol on my back so as not to distort the symbol.

"Imagine"

Imagine all the Frogging

I've had twelve balls of this olive yarn for a long time. It's Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran...slik, cashmere and merino. I've started and frogged many a sweater with this yarn. I just can't seem to find the correct shape sweater or a pattern that I love knitting. I'm hesitant to crochet something with this yarn, although I know I could make something faboo. It's just that crocheting does use up about one-third MORE yarn than knitting does. I want to maximize the amount of yarn I have.

After reading about this sweater, I can't seem to get it out of my mind. The designer, A. Karen Alfke, talks about how this symbol means a lot to people of her mother's generation. I must be close to Karen's mother's age, because the peace symbol and John Lennon's song, "Imagine" are both very powerful for me too...Imagine all the people living life in peace…

If only.

Karen Alfke's Peace Symbol Knit Chart

I'm going to attempt a top-down version of this pullover and see how the symbol turns out in olive green. The olive color may be too dark to properly show the highs and lows of the symbol, so we'll see.

Throw Back Thursday - Love-In, Griffith Park, Reenactment

Celebrating the '70s in the '90s, Griffith Park, photo by Larry Underhill

In the late 1960s and early 1970s Love-Ins were held near the Merry-go-Round at Griffith Park, Los Angeles. I was on the fringes of one of these events around 1971. It was a major scene. So many people were there, wearing all of their hippie finery, bright colors, long hair, fringed jackets and more. I was there with a small group of girlfriends just to see what was going on. We really weren't of the hippie persuasion, but who doesn't like the message of peace and love? We only stayed long enough to eat our picnic lunch and catch a few rays.

Over 20 years later, in 1992, someone organized a reenactment of the Love-Ins at Griffith Park. Larry and I donned some 70s clothes and ventured over there. We managed to see this cool VW van in the parking lot, painted in bright colors. We snapped a few photos, hung out for about an hour and left....kind of similar to my 1971 experience!

Griffith Park, May 1967. Photo by Kent Kamouse

The first Love-In at Griffith Park was on Easter Sunday, 1967. Per photographer, Henry Diltz, from the book "Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Legendary Neighborhood" by Michael Walker, "The love-ins were semi-spontaneous gatherings of the counter cultural tribes of Southern California in the vein of those in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. A love-in was just a  Sunday afternoon when the word of mouth was, 'everyone's going to meet there around noon.' Easter Sunday was always a love in.  Some musicians would bring instruments, sometimes there would be organized music, but otherwise it was just hundreds of people meeting in the afternoon much as they would in the evening in a club. And they'd dress up really nice, wear tie-dye or beads, colorful clothes."

Griffith Park, 1967. Uncredited Photo

I found another description from a Love-in participant on The Hip Forums. This is by S.H., "There were a couple of hundred people all gathered on a hill as I recall, flat on top and perfect for looking out over the beautiful view of the park. There we all were in all our splendor, a kaleidoscope of color pulsating to the beat of the music. Smiling faces and eyes wide with wonder and love in our hearts, celebrating life in peaceful assembly. There were booths set up and beautiful people sitting around talking and singing, laughter filling the air like tiny tinkles of bells ringing in chime with the music."

The message of peace and love hasn't left me in all those years. The peace symbol has always had a powerful meaning. If only we could all adhere to this message. Sigh.

One of these days I'll make one of these peace symbol afghans, like my friend Diane crocheted a few years ago. She did such a great job in perfect colors!

Diane's "Peace, Love and Granny" Afghan