A Pause Before Ripping
We gather here today to mourn the end of a sweater, nearly before it had begun, before its ends were woven, before it was truly formed. The sweater that we mourn held within it the new year's dreams of a knitter, the resolution to dress not only her friends family and acquaintances in wool, but finally, to dress herself. Her resolution to knit beautiful garments for herself, garments she can truly appreciate and love, has died an early and ugly death with this sweater. So now, before it is ripped and returned to the balls from whence it came, we pause to remember all of the misguided, misknitted, and mistaken projects that have been knitted before.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, wool to the winder.
What was I thinking? I like the pattern (Winter IK 05) and I like the yarn. But the wool is too bulky, the bulk of the wraps right over my stomach (not flat!) It makes me look huge, and though I am not a size two, I am not a size 32W either. As my very diplomatic spouse said, "It does you no favors." I look like the result of a one-night-stand between a hairy gorilla and a Rainbow Flag. NOT what nature intended.
Any idea what to do with the wool? Its a lot of yarn. Some current suggestions are:
1. Scarf for mom. She loves the wool. That's a few yards gone.
2. Another run on the slippers for FaveSpouse--I could give it a try with this held with Cascade or Patons Wool. Or two strands of this. Something.
3. No more ideas.
Anyone in the audience?
My one MEME
This may be the ONLY meme in the history of my blogging--and only because I feel tagged by Eileen at
Dust Bunnies Can Wait. Here goes.
*Four jobs you have had in your life:
- Petsitter (three years! Loved it but the hours were crap.)
- Rifle Match Target Runner
- Traffic Counter
- Clerical Slave
* Four movies you could watch over and over:
- Raising Arizona
- Wings of Desire
- Columbo (most are technically movies! Just made for TV)
- The Commitments
* Four places you have lived:
- Maynooth, Ireland
- Richmond, VA
- St. Paul, MN
- Waukesha, WI
* Four TV shows you love to watch:
- Shameless
- Father Ted
- The Life Laundry
- What Not To Wear (love Trinny and Susannah!)
* Four places you have been on vacation
- Aberdeen
- Puerto Rico
- Seattle
- Montreal
* Four websites you visit daily:
- My Bloglines account (currently 101 feeds)
- Chesterfield County Library
- Yahoomail
- Florida State University (for school)
* Four places you'd rather be right now:
- In the pub with any of my friends and NONE of us driving home
- Knitting with some of my knitbuds
- Knitting while watching GOOD tv or sports
- Reading in bed
* Four bloggers you are tagging:
If you feel like it, go for it. But don't say I made you!
Proof of knits
I was going through the pictures in the camera, looking at all the Vegas Pix, and came across two nuggets of Christmas knitting. Girlpants here is modeling one of the three
Very Harlot Ponchos I made for the nieces--I made one for each kids birthday. This is leftover Lamb's Pride Superwash--two colors held together. One tiny one was made out of some GORGEOUS hand-dyed bulky from
Holly Spring, and the original was made out of deep-sale yarn from MDS&W. They have gotten a lot of wear--they were each either pink or purple, a must for girl stuff.
WeeMan is modeling handwarmers from
Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I made 4 of these from bits of stash and some Cascade 220. They were a big hit with the kids--I even put some of them on strings for the little boys. Good times.
I am finishing up the ties on the wraparound pullover I am making from the Winter IK--the knitting of the rest is complete. I should be forcing myself to have a finishing party soon--sewing up is not always my fave thing. I'll drag the ties with me to Panera tonight; 50 inches of irregular ribbing is not engaging knitting, I'll need some good stories to get me through it.
Walk this way!
It is VERY clear that photos are not my specialty. Its a pictureless blog, which makes it much less interesting. Not that it was interesting before.
So a few views of Jaywalkers so you know I am NOT lying when I say I have made them--and am now making my second pair for me.
I made these over Xmas and during our trip to LasVegas. They are here modeled by FavoriteSpouse and the PartyAnimals. FS wears the socks a lot--can you see the odor rising gently from the wool? The kids are getting a good whiff.
Specs: Jaywalker by Grumperina
#1 needles
Spirit Trail Fibers superwash--2.5 skeins--they had a short skein and sold me that instead of 3 skeins at a reduced rate. Good times!
Began and finished December 2005
FS loves them though they are somewhat loose. I am a very loose knitter and maybe should have gone down one more needle size. No matter, he will wear them until they fall to pieces.
I love the way this pattern shows off the best of a varigated yarn. It is destined to be a classic, or at least the Clap of 2006. My two skeins of SocksThat Rock which I purchased at MDS&W are currently becoming Jaywalkers too. Fabby fabby!
More more more!
I remembered a few more projects:
Moebius scarf for mum in AlpacaSilk (tasty)
Market bag for MIL--she is ahead of her times and takes her OWN bags with her when she shops
Grumperina's Tivoli--did not fit, gauge issues again. Not a fault of the pattern though.
Stuffed elephant animal from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
That pulls my 2005 total to 67. I am a bit shocked myself. This year, more for ME!
Virtual Hangover
You know how it is this time of year, the exhaustion of Xmas, the morning-after of the new year, and then the big NOW WHAT?
I too am feeling at loose ends a bit, trying to plan some bigger for-me projects after all the small Xmas knitting I did. And I am going to try to recap my year and pat myself on the back for the work I've done.
So here it is (as complete as my terrible memory will allow) the project recap for 2005:
1. The Clap. Still my fave project and favorite garment. Love it love it love it!
2. Grandmother's cabled sweater. My first cables! Now that she is gone, I am going to unravel it and make something special out of it--probably the cabled tree skirt from Handknit Holidays. I like the idea that her favorite sweater would still be used every year, a real tradition.
3. Eyelet cardi for mom. First use of Knitpics alpaca silk, one of my all time favorite yarns.
4. Nothing but a T for sis. Looks great on her!
5. Ribby for me. The only sweater I have knitted for myself--that will change this year.
6. Cotton cardi for Girlpants.
7. Bolero for Girlpants with recycled yarn from the Fibercrack test knit.
8. Three baby blankets, cotton ease, chenille and rowan denim.
9. Two sets of baby booties and four sets of baby socks. Great use of scraps.
10. Socks! 8 pairs knitted, but only 1 for me. Need more socks.
11. Shawl for mum. The ribbon was not convincing.
12. 3 fuzzy scarves and one fuzzy hat, all as gifts. Not a fan of novelty yarn.
13. Kitty PI. My mom's cat loves it!
14. Capelet for me. I only use it in the house, it may get ripped for the yarn.
15. Two scarves for me.
16. 28 items for Xmas, including 5 buttonhole bags, 7 scarves, 4 flower washcloths and some gauntlets.
17. And the denim jumper for Girlpants. VERY cute.
18. And a toddler sweater for my bud in Savannah.
That puts my tenative total at 63 items finished. Whoa!
I have 2 UFOs left from the year:
1. Summer Tweed wrap sweater. Still needs right color for I-cord borders. First color was not a match. I'll finish it in time to wear it this summer.
2. Silk corset. I ripped it because it was WAY too small. But I will reknit. I loved working on the pattern and I am a big fan of Annie Modesitt.
Let's hear it for another year of passionate knitting! I cannot believe how much my skill has grown, I'd call myself an intermediate knitter now. ME!
Lets hope with all that off my chest I can post more than once every two months now.
We gather here today to mourn the end of a sweater, nearly before it had begun, before its ends were woven, before it was truly formed. The sweater that we mourn held within it the new year's dreams of a knitter, the resolution to dress not only her friends family and acquaintances in wool, but finally, to dress herself. Her resolution to knit beautiful garments for herself, garments she can truly appreciate and love, has died an early and ugly death with this sweater. So now, before it is ripped and returned to the balls from whence it came, we pause to remember all of the misguided, misknitted, and mistaken projects that have been knitted before.
