I’ve decided I’m going to send a skein of my hand-dyed yarn, this one:
to one nice person who shows me theirs — their current "project". You see, I’m in a warp in the space time continuum. I have been diligently knitting the Oh Jan dress. I knit straight through from the start of John Stewart to the end of The Colbert report, every night, Monday through Friday. I knit in the morning while at Starbucks with my oldest before the school bus collects him. I even manage a bit when I have coffee with husband and his friends in the morning and sometimes at work during a particularly annoying meeting (stress relief). I knit while waiting to pick up Miss Ellie at ballet. In other words, I knit a fair bit. But, friends, the Oh Jan dress is showing no signs of progress. It is no longer this week than it was last week. I have been knitting and knitting and knitting and, if anything, the dress is shrinking. I do not understand this. Not one bit. Surely there is some scientific theory to explain this phenomenon, but I am unaware of it.
So please show me yours! Tell me in the comments below what you are knitting right now and how it’s going (you can add a link to you blog so I can take a look). And, if you don’t knit, tell me about your collage or your sewing or whatever it is that is inspiring you right now. You see, I’ve got to leave on a business trip tomorrow for the rest of the week. I’m taking Oh Jan along to haunt me. I know I’m going to need to hear other people’s success stories to keep me going with Oh Jan. When I get back, I’ll have the littles pick one name at random out of a hat, and will send the skein of hand-dyed Peace Fleece pictured above to the lucky winner!
And, just in case you don’t believe me, I’m including a picture. We’ll see, when I get back, if she’s grown at all.
note: for some reason, typepad seems to get up to about 20 comments and then delete them and start over. please don’t worry, if you have submitted a comment, i have them all saved as email and you will be included in the drawing. and, i have contacted typepad to get them to look into this, so we can all read through everyone’s projects.
I don’t have a picture, but I am in the middle (literally) of knitting 3 pink scarves. They will be donated to my local yarn shop to sell at a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komin Breast Cancer Foundation (the San Diego 3-day is this weekend). The deadline is Saturday, so I really have to hurry up!
I’ll try to post back later with a pic…
Hope this cheers you up somehow!
…so you want success stories? I’m not sure I have one of those. My current project is a scarf. I’m a beginning knitter. I made a scarf for my eldest son last winter. I’ve been working on the one for little bro for a long time now. On Friday, though, I’m going to learn how to make a hat. A friend will be taching me, but I’m struggling to decide if I abandon the scarf (which of course could be finished in no time if I actually spent some time on it) and go with the hat for my little one, or if I finish the scarf, knowing that it will be abandoned if I don’t.
Somehow I’m not thinking that’s an inspiring knitting story. I can’t wait to see the completed dress!
I’ll post an update on my blog with pictures, but here’s my knitting story…
I am currently knitting a scarf for DH’s b-day present in early November. This scarf is seomthing that he requested, a garter stitch scarf in PF “Father’s Grey” with 3 stripes in “Ukranian Red” to represent myself and our 2 children. I started this scarf in, um, August, I think, and I am still pluggin away at it. He wants it to be about 60″ long and it is the most BORING project and it didn’t seem to be growimg much, until last night 🙂 I let DH try it on just to make sure the length will work, and I realized, I ONLY HAVE 100 ROWS TO GO!!! WOOHOO!!! I think I may actually have this scarf done by the end of the week!!!
I’m also plugging away at gifts for Christmas, as we don’t have much money this year, I’m using stash yarn to knit wuite a few gifts for family and friends. I’ve listed on my blog what I wanted to get done and I will be sure to post an update 🙂
By the way, I LOVE PF and work almost exclusively with it, so needless to say, if I’m selected, your hand-dyed PF will be much appreciated and may even turn into a scarf for myself. Hmmm… I don’t think I’ve ever knit something for myself yet….
I don’t have any pictures because I am working on pretty boring stuff. I made mittens for ds1 this past weekend because we were walking to school and he said his hands were cold. So I made the mittens and when we set out to school yesterday he said his head was cold. So now I am knitting an earflap hat. I’m also working on teacher gifts, a few dish/washcloths from Mason Dixon Knitting. I think I am going to try to whip my mom up some thrummed mittens now that I know mitten knitting isn’t too hard. I’m also planning to make myself some Jaywalker socks and finally a entrelac throw from a bag of Noro Kuryeon I bought at a bargain last month.
I don’t know that I have a story for you, but if you go to my blog, you’ll see pics of a few items that were works in progress just days ago and have since become finished goods 🙂 Nothing inspiring there, but I hope you will at least enjoy the pics.
If you need a “at least that’s not me” story, I can tell you that I found a relatively minor mistake (but a mistake nevertheless) in a pair of pink pants I was making for a yet-to-be-born babe… And I frogged the whole shebang. I was well into the legs and I started over because I just couldn’t live with the mistake.
At least your Oh Jan is flawless in its stunted growth. I expect you’ll see a growth spurt on your trip. Have faith. 🙂 Knit on!!
Hmm, well I am working quite a few projects right now getting ready for a craft bazaar. A frog, a doll (that is taking forever), a bunny, two hats, and I just finished (with the exception of crotch grafting)a pair of neverending longies. I don’t know what the deal was with them but I think they took me more than a week! Everytime I tried to knit, I got sidetracked or called away for mommy duty. Those neverending projects do come to a conclusion at some point though, so hang in there. It will all be worth it.
I am here to tell you about my winding woes. Knitting is under control, if you count 12 WIPs at once that I have going. I have ADD, can you tell? lol
Anyhoo…
I just got my swift and so I’ve been winding my vast stash into those handy dandy little cakes. Oh, the winding, that’s what has me twitching! Fingering weight merino, hand dyed in pokeberry juice (yes, I did it all by myself, so proud) for a few days now, I have been trying to get 800yds of luscious pinky purple fingering weight wound into a cake. I think I may go koo-koo in the process. I get about 10 feet wound and there’s a knot, and then another, and another. Oy. Once I get it wound, I may just encase it in a glass cube and just look at it and never knit with it. I think that’s what I’ll do. I’ll open up my living room to the public and allow knitters from all over to come and see my fabulous cake of wool. It will have an alarm system in place, so no rogue knitter can come along and knit it and ruin the integrity of the cake that was so lovingly and painstakingly made. It will be backlit so you can appreciate the splendor of it’s awesome cakiness. Of course, the cube will have to remain a constant temperature and humidity so the wool doesn’t lose it’s beauty after all the years of being appreciated. Maybe I’ll give up knitting, so that I can focus all of my energies in protecting and displaying the infamous Pokeberry Cake.
Naw, I’ll need something to do while I look at it…
I don’t have any stories for you, but I just wanted to warn you to be very careful because the space-time-knitting-eating-phenomenon works both ways and one time soon you’re going to measure it only to find out that it’s suddenly 3″ longer than you need it to be!
I’m really excited about one of my current sewing projects. I’m makeing a tunic for a little boys baptism. His mamma is knitting him some longies in natural undyed yarn and the tunic is a natrual off-white linen and will have satin edging around the collar and cuffs. It’s pinned and ready to be put together: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/turttle_n_toad_mamma/detail?.dir=453cscd&.dnm=ec4cscd.jpg&.src=ph I have a few finished projects in there as well. I think the funnest and most chanllenging was a Tiki Man costum I did for another mamma. I loved working w/ the felt for that one; it sew’s up really easy. And just for fun there’s also a pic of an outfit I made G. I love the snail fabric, so cute.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v428/Lizabethian/Knitting%20and%20sewing/Works%20in%20Progress/Chuggingalong.jpg
I’m currently making THREE diaper covers at once. The intended mama just had triplets and they have no covers that fit them. I offered to make up some for her and it is taking far longer than I imagined. 🙂
Here’s a picture of my current scarf:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/vivalavida/pinkscarf.jpg
Right now I am working on a scarf for myself…and learning to do playfoods.
There is the Amity Mama holiday family in need drive…and since I don’t have money to buy gifts for the families, I plan on picking out the kids that they are asking for playfoods and knitting some up for them to make their Christmas just a bit brighter.
Here is the sushi set I just made….
http://stitchnknit.blogspot.com/
I saw your post in the HC forums, so I thought I would comment.
My aunt Gracie from PA just visited me in my home in GA this weekend. Gracie is an avid crochet fan, and she will knit upon occasional. She has tried to show me how to crochet before, but I haven’t been too successful. 😉
I always love to hear about her projects though, it is very inspiring for me.
Well, this weekend she brought her camera and I was looking at pictures of her grandkids and saw some crochet projects. I saw some beautiful white infant gowns, caps, and detailed blankets accented with green, yellow, and purple bows. I knew they couldn’t be for her grandkids, since they were all older babies. Aunt Gracie then told me that she makes infant items for preemies at the local children’s hospital in Pittsburgh, and burial gowns for those who do not make it. She told me that a lot of parents are not prepared for their baby’s early arrival, and so they do not have anything nice to wear after their birth, and get stuck wearing depressing hospital attire. Gracie works on gender neutral, very detailed clothing and blankets to give away to these parents. She said the blankets alone take her over 36 hours straight to complete. She loves doing this for other families. She gives all of her projects to the minister’s wife of the church she attends, who works at the hospital. All items then get handed out to the baby’s in need.
Needless to say, that makes me feel great inside to know that someone I know is helping out a needy family.
Sorry I do not have any pictures to show, but this was an unexpected visit, and I also just saw your post today. I wish I copied the pictures to my computer though, the clothing and blankets are very gorgeous.
I’m inspired by my Socktoberfest yarn becoming Socktoberfest socks (pics on blog). I had some Toe up Jays that are in the naughty corner. The gusset and heel are just wrong. So I cast on my Socktoberfest. Suddenly I love socks again. I started the sock Sunday and just turned the heel (toe up). You can bust through the knitting wall!
Not sure all of mine are successes but here goes
Baby wrap sweater that is 1/3 seamed. sized for up to 6 months – baby is almost 5 1/2 months. This was the first project I had done that has alot of seaming.
wool/cotton socks in a pumpkin/copper color. half way though the foot on the second sock. Finished the first one after maternity stay in hospital, discovered it was too small & had to completely reknit. too interested in child projects to spend much time on although I want more socks for myself.
Pair of baby longies in a hemp/wool blend yarn that I dyed with easter egg dye. stalled 1/2 way through the first leg, waiting for husband to hold the second skein so I can wind it, may wait until next week because…
Winter hat for 1st child in a red yarn with sparkley wrap. She outgrew her first mom knit hat & won’t wear any store bought ones. It is getting cold in western PA
I did finish my longest running project recently. A knit string bag of kitchen cotton-my own design. I have used it library books & farmers market purchases. It took 3 years because I wanted the strap in seed stitch & thought that 32 inches would be the perfect length. It was so unending, knit & measure, never seemed to get longer. I had to reinforce it later because the strap stretched to my knees when the bag was full.
-Also been making homemade apple butter for christmas gifts. After that is done I am going to get grape juice from a local winery & make jelly. Aiming for a homemade, non-knit christmas this year.
Rachel
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c15/mimsfam/DSC03078.jpg
I have been working on a baseball pillow for my son. It’s killing brain cells for sure. Round and round I go with little progress. I’m almost done and then it’s on to scarves, socks and maybe a hat or two.
hey Joyce!It looks great so far!You can do it!!!!
I have been sewing slings for friends, making flannel pj’s, carving pumpkins, knitting the end of my clapotis(5 rows left to drop and had to order more yarn!UGH!)Working on a sweater, socks, sweater for dh, sweater fo rdd, man my hands are in everything at the moment and I love it. but finishing projects will definitely take a load off of your mind. Just tackle it!Don’t let a simple dress intimidate you.
Plus, I am dying to see how it turns out, I want to knit one for dd. Hey, that yarn would make a great coronet hat from knitty for me;)
You can do it Joyce! I’ve survived Jan and it can be done (but shhh, mine needs some extra stitching in the back that I’ve been meaning to get to since September…)
This has been taking up all my time lately:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/monicals/IMG_0835-1.jpg
It’s a blanket for my nephew-to-be due in February. I’m also planning to make him a sweater and a hat. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to put it aside soon because that little ball of yarn is all I have left and I want to make it about 10 inches longer. It’s nothing exotic, I just keep meeting an empty shelf every time I visit the place where I bought it and haven’t been able to find that color carried anywhere else. Good thing I have lots of WIPs to keep me busy while I wait to see if it ever reappears.
Well, this was my day today – going to knitting class only to find out that I was decreasing every row, instead of every other row like the directions said. Maybe important words like OTHER could be in bold, or something!
Here is my before and after:
http://sewlaine.blogspot.com/2006/10/ten-rows-up-twenty-rows-back.html
Well don’t know if it will inspire or not. I have a couple project running. First one is six lg diapers I am making to trade for some knitted longies. They are coming along quite nicely. The other is that I have been trying to learn to knit. I have some cheap yarn from walmart and every few days I give it a go. Sounds all normal right? Well so far either one of my girls has helped me and unraveled all I did or the cats had a hay day with it so essentially I have not gotten anywhere with it. Oh I should add the prodject was to have been a scarf for my oldest. 🙂 I don’t know but at this rate it might be next year before I get enough rows to even consider it half a scarf. Carry on with your dress it will be lovely when its done! 🙂
i posted pics for you in the WWF, and im telling you it had to be the worst thing to do, I really hope you get your Mojo Back!!!
oh Jan!!!!!
I`ll tell you what. When progress is slow, I just move on to something else. take a little break. and come back later. renewed. refreshed. revitalized. and ready to make some progress.
at this time I have 3 projects on the needles.
a cowboy hat… nearly to the top. to be felted. it`s huge and I can`t wait to throw that baby into the washer!!!!
a bib. with apple green cotton. it knits up fast and brainless. for those brainless moments.
a towel. with linen. and a pattern. when I`m feeling brainy. You know, brainy!!!!!
but actually, I`m a quilter…. the quilt I am currently is on the back of the couch so we can rest our heads on it`s unfinished comfort.
but if you want to talk about S-L-O-W… you should see my “grandmother`s flower garden quilt”. It`s growing by the inch, year by year. I can use it when I am a grandmother, maybe.
so.
Oh, Jan
don`t despair
you can work it
any-where.
keep those needles
moving fast
make a dress
that`ll last and last!!!!!
well. keep on knitting.
Jan. in Nagasaki.
ok, here’s mine. i have thus far only ever knit soakers and longies. i taught myself to knit about 2 months ago, all the while holding the needles as far from my perpetually oin my lap now 6.5 month old ds. my first project in knit was a tiny bird logies, which my husband has since felted on me. since then, i have been making more. i have made a doodlepants, several soakers, and a whw plain wrap… i am currently working on 2 pair of longies, one with the curly purly waist, one straight doodlepants.
i am constantly running into not enough or the right needles issues, but that should end by thanksgiving, since my mother found me a set of interchangeable needles. it is a vintage set from germany or something… i only hope it has good cords and stuff.
I’m feeling the same way about my first ever lace shawl. The border is killing me! I don’t think I’ll ever get it done. I’ll post a pic on yahoogroups.
But I do have two Oh Jan dresses done and posted on yahoogroups if you need inspiration. They’re worth the time warp effort. Ellie’s going to love it!
Rita
I don’t knit – I have two left hands. I do sew, but that’s not what I’m going to tell you about! I am always finding myself in inspiration limbo. I keep a pretty binder in my office of all the clippings that inspire me, pictures cut out of magazines. It can be anything, because I find myself inspired by anything beautiful; flowers, the sky, a dress, the color of the ocean, etc.
It was so timely to read this today, because I posted on my blog about my new “inspiration to go”: a smaller book that I can take with me and fill with clips that I find inspiring. I can take it out anywhere and flip through it…anyway, that’s been on my mind, and filling my time! Good luck with your project – I’m sure it will be spectacular when finished!
http://sommerdesigns.typepad.com/sommer_designs/2006/10/inspired_minds_.html
Oh Jan looks great so far. Just focus on how cute it will be when it is finished!
I’ve been knitting for a year and with two toddlers and a yarn hungry cat, every project is an adventure 🙂 I’m currently working on purses. The mission: five original purses in five different colorways, but all fun and artsy with hand beaded straps and vintage button embellishments. I only have three quarters of one and half of another finished. But I just think about how cool they are going to look when they are finished and the faces of the happy recipients.
I have just cast on a large knit throw in the blue colorway. This will be my first throw attempt and I hope that it works out. Anywho..I am on the look out for new yarn so I’ll go check out what you got right now!
Nice to meet you.
I feel your pain. I’ve been working on the Big, Bad, Baby Blanket from Stich-n-Bitch for months. My current everyday project is a pair of longies for DS made from the Doodlepants pattern. It’s my first attempt and I’m so proud of myself for figuring out short rows! I’m also starting on a felted pillow for a Christmas gift. I’m also sewing some bags for Christmas gifts using some Amy Butler patterns. I just got 20 yards of beautiful fabric in today to get started!
That Jan dress looks great so far.
well for me it hasnt been two weeks just yet of learning to knit. but I finished my first project which was a little felted bag. its my own pattern. haha I just loved the grey and purple together. I am totally hooked on knitting now.
Right now I have a teal scarf on the needles its really just fun little thing, and my dog likes to think its her ball of yarn to play with, and my dd things that its hers to wear when its done!
I have been knitting and spinning like crazy. Just came back from Rhinebeck. Check it out! Also I am currently finishing up second hand of 1/2 mitten – fingers showing – and on Third section of my Clapotis in my new yarn purchase from Briar Rose – will post a picture on Friday. I am loving this pattern for Clapotis.
You don’t actually want a complete list of all my works-in-progress, I’m sure. 😉
In the realm of knitting I have a hat for Mason on needles.
I have everything all pulled together to begin crocheting a shawl/wrap for myself. And I have a crocheted throw I need to finish. It’s been waiting since last spring when I abandoned it since it got too warm to drape it on myself as I worked on it.
And I have a whole big list of things, at various stages of completion, for trades/orders/stocking my site.
And I just last night finished an embroidered and quilted table runner.
Whew!
I’m supposed to be taking a break from knitting right now from all of the work I’ve done this month, but of course I’m not ;). The cool thing I am working on right now is something I call the Ito Maki Pinscushion. It’s several nested knit tubes that looks like a Maki sushi roll. I have a Tekka (tuna) maki done and am working on a California Roll with Masago. I’ll probably get pics posted on my blogs later today.
If that doesn’t get you out of your funk – take a look at the endless stripes on the longies I knit on Knitty Keen – all of those ends to weave in.
This is not a “current” project, but it is however inspiring- at least I think so. My mother-in-law and I have never gotten along. She does not view me as the best choice her son couldhave made. I never respond to her critisms of my housekeeping, my homemaking, my parenting, or my teaching. I never defend myself when she challanges my self worth, and after several years of this I began to feel deep resentment towards a woman who otherwise is a wonderful example of ladyship and womanhood. Instead of viewing her as inspirational, I began to view her as…well…a witch.
I got an idea in my head about making her a tablecloth. Crocheting it out of fine thread and with every stitch, meditating on the good things my mother in law was. I began to pray for her, that God would bless her in all her endeavors. That tablecloth was a gift of prayer and gratitude for her. I didn’t tell her that when I gave it to her. It was by far the biggest project that I had ever done, I made my own pattern and it had taken a unique turn here and there, somehow it fit her personality perfectly. LOL, It was actually too big of a project for me and turned into a very large doily or a small table covering.
I wept when I saw that she had put it in a drawer- not on display. I thought she had rejected not only my gift- but all the prayers and good thoughts that went with it. I couldn’t belive she could be so mean. She has doilies and knickknaks displayed all over her house…why was mine put in a drawer?
Several years later: I noticed a lovely topper on a very prominent display table. It was her favorite table and held her favorite pictures and precious knicky knacks. I knew immediately that it was MY tablecloth. I never said anything to her about it. i didn’t need to. I know my mother in law well enough to know what it meant. She was saying to me, “You did an important and lovely thing. You made this thing that I could have never made, and you made it for me. I display it proudly among my favorite things, because it represents a person I love very much.” OK, maybe it didn’t ACTUALLY say all those things. Maybe I am cuckoo. Maybe she just pulled it out because she needed an extra doily. But as I was looking at it, she came behind me and gave me a hug. So, I tend to think I am right. She loves me.
Love is a thing that grows. It takes a lot of hard work and patience. Just like a yarn project does. Sometimes Love frustrates, Sometimes it dissapoints- just like a ball of yarn and a size 1 hook. But sometimes- Most of the time…it is worth it. Worth the screaming and the untangling. Worth the chasing after animals and kids to rescue. Worth the squinty eyed headache you get from reading patterns.
It’s worth it. trust me. I know.
Well, Joyce, here I sit, 40 weeks plus 4 days pregnant, waiting for anothe big boy to arrive. I had started a sweater for big boy, and decided I would have this baby before I finished it. It was a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern, the baby tunic. It was fun to knit and not difficult at all. I knit it using some hand dyed yarn from Theresa of Little Turtle knits. I have just enough to make some booties for big guy. And the sweater is finished, completely finished. Seams done, ends woven in, threads clipped, all finished. And still no baby. So today, I am starting a sweater for Lydia. Cheap yarn, but warm and soft in a nice nuetral tone, with fur at the cuffs, neck, and hem. This baby WILL be born before I finish her sweater. At least, dear God, I hope so!
I promise to take a picture this afternoon!
hi joyce! this may be not be very inspiring…but when I should’ve been grading papers I’ve finished a scarf with the wonderful blue/green yarn you sent!
now I’m starting on my first sweater, a super cute french girl pattern for a cropped little thing with a mandarin collar. I have only just gotten started, but I’m learning a lot.
I guess typepad doesn’t let me post photos in html, so I’ll email you.
good luck with oh jan and with your work travel!
Oh Joyce, how frustrating! I’ve felt your pain. You ARE making progress, I promise. It will be done and it will be really beautiful and Ellie will wear it forever. My hospital knitting these days is a baby blanket for my friend. It was meant to be for a baby girl she was adopting but the adoption fell through two days after she was born. So I put it away with a broken heart. Then she got pregnant! After years of trying! With a girl! And I just couldn’t pick this blanket back up – it felt like bad luck, you know? And now she’s pregnant again, with another girl, and this lovely blanket just started to talk to me. So I’m knitting. And knitting. And knitting. And it’s not getting bigger. Until… suddenly… it will! And so will Jan!
Bren
I hate those projects that seem to go on and on and on and not show obvious progress. I have one on the needles that I finally just set aside because I couldn’t even tell that the ball of yarn was getting smaller.
Here’s what I’m working on right now before I go back to that blanket though…
http://katelyn.aboutmybaby.com/photo/1489228
It’s a log cabin blanket like shown in the Mason Dixon knitting book. I like that the logs are only either 10 or 11 garter ridges so it’s easy to see progress happening. I’m doing 10 ridges on two opposing sides and 11 on the other two sides to make it more rectangular then square.
In a time long ago and far away (1994) there was a young teenage girl who coveted a Dale of Norway sweater. It was far too expensive, but she loved it – the crisp white yarn forming an exquisite pattern against the beautiful black wool, the gorgeous pewter clasps, the green and red detailing on the sleeves and collar – it was all stunning. On Christmas that year, the girl opened a present from her mother. It was a Dale Sweater – but it was knit in bright pastels, which the girl knew she would never wear (until at least 2000, after grunge stopped being cool). The sweater wasn’t what she wanted, but the girl thanked her mother all the same – this was a big gift. The mother, however, sensed that something was wrong, and kindly offered to take her daughter back to the store to exchange the sweater for the one she wanted – even if it wasn’t what the mother wanted her little girl to wear. The black and white sweater came home a few days later, and that girl has been wearing it for 12 years.
“But Linnea,” you say, “this is supposed to be a story about WIP woes, not a sweater your mom gave you!” Oh, but it is! Recently I decided to knit a little hat to match my beloved sweater with some leftover yarn from a watchcap that I knit for my husband. I had just enough black and white wool left to make it, and it was a surprisingly quick knit. For the few days that it sat on the couch waiting to be finished, I would glance over at it and think that my sweater was there instead of safely tucked away in the bottom dresser drawer. Progress was good, and the hat was beautiful. Notice how I’m using past tense here? I came to the decreases and stopped to inspect my work – and the joins were just not satisfying. I know it’s a hazard of knitting in the round, but I couldn’t let it be – even if the hat is just for myself. So, last night, the hat was frogged, and now I have two lovely balls of black and white wool waiting to become a hat again. I’m not sure if I will enjoy knitting it up for a second time, but I’ll try to do it from the perspective that this is a new hat, the first of its kind. The hat will be just as precious as the sweater, I think – another reminder of my mother, who passed away not long after gifting me with my coveted sweater that year. I just wish I could knit her one in those pastel colors that she so lovingly chose 😉
In a time long ago and far away (1994) there was a young teenage girl who coveted a Dale of Norway sweater. It was far too expensive, but she loved it – the crisp white yarn forming an exquisite pattern against the beautiful black wool, the gorgeous pewter clasps, the green and red detailing on the sleeves and collar – it was all stunning. On Christmas that year, the girl opened a present from her mother. It was a Dale Sweater – but it was knit in bright pastels, which the girl knew she would never wear (until at least 2000, after grunge stopped being cool). The sweater wasn’t what she wanted, but the girl thanked her mother all the same – this was a big gift. The mother, however, sensed that something was wrong, and kindly offered to take her daughter back to the store to exchange the sweater for the one she wanted – even if it wasn’t what the mother wanted her little girl to wear. The black and white sweater came home a few days later, and that girl has been wearing it for 12 years.
“But Linnea,” you say, “this is supposed to be a story about WIP woes, not a sweater your mom gave you!” Oh, but it is! Recently I decided to knit a little hat to match my beloved sweater with some leftover yarn from a watchcap that I knit for my husband. I had just enough black and white wool left to make it, and it was a surprisingly quick knit. For the few days that it sat on the couch waiting to be finished, I would glance over at it and think that my sweater was there instead of safely tucked away in the bottom dresser drawer. Progress was good, and the hat was beautiful. Notice how I’m using past tense here? I came to the decreases and stopped to inspect my work – and the joins were just not satisfying. I know it’s a hazard of knitting in the round, but I couldn’t let it be – even if the hat is just for myself. So, last night, the hat was frogged, and now I have two lovely balls of black and white wool waiting to become a hat again. I’m not sure if I will enjoy knitting it up for a second time, but I’ll try to do it from the perspective that this is a new hat, the first of its kind. The hat will be just as precious as the sweater, I think – another reminder of my mother, who passed away not long after gifting me with my coveted sweater that year. I just wish I could knit her one in those pastel colors that she so lovingly chose 😉
Oh, I’ve made things like that – knit knit knit, but no perceptible progress! It’ll probably hit you all at once – it wull seem ginormous in just a few rows…
I started a scarf version of Lady Eleanor this past weekend. Last night I noticed a mistake half a skein back! I know it would haunt me, and being so near the beginning of the scarf it would always show – so I ripped. And went to bed. And tonight, after hours of knitting, I finally caught up to what I ripped. Whew!
Pix on my blog.
I just finished an Easy Peasy sweater for my DS … and a Panta (earwarmer headband) for me! The Easy Peasy took serious dedication – I forgot how slow garter stitch is. I was so proud of myself for sticking it out doing two weeks of garter stitch, I rewarded my fingers with some purty bamboo needles and a smoooooooooooooth yarn for my Panta. It came out great, I wear it every single day!
http://knitterma.blogspot.com
I don’t have anything on the needles at this very minute, though I picked up a copy of “Nature Babies” at the library today and I’m itching to start the Elfin Bonnet for my youngest. Our all-the-sudden chilly, damp and windy weather might have a lot to do with the urge too. 🙂
How about doing something simple like a washcloth to give yourself a small break from “Oh Jan”? (Which looks lovely so far!)
What lovely colors! I just finished a sweater for my 5 year old – my largest item to date – and I couldn’t believe how long it took! The last sleeve truly required every ounce of patience in my body. Here’s the link to my FINALLY finished sweater!!!!
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v119/bdavis337/knit%20stuff/?action=view¤t=Timwearingredsweater.jpg