I had a very quiet and unmotivated long weekend. I watched Myria playing Knights of the Old Republic, did a little crafting and mostly read. It was a lot of fun to sit and read Billie Letts’ Hoot and Holler Opening Soon (not a bad story and lots of wonderful, wonderful characters) from cover to cover, watching it reel out in my mind like a long movie. I used to do that commonly but I don’t have the time to read that I used to. None of us does, I’m sure :) I also got through Cart and Cwidder by Diana Wynne Jones and most (eh, say three-quarters) of the way through Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett. That probably doesn’t count though, since I’ve read it before!
I’ve been noticing lately, people talking about teaching new knitters as thought they were bringing them over to the dark side, or converting them to their religious belief system. I know this is all meant in fun, but I confess to finding it a bit disturbing and to wondering about the motivations of those who couch it in these terms. Knitting is many things to me - relaxation, discovery, articulation and sometimes a right pain in the ass. But it is not a belief system to which I feel the need to attract other people. Does it seem that there’s almost something defensive in this? A way, perhaps, of proving that you’re not nuts, not spending too much money on stash or too much time on knitting to the detriment of other necessary tasks? Eh…who knows. Just makes me uncomfortable, is all.
Crocheted mitt in progress
I re-started the red mitts in crochet since they would look and feel just as nice as the knitted ones, but take far less time to do. I will probably recycle the yarn in the partial knitted mitt into the afghan, whenever I can get back to work on that.
Half a Pinwheel
This is half done and, as always, I find it great fun to work. It’s comforting to know there is at least one pattern it doesn’t bore me to tears to make more than once. With almost everything else, the goal has been the finished object and the knitting the means to get there. With this hat, it’s the knitting that’s such a delight. The fact that there’s a perfectly cool hat at the end of the exercise is almost incidental :)
Maybe a throw?
I started a fun fur cowl quite a while back and managed to remain enthused for about 10 inches. Then the project got put in the closet and forgotten about. I ran into it a few weeks back (instant guilt) and have been wondering what to do with it ever since. I no longer want the cowl, but there’s too much yarn to just leave, or worse, throw out. Can I solve this problem without throwing more money at it? Nope (sigh) but it doesn’t have to be a lot of money. Last night, I pulled the cowl apart and separated its two component yarns, Bernat Boa and Lion Fun Fur. Then I pulled out a skein of Caron Simply Soft in a medium dusty blue shade, paired it with the Boa and started knitting. I think this is moving toward a throw; I’m not sure there’s enough to make a full fledged afghan, but a throw will probably work just fine. I’ll wed the Fun Fur to a deeper shade of blue (or violet perhaps) and alternate panels. I also have, I believe, some red/flame colors in the same two yarns that it might be fun to mix in periodically. (Mental shrug) It will use the yarn up so “I can strop feeling guilty about having spent the money on it and we’ll have a funky throw into the bargain. Not classy maybe, but hopefully fun :)
The evergreen scarf is still sitting on the coffee table with me feeling more and more reluctant to work on it. I’m right at that point (you couldn’t guess, right? :) where I’m looking at all these things and thinking: This is never going to work. These things are lame and nobody’s going to want them. My logical brain knows that’s not true, or at least not entirely true. But my emotional self is trying to defend itself against the possibility that someone will take a scarf, or a hat or a pair of mitts home and snicker over them. I shouldn’t care. Knitting and crocheting are what I do, what I can do for these people. And after the items leave my hands, well, they’re out of my hands - so to speak.
That’s one of the very nice things about blogging and talking with you good folks every day. You understand :)
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The Christmas Fairy will grant all your wishes and you will get all of your knitting/crocheting projects done on time and they will be loved in their new homes. Believe, believe…. I love the idea of a throw made with all that texture and color! what fun!! hope to see it finished one day—maybe it will inspire me to do something similar with some of my neglected stash, hmmm…
Have a great day, Robbyn.
~DAWN
Yes, we do understand and empathise. Maybe Granny Florence will not like the bodge I did on the thumb hole or the fact that the other glove will undoubtably be a different size but realistically I’m sure that the time and love that have gone into these gifts will be felt and appreciated.
Besides, at least it’s not cross stitch!!
hahahaha joke no offence anyone :)
oh yes, dawn said it just right- a throw from the blues will be delightful!
i think it would be fun to have knitters to actually sit and work with, but i don’t feel any need to ‘convert’ those who really have little interest in it- sometimes it is rather nice to enjoy the feeling that i am doing something that is individual-
giving gifts i’ve made is always something i do with fear and trembling- that ‘what if they don’t like them?’ spectre does hang around- of course the fact that i have to point out all imperfections to the recipient doesn’t help either- i like your attitude about giving handmade gifts, as they are truly out of your hands once they are given, and the way they are accepted is up to the recipient-
any discussion of startitis that occurs just before the holidays hits very close to home- i can have absolutely *no* ideas for months and then just days or weeks before christmas i can think of lots of ‘must make’ things- too bad those ideas don’t carry over from year to year!
stay happy-
Dawn - Thanks for the encouragement :) I hope the throw comes out reasonably well; in fact I got another skein of the Simply Soft this afternoon to go into it :)
Abi - You’re right, of course. Your Grammy Florence will see right past anything that isn’t quite perfect and love them to death. And that’s why it’s worth it to make things for the people we love :)
Barb - Oh boy are you right about the startitis thing and the no-ideas-until-the-last-moment! BTW - how about making slightly larger washcloths for the guys and throwing them in to a plastic bucket with some Armor-All and some car wax?
Love the looks of your pinwheel hat and the throw. That must have been a chore trying to rip the fun fur and boa apart. I know those yarns can tangle together. I have a pretty small stash of yarn…but, I have been trying to use what I have. It is a nice feeling like you said. I am sure all your gifts will be well loved.
Maureen - Thanks, I hope they’ll be loved too.
Pulling the fun fur and the boa apart wasn’t difficult at all. Boa is like feathers more than eyelash, so they didn’t tangle badly :)
Barb’s right. I enjoy the individuality of knitting. Even though it seems everyone on earth is doing it, that’s just because we’re immersed in it. I’m still the only one in my family who gives handknit gifts, so I know no one else will be giving the same thing!
Laura - That’s a good point. Even if it’s not wonderful (the gift, I mean) it will be unique :)
I love DWJ’s books. Have you read the rest of the Dalemark Quartet? Weaving figures large in The Spellcoats :)
Yeah - good on you for your generous attitude & your knitted gifts - I still get pangs when I give stuff away sometimes and have troubles letting go once the item has been passed on. bit possessive? control freak? beh… dunno!
Pam - I have been reading DWJ since I stumbled over Dogsbody many years ago. I’ve just found the Dalemark Quartet and should be starting the second book in a few days. Jones is wonderful :)
Nathalie - Nah, not possessive as sych, just concerned for the welfare of something you pit a lot of time and effort into. Doesn’t seem strange at all :)
