The Never Ending Blanket Project
Did you ever have a project that just seemed to go on forever? No matter how long you knit or how much yarn you use (around twice as much as you originally thought) it just never seems to end. This project for me is my Earth to Oc
ean blanket. I originally miscalculated the amount of yarn and had to double it (I measured the added length, not the added square footage, whoops) which was already getting a little out of control. Then, when I was about 2/3 of the way through that yarn I realized I needed even more! It is a beautiful blanket and I just keep telling myself ‘I’ve come this far’.
A word to the wise: always check your math twice!
Cashmere and Silk: a lethal combination
Although this lovely combination of cashmere and silk in Handmaiden’s Swiss Mountain Cashmere can be deadly to the wallet it is a dream for the needles and the neck. It’s like knitting and wearing a cloud.
At first I had a little trouble with the yarn and a lot of trouble with the stitch (Handmaiden crisscross scarf), but once I transferred it to my new Addi Lace needles and got the hang of things, it flew! I finished it in a week (not easy on 3.75mm needles) and it is gorgeous. Peridot is not really a color I would normally choose but I think I’ve been won over. Perhaps something subtle is just the wardrobe addition I need after all, I’ve been doing a lot of really bright knitting lately and it was time to settle down with a gourmet fiber and a subtle, yet lovely, colorway.
This project was simple once I got started but offered just enough of a challenge to get started. I’m not sure I would do it again, the stitch pattern wasn’t quite worth the effort since it was pretty subtle and it made it nearly impossible to fix any mistakes I made. Perhaps a slightly easier stitch and I would be off to the races. The yarn, on the other hand, was a definite two thumbs up. I am thinking about a lovely pair of silk and cashmere fingerless gloves. Ravelry has a really great pattern called Porphyria. Something to think about!
A Debateable Button
If you can call yourself a fan of anything vintage, funky, antique-y, or ‘different’ you will know exactly what I am talking about with this button. There are always certain items we come across in our search for the most unique and cool crafting stuff that are somewhat debateable. The terms ‘funky’ and ‘vintage’ are fraught with danger. One person’s funky is another’s ugly and one person’s vintage is another person’s dated. In this free for all world of taste what is unique and cool and what is just plain odd?
My mother and I debate these items quite frequently. With slightly differing tastes (neither is better or worse, just different) we are often caught off guard by the others opinion on an item. I will hold something up in an antique store and at the same time I will say ‘awesome!’ and she will make the face that can only mean one thing: ugly. Sometimes one or the other can be convinced, but certainly not always. It all comes down to personal opinions and individual tastes.
My friend Robin and my Aunt Tessa are always on the cutting edge of tres chic. They knows just what will work and be cool and what is over the top or dated. I can never keep up but I am most often convinced when they tell me that something is hip. I know they are right because whenever I have second guessed them someone on the street or at a party or in a coffee shop will comment on the debateable item. Then I know I have been proven wrong, yet again!
I also find myself second guessing my own tastes. Once I am on a kick I have to think twice before purchasing, lest I end up with too many or too much. I know that an item is good if I walk away for about a week and I can’t stop thinking about it. That was the way with my debateable button.
When I first saw it at the button shop I overlooked it completely. Then Robin saw it and said ‘Wow!’. That should have been a guess that it was cutting edge cool. I walked away but I thought about that button (not obsessively, just passingly, I swear!). What would I put it on? What colors would it go well with. Should it be prominently featured in the garment? The list of questions goes on. I just didn’t know what to do about it. When I was back at the button shop I decided I could ponder the purchase no more: that button was mine!
Just when I thought I had made my decision on the button someone said “I didn’t know you were into old lady stuff”. My button-choosing confidence took a serious blow. I put away the button and didn’t give it another thought……until now. Some may like it and some may not but that makes it an interesting piece and I will walk the perilous lines of fashion! I’m planning on prominently featuring this button on a beautiful soft white Malabrigo Worsted.
The Great Project Swap
Well, finishing is not necessarily my greatest crafting attribute. I am a great starter: with enthusiasm and joy I choose my materials, think through my pattern (to varying success), and begin on the greatest _________ ever made! The finish, however, has always been a bit more of a challenge. I discovered recently that I may just come by this trait honestly. My lovely mother is also finishingly challenged. She takes some serious time to finish her quilts (to excellent results mind you) and one has been festering for a number of years now.
I am sad to say that I even took a quilting class to improve my sadly lacking skills and I still did not manage to finish my quilt. The binding was sewn on and all that was left was some backstitching. That is my least favorite part of quilting. This dislike of backstitching may stem from the last two (and only) quilts I have finished. Always at the last minute stitching away with blistered fingers and late nights. Not a fond memory shall we say? My quilt sat in my closet always looking at me and taunting. I knew I had to finish it but I dreaded it too.
Some years ago when I was a slightly more amature knitter I encouraged my mom the start a blanket with me. Mine was finished years ago and many many projects have come and gone in between. Finally we two had had enough: we would finish our projects if it killed us! Instead of the usual social crafting blitz (another favorite past time of ours) we decided to simply swap projects. Mom would do the border on my quilt (and the next one too she promises) and I would knit up the last 7 balls of her blanket. Unfortunately, mom had some down time on vacation and my quilt is now finito while I still have 4 balls to go on the blanket.
Swapping projects has been great. It doesn’t feel like a chore and when it comes to doing things for others I have a vastly greater finishing record. I think this trade will work well for both. Something to consider when you and a friend re-organize your crafting area, or re-assessing your stash!
