Knitting as Cult

FYI:
The Daisy sweater is complete. I can’t show it to you because Courtney (the mother of the intended recipient) has been known to wander through here and I don’t want to totally ruin the surprise. I have taken a bunch of pictures and I will post those after the baby shower – August 26.

Monday I was in San Francisco for business. I drove through Union Square and in the Macy's window was the winning outfit from theProject Runway INC competition. This is a crumby picture but you can only do so much when taking photos from a moving vehicle.















Am I the only one that suspects that maybe knitting is a cult? I mean, cults have charismatic leaders we have the likes of Barbara Walker and Elizabeth Zimmermann. They have stockpiles of weapons, we have needles and stash. They have tainted Kool-Aid, we have wine and mixed drinks. And, like a cult, we are crazy-happy when some innocent bystander stumbles into our enclosure.

A little over a week ago, my niece Whitney and her friends came to spend the night at my house. I made them help me wind yarn. And in the midst of winding yarn they asked me if I would teach them to knit. Imagine my shock! I was nearly giddy with excitement. I said “SURE! When???” Then I paused. Took a deep breathe and more calmly said, “Umm, ok. If you want.” I didn’t want to pressure them so I didn’t say anymore about it. Then Whit called me early last week and told me that the girls had been asking her about when I was going to teach them to knit. My little knitting heart went pitter patter. So Thursday evening, we got together at my parents’ house so the girls could have their first lesson. They were naturals. They took to it like fish to water. I was thrilled. I'd like to introduce you to three new inductees.

My niece, Whitney, who didn't want to learn to knit but was bullied into it by her friends.















Merecedes


















Kristin















Happily clicking away.

Moment of Truth

Ok, folks. Here we go.

I had five of these. . .















I laid them out on the toweled blocking board,
cozied them up to one another like so















procured this




















and got busy whipstitching. Here is the result.
















What do ya'll think? Do you think I should send this off to Dorothy or hide it away in the back of a drawer somewhere? Let it languish in knitting disgrace?

Please advise.

In the Words of Plato

(or, alternatively, Parenthetically Speaking)

[7:00 p.m. Edited to add photographic evidence.]

I think Plato had a touch of tunnel vision when he said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” She may be the mother and perhaps curiosity is the father but I would argue that carelessness is perhaps the crazy, big-haired aunt, who just maybe drinks too much and sometimes has a potty mouth and takes Invention to see dirty movies its parents’ would never approve of.

Remember me saying just last week that I don’t always follow the knitting rules – and (furthermore) that this usually works out for me just fine? Well, my latest foray into knitting-from-a-pattern-but-not-precisely-following-the-pattern isn’t one of those “usually” times.
I am sure that we have all seen the beauty that is the mitered square. For example, who hasn’t seen the gorgeous Psychedelic Squares blanket or stood in awe of Mason-Dixon Kay’s queen-sized mitered square blanket?

As I’ve mentioned in my last post, I am taking a short break from the Daisy sweater so that I can sent a dishcloth to Dorothy. If you missed the post where she talked about her friends who lost all of their worldly possessions during a move, you can find it here. In subsequent posts, she talks about giving some to others in need as well if she gets enough. (That soothes a little of my slow-knitter-guilt, knowing that even if it takes me nearly two weeks to get a dishcloth made, it will still be wanted.)

We are, of course, all well aware of what they say about the road to hell and good intentions....Nonetheless, when this (“quick”) little diversionary project began, my intentions were good and my heart was pure. (Do you see the sun shining and the hear the birds chirping? Do you hear the la la lala la la la lala la la of the Smurfs’ theme song?) Good intentions firmly in hand, I whipped out my copy of the Mason-Dixon Knitting book, thinking I would knit a Ballband Dishcloth. But I lingered a little too long over at page 109, looking at the pattern for the mitered square blanket. Then I got a wild and crazy idea: I’ll knit a mitered square dishcloth. Those are fun! Those are quick! And different! And easy! (If a made-for-tv-movie of my life is ever made, this is where the ominous background music comes in.) In actuality, this is where the winging it knitting comes in. The pattern calls for Tahki Cotton Classic, which as you may or may not know, I am slowly and methodically stock piling for my long awaited knitted-quilt project.

(Am I the only one who does this – buys yarn for a big project in stages? I am so excited about this project. I can't wait to knit this gorgeous, destined-to-be-an-heirloom specimen. Why do I feel so guilty about the amount of cash that I am going to ultimately sink into this blanket? I have swatched and swatched and calculated what I need: 27 skeins of the red for the main body of the quilt and another 25 skeins of different colors other than red for the additional blocks. It is sick, I tell you! On a semi-regular basis, I get out all of the yarn I’ve acquired for this project so far and admire the colors and the combinations and contemplate how much more I need to buy…silently, secretly trying to figure out in my mind when I can afford to order the skeins of the red. Is this just me?)

Sorry, back to the dishcloth at hand. . . . I do have quite a bit of the TCC ferreted away in the closet of the spare bedroom. But I am a selfish hoarder. I refused to part with enough of my Tahki Cotton Classic to make a dishcloth for someone in need. (I know I know! You are thinking, “What a bitch.” You are probably right.) I do have some really great pale pink/white/yellow/hot pink superwash wool by Lang (with which I am willing to part) that I got last fall for an ill-fated jab at knitting socks for my niece (sorry, Whitney!) I made a washcloth for a friend’s baby from the other skein and it was amazingly soft and nice. Ahoy! The sock yarn it is!

With (relatively) great enthusiasm, last Wednesday morning, at 5:00 a.m. I cast on 72 stitches, while waiting in the same day surgery for my husband to have a minor procedure (he is fine – just an epidural for back pain…), and off I went.

The second row of the pattern was my down fall. (It was 5:00 a.m., people, and the chick at the same-day surgery that makes the coffee for the waiting room was sick that day! This was also the morning following the crash of the air conditioner.) It says “Row 2 and all even numbered rows: Purl” And my sleep and coffee deprived brain, momentarily distracted by the ants parading across the arm of the chair – in the waiting room, of the HOSPITAL – thought, “Purl? Purl my ass. Knit!! Row 2 and all even numbered rows: Knit! It won’t matter! The purl, the knit…they are practically the same…Right?”

In case you missed the memo: The purl, the knit…they are not the same.

Of course, I didn’t really think this through until much later…I mean much MUCH later (about halfway through the third mitered “square”). Apparently still addled by the lack of sleep and lack of coffee I finished one square, promptly set it aside without too much thought and proceeded to do about 8 rows of the second square at the hospital, then the rest of the second and the third that evening at a friend’s house, mostly with my eyes closed, I guess. (Maybe if I had gone on to bed when I should have, I could have avoided this.)

That Thursday after work, when I came home (to our friends – our A/C was still down), I decided to lay out the “squares” and decide what would go where. That is when I discovered this…

Knitting the purl rows apparently (who knew?!?!?) jacks up the gauge. Aren’t they nice? Mitered… diamonds. Knit does not equal purl. Here we are – four million words later – finally getting to the point:

I decided ripping and starting over was not an option. (This was supposed to be a simple, quick project.) Instead, I would improvise and make it something new. I decided that, with these colors, they would make a lovely flower-ish shaped dishcloth. After I post this diatribe to Blogger, I am going to finish knitting the last … petal. (It has been a busy week. I haven’t knitted much.) I will show ya’ll the final result in the next few days and you can tell me if it is a disgrace to knitters everywhere or if I should stick it in the mail to Dorothy.

I bet you thought I was never going to get back around to Plato, huh?

Blocking = Magic

If you were to call me a "risk taker" it would give those who know me in real life a good laugh. If you were to suggest that I don't follow the rules, no one would believe you. I drive within 2-3 miles of the speed limit 99.% of the time. I measure precisely when I am cooking. When I use the Veet (fabulous stuff, by the way) I set a timer for the prescribed minutes and then remove the foam promptly. I am a ruler-follower by nature. I love a nice, neat plan. I make people (for example, my husband, and perhaps others) a little crazy sometimes with my love of the rules and the plans.

So strangely enough, I am for the most part a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of knitter. I basically follow patterns and I usually do the finishing the way the instructions, umm, instruct. Frequently, however, I do not use the called-for yarn or the required needles. Sometimes I stockinette where I should garter and visa versa. Things generally work out for me doing it this. Of course, it is infrequent that I do particularly complex projects. The scarves and felting projects of this world are fairly forgiving.

When it comes to our friend the Daisy sweater, however, my natural instincts are kicking in. I have followed every direction to the letter. (Ok, ok. I did make a yarn substitution but I also did three gauge swatches before starting and the gauge was spot on. So that doesn’t count.) Monday night, I finished the sleeves and started picking up the stitches on the neckband. First, though, I blocked the little tiny sleeves. Have ya’ll tired this blocking thing? Indeed, blocking is just as fabulous as all the rumors say it is are. Seriously. After the blocking, all the heebie-jeebie, rolly-poley stockinette was miraculously board-flat. They were transformed into the Nicole Richie of knitting. Magic. I’m telling you, actual knitting magic. I think Laurie is on to something about the magic and the knitting gnomes.

All the reports you have heard about the crazy California weather are not exaggerations. It is miserable. Today it is “only” 108. I think yesterday was the 11th day in a row of over 100 degree days. And in case you have never experienced heat like this, you should know that the difference between 108 and 113 isn’t that different. It is just freakin’ hot. And all of this wouldn’t be quite so bad if it would cool off and night.

I give you this weather report to say: Tuesday night, our air conditioner went out sometime after we had gone to bed. Not only was it not blowing cold air, it was actually blowing hot air. It was nearly 90 degrees in the house at 11:45 p.m. It was a long night.

Now we are staying with friends until the A/C is fixed. They are very sweet people and they keep their air conditioner set on 68. Who knew that this was a quality I would value so highly in my friends? We are very, very lucky in that we were able to get someone out to the house tonight instead of having to wait until some time next week. Keep your fingers crossed that it is something simple that can be fixed quickly.

I am taking a brief (very brief) hiatus from the Daisy sweater because I am working on a small dishcloth project for Dorothy’s possession-less friends (scroll down to the July 20th post) and I need to get this done and in the mail. If you haven’t, you should really go over and visit the Mason-Dixon Knit-a-long. Specifically, this recent post from Francie. I do not know Francie except from this single post but obviously she is some sort of genius-mad scientist type. Those polymer clay mitered squares are crazy-loveable. I’m going to have to figure out how to make some of those.

Promises, Promises

As promised: here are some pictures of the Daisy progress (body and sleeves appearing separately) as well as my turtle sketch. Please go gently on the turtle. It is just a very rough, conceptual sketch.

Here is the outside, front. I love the smooth, lovely stockinette just all laid out there, framed by the seed stitch hem and buttonhole band. So nice. So pleasant on needles and so easy on the mind.

















And here, for once I am not ashamed of my wrong side. Look at the nubby goodness of the inside.
















I know that there is nothing remotely rocket sciencey about this sweater and yet I have such an affection for it. I think it is because of the recepient. I wish ya'll could meet Courtney. You would love her. She is sweet and funny and reminds me of where I come from (the South) and she makes me laugh - and she and her husband, Patrick, are both so thrilled about this baby. You can't help but be excited for them. Hurray for Courtney & the Baby!!

So, the turtle. Please see the following questionable sketch, which I photographed in lackluster light because I was too lazy to get up and go in the other room and scan it.















The colored in area, that is what I have in mind for the dark green, I think, with light green head and flippers. Then the sea plants around him, some in dark and some in light. Then I would do a few more sea plants on the opposite hem from where turtle boy is swimming along.

What do ya'll think of Dorothy's suggestion in yesterday's comments, about using green and tan instead of two shades of green?

Neglectful

Neglectful? Yes.

Absentee? Yep, unfortunately.

Bad Blogger? (Sheepish Grin.)

Negligent? Umm, Guilty.

Deplorable? Uh huh, that's me.

Piteous? Yes, yes, yes! I know.


Have you ever had a friend who only came around when they needed something? Who sort of hung out on the fringes, watching what the others were doing but not really participating? The kind of friend who never really called you up just to say hi but if they needed help, suddenly you get a call from out of no where. That sort, "Oh hi. How are you? What's going on?" call?

That's me. This is that "Hi...how ya' doin'?" call.

Can you believe that it has been three months since we last spoke? My, how time flies!! When last we met, I had just started the Daisy sweater for Courtney's baby. I had started it. I have been distracted off and on by Ann & Kay's book and another baby blanket and some dishclothes....you know, this and that. I have also been busy convalescing. I broke my ankle in early May and it has been a stupid mess. After two months in a hard cast with no improvement, I'm now in a walking cast,

until I have surgery on it August 16. Let's not discuss it any more.

So, remember how I mentioned about friends who just call you up when they need help? I'm calling up for help.

Let's talk about the Daisy sweater. The body is complete. The sleeves, which I'm knitting simultaneously, are about half finished. As I near the end of the knitting, I am contemplating the finishing options. As you may (or may not) remember, I've been knitting this little darling out of my beloved Rowan Calmer in Coffee Bean....



Here's where the help comes in. If the Womb with a View ultrasound on the 29th reveals a little girl, then I'm ok, because the Calmer comes in several great flowery colors and I will finish the sweater with pretty flowers, like the pattern calls for. If, however, the ultrasound shows a baby boy, then I am stuck. I want to do a sea turtle motif. I've created the sketches and I think it will be really cute (I'll get the pictures of the sweater-so-far and the sketch posted tomorrow or the next day.) Sadly, the Calmer doesn't come in two nice shades of green, which is what I will need for the turtle.

There in lies the dilemma. What cotton or cotton blend yarn can I use that has two nice, complimentary shades of green and would work well with the Calmer? The Calmer is so nice and soft and doesn't shrink. I would hate to get this project all done and then ruin it by adding emellishments that draw up or stretch out.

So, what do ya'll think? Has anyone used hemp yarn much? I have heard that it holds up well to washing and is quite soft. I really like the Piquant Green and the Burnt Olive of the Elann Canapone. I'm keen on the turtle and his accompanying little water plants being a slightly different texture but I don't want them to clash. I am up for your suggestions - any and all would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you are all well. I have missed the blogging! You know how it goes...I've meant to blog and I've thought of all sorts of things to say but then, somehow, I kept getting distracted. Anyway, here I am now. Please help with the yarn! I need to have this sweater finished and polished and ready for the August 27th shower and I'm having ankle surgery August 16 so....

Hi! How are you? HELP!