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So after a few tentative swatches and failed tryouts at colorwork, I learn many precious tricks and techniques while attending Beth Brown Reinsel workshop in October 2008 and again in October 2009, last week-end in fact. Yeah! I had so much fun with everyone. And thus last Fall was the start of a new odyssey for me, a whole year full of Latvian mittens, Christmas stockings, projects yet to be charted and many additions to my Ravelry queue.
Of course, I learned the hard way that the right type of yarn is paramount in producing valuable results. And that stranding slippery acrylic is a work of love. Blind love.
Here is my first Christmas stocking made for my godson Jacob. It's the Winter Stars Christmas Stocking by Nanette Blanchard.
And here is my second Christmas stocking made for my stepson Maxime. As you can see, I customized the design a bit and made a larger sock, to accommodate my bf’s generosity.
And yes, I have yet to weave in the ends. Santa assured me he didn’t mind. Neither Maxime!
But I still managed to whip up two stockings in three months, without taking in account the weaving. Wow! A personal record, when you consider that I took me a full year to whip up my first pair of socks.
:)
I was blissfully unemployed when I undertook those stockings, and happily knitting most of my days. That was so fun, despite all the underlying uncertainty. Sigh. Those where the times…
Since I am not that of a masochist, and the fact that I work full time now, I didn’t yet get to make a third one for dear bf. But I should. I must. And I will. I have to. As his requested pair of Argyle socks on which I spent so much time puzzling on.
Why did he had to ask for the most challenging type of socks, and make me feel cheap for not being able to impress him? One day, for sure. Eventually.
***
All this made me realize that nothing comes easy in knitting. You fall for a pattern, and then find out the proposed yarn has since been discontinued. You order a substitution yarn, and it takes forever to get it. You start swatching, and then you have to change needles to achieve correct gauge. You go through your needle stash, just to realize that you don’t have that very size and type of needle you’re looking for. So you fumble through your busy schedule to stretch a little free time, jump in your car and end-up visiting every single LYS in your vicinity to search for the coveted needle. And of course, you don’t find it. And you’re back to square one at placing an order and waiting for it to come. Then, you start swatching again, forgetting what you did first because you lost your notes! And all this to realize that the substitution yarn quite doesn’t make the pattern stand out, or worse you realize that through the whole ordeal, your interest has fizzled away.
I’m sure many of you out there have a couple of those projects, stowed away in a grocery or ziploc bag, at the bottom of the stash/knitting basket/shameful hiding space. I do.
Nothing is a given when it comes to knitting. And I don’t believe there is instant gratification. Neither do I believe that we are masochists.
We knit because we need to pause, to reflect, to take pride in our work. We knit for the Zen of it. We knit because it makes us feel good inside. We knit because we care.
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My latest attempt at colorwork proved a little trying but the results are well worth the efforts!
All hail the We Call them Pirates Hat! Isn’t it lovely?
My bf would never allow me to knit a hat for him, despite all my nagging and poking. So I devised to knit this one as a surprise. I would never catch him wearing something with loud colors, but what is there not to love in the classic cream and black combo?
And I made it right before the cold season and right before Halloween. I am elated!
I had gauge issues, making me rip out more than a couple of times, because at first, I did not trust the pattern instructions, fearing my hat would be way too large. But I had taken my measurements on the brim portion, which is lightly stranded. I went down 2 needles size. Then I measured. And then I doubted. So I had to have him try it on, and, horror, the hat was even smaller than the dimensions specified in pattern. So I ripped everything again, and started all over with the specified needles.
When I finished it, I placed it at my boyfriend’s desk. The next morning, he was wearing the hat in the house with his pajamas. I guess he really liked it.
:)
But he would not allow me to take a picture of him. So I had to model for it myself.
From all this I did learn that it is important to trust your instincts as a knitter. But I’ve also learned that it’s ok to trust the experience of another knitter and have respect for the work invested in designing and putting a pattern out. They went through the process before me and they’ve met the same trying doubts and trials and errors phases
***
The greatest achievements where very often at some point either miserable failures and/or incredible mistakes. And this proves so true in knitting. Things aren’t always like they seem, and mostly don’t always turn out as you first expected.
So I devised to make myself a visual reminder of my newfound wisdom.
They used to say that when life throws lemons at you, just make lemonade. I prefer to make salsa out of a jubilant tomato.
;-)
So I guess you can also add amigurumi to my never ending list of new fads and new techniques.
Knit on!
