Random Knitting

Knitting lately has been fairly unexciting. I’ve decided to not do anything too difficult at the moment because I was getting to the point where I felt everything was going wrong. So, like with the dog training, when something stops working, you take a few steps back and start over so that things don’t just keep getting worse.

I’ve done a Coronet hat for Ginette, who I have not actually met, but after reading about her in Zoom’s blog a while back, I thought she might like something to cheer her up, if even only for a moment. I should be getting that off in the mail today. Should.

I just showed Ginette’s hat to a my co-worker who took care of my cats while I was in the States. She was rather taken with it. I’m now going to do another. I haven’t wanted to knit for her before because she is a knitter herself and has totally different taste to me. Although she didn’t directly ask me to make her one, she let me know that she would be happy to receive that particular hat, so there we go. :0) I like it when things work out like that.

Then I started on the second of my Fensterl socks. I still love the pattern and I’m sure my grandmother will love the socks. These will be finished by tomorrow night, I hope.

I’ve also got my standard phone sock on the needles at the moment. I’d like to say something really exciting about my phone sock, but really, it’s just not that thrilling. It’s a simple sock with 4x2 ribbing out of generic yarn (Four Seasons Marathon Komet if I’m not mistaken) and is just really uninspiring, but functional and my aunt will love it. Once I get these and the Fensterl done, I will have two out of several pair of Christmas pressie socks done.

I’ll also be starting the Eris this weekend, or whenever I finish the second Fensterl. Yes Pinksheep, my inner Hermione is still there and I still do like getting one thing done before starting another even if I have learned to have several things on the needles at once. Still, I’ve had up to 4! Yes count them 4 WIPs at once. Maybe there’s hope. Or not. Beyond help is probably more accurate.

Anyway, Eris. I’m looking forward to it. It will be challenging, but Inkysticks and I will work through it and get it done. That will be another Christmas (or maybe birthday) pressie done!

Only 286 knitting days until Christmas folks!

The Stole

Very nearly called the Stole of Doom since I've nearly lost my mind doing it, but it redeemed itself a bit on blocking and will henceforth be referred to as The Stole. It's finished. I have learned a lot from this stole, mostly that I really am not cut out for difficult and large lace projects. I make too many mistakes and it's too difficult to fix them. As mentioned, I have no patience, but then, the double portion of stubbornness makes up for it, otherwise this would never have been finished. This will be my last really difficult lace project, although I do have a couple of simple ones in my queue at the moment. Not the least of which is the matching North Star Tam which will use the rest of this yarn up.



Another thing you would think I would learn is that scarves invariably get longer once they are washed. I KNOW this. Really, I do. Yet every time I knit a scarf I think what if this is the one scarf that doesn't get longer and it winds up too short and is therefore unwearable. I don't want people thinking I short-changed them on length and not wearing something because it's not long enough. Naturally, I did the same this time. I was going for 5.5-6" total and wound up with 7". This means I could have done one repeat less. Funnily enough, the last repeat was the one I had the most trouble with. It would have been bliss to not do it. The good thing is that it is long and I'm sure she'll appreciate the length.

At the beginning of the week, I also finished the first of Deb's Fensterl socks.

I love the pattern and the finished product looks great. It was written for dpns, but is easily adaptable. They can be a bit finicky to knit in such a small weight, but not too bad and definitely worth it in the end. I'll be starting the second this evening methinks. These too are for Grandma and she will love them.

I wonder how long it will be before my family hates that I learned to knit. " years on and they only get knitted things for Christmas, and birthdays, and random presents... At the moment they say they can't get enough, but I think we still might hit saturation at some point.