Let’s talk about knitting, shall we? I mean, if this blog is going to be a knitting blog, the subject ought to come up now and again. Plus, I’ve got a couple of finished things to tell you about. And a couple that just aren’t ever going to get finished.
First off, the finished things. Socks:
These were a birthday gift for my sister-in-law, Mary. I wrote about Mary last year when I knit her a booga bag. All the same still applies so she got handknit socks this year. And the yarn for these came from Helen. You see, a few weeks ago Helen asked for some people to test knit some newly dyed sock yarn she had. I volunteered and these socks are the finished product. The yarn was great to work with, it’s soft and knits into a nice fabric. The stripes mostly match with only a bit of pooling around the ankle. I swear one sock is lighter than the other but I don’t know how it could be since they came from the same skein.
I also have a finished Everyday Cardigan. You’re going to have to trust me on this because I don’t have pictures. I promise, as soon as the tempurature dips below eighty degrees, I’ll have a photo shoot. In the meantime, it’s dark blue Peace Fleece Worsted Weight wool. And I have to thank Julia for recommending Nanci Wiseman’s book, The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques. She told me about this book back at Cara’s Knitting Olympics Closing Ceremonies party and, while I bought it immediately, this is the first opportunity I’ve had to use it. And it’s fabulous! Every type of seam is explained, buttonhole bands and buttonholes are described in detail and it made finishing this sweater much more enjoyable than any other sweater I’ve finished. Honestly, I think my fear of finishing is over.
I took this sweater to Margene’s with me and actually wore it when we went out to dinner in Estes Park. It’s hard to believe it was cool enough to warrant it, but it was. All my buddies out West ooohed and aaaahed over it and I do have to say that I love this sweater. The Peace Fleece worsted weight was wonderful and the color is perfect for jeans and I can see this definitely becoming part of my regular wardrobe.
Now for the items that will never be finished. Remember the Seraphim Shawl?
I frogged it. I got tired of waiting for the yarn from Fleece Artist and decided I just didn’t really love that yarn in this pattern after all. I’ll be knitting another Seraphim Shawl but this time it will be a drapier fabric and I won’t run out of yarn.
I have also frogged the Frilly Cardigan.
I wasn’t that happy with the color and I’ve heard from some reliable sources that Debbie Bliss Cashmerino pills like mad. I just couldn’t see finishing this sweater and giving it to Ambrynn and knowing it was going to pill. So, to the frog pond it went.
You’d think I’d feel sad about this sort of thing – ripping out hours and hours of knitting. But I don’t. It actually feels great to get rid of the things that hang on too long. It’s very free-ing for me and opens up some possibilities for new knitting projects!
I like frogging old WIPS too. Sometimes you frog a so-so project and realize that the yarn is fabulous in some other project.
And I LOVE the Knittewr’s book of Finishing Techniques. I use it all the time. The best reference I have.
Hey there. That’s a LOT of knitting progress. And those socks at the top are great.
We feel the same way about frogging old projects that go nowhere. I’ve done that, and it IS liberating! And I have yarn for something else!
Have a great 4th!
Nancy Wiseman’s book is so wonderful. I’ve had it from very early on in my knitting “career,” such as it is – ha. The book is clear and easy to understand. I am doubly appreciating that now that I’ve wasted my money on some other books that AREN’T.
Yes, I can attest that D.B. cashmerino pills like a mofo. What a pain, because it’s really nice to knit.
I should just get off the pot and knit up all that Peace Fleece that I have in my stash. I made mittens from it, but WHY haven’t I just done an everyday cardigan, huh? No good reason for THAT one.
Well. Glad you finally posted about knitting, since I seemed to have a lot to say in comment about it!!! 🙂
You did look good in your EDC. You’ll wear it often when it’s cool enough. Good for you in visiting the frog pond. Sorry to see Seraphim go but you’ll find a yarn you love for it. So what IS on the needles?
I’m with you 100%. Ripping out something that isn’t going to work is extraordinarily freeing.
More Feather-and-Fan? Yay! I think I may just have to cast on another pair as well… 🙂
The socks looks great in that colorway — yea for both you and Helen. And,yea, I’m a big frogger too — if it’s not working, then better to envision the possibility than a never worn object.
The socks look great! They remind me a lot of a Nancy Bush pair that I knit with some Lorna’s Laces.
You know, I should really try that ripping/freeing/possibilities thing. I think I have a few things that are ripe for the ripping!
I heard about that book too at the same time. You may remember, I was on about how Sweater Impaired I was. I haven’t gotten around to picking it up yet, and no, I haven’t finished the baby sweater either. Yet you may inspire me.
Cool socks!
I swear by Wiseman’s book. Actually, I swear before I open it, and then it quiets my mouth. Great stuff, including the tip on neatening up the last castoff stitch on a scarf. Or an afghan.
I’m impressed that you frogged ’em. Nice lightening of the psychic weight.
I use Nancy Wiseman’s book all the time when finishing. I think it is my most used knitting book. I can’t wait to see the cardi when it cools off.
Great socks too! Have a Happy 4th!
Ouch . . . I really don’t like frogging! Your socks look great though, and yes, that book is wonderful!
What Margene said…what ARE you working on these days now that you’ve visited the frog pond? ;o) What are you going to do with your re-found yarn?
Great socks – I love the colors! Can’t wait to see your EC :o)
Oh, and I have BIG NEWS *g* (no, not THAT kind of Big News, but big nonetheless…)
I love that book too!
And the socks came out great! Thank you for test knitting with the yarn! 🙂
I’m with you, if I have a ‘bad’ feeling about a knitting project, I know I’ll never wear it so a frogg’in it goes!
If y’all haven’t donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life this year, please consider donating on my blog. I’ll enter you in a drawing for 2 pair custom knit socks on my Legare for each $10 donated. Thanks for letting me post this unembarassed plea for a donation.
Those are great socks. I see what you mean – I think the sock on the right looks lighter, too. It could be, depending on how they were dyed.
I need to get better at ripping things out, because I know I’ll feel much much lighter in the world after I do.
I agree that it can be totally liberating to frog something that has been haunting you… almost as good as losing five pounds! I love the F & F socks, and can see that pattern, one of my favorites, in my sock-knitting near future. Have a great holiday tomorrow and don’t work too hard today – at least we know we are commiserating on opposite sides of the country while others play and hike.
Remember the shawl I brought to Estes with me? I put 60 rows on it before making a baffling and undetectable mistake that hosed the stitch count in a big way. (Of course I didn’t have a lifeline, because I’m a doofus.) I contemplated how hard it would be to pull back two or three rows, to one of the nice all-purl-all-the-time rows, when I spied a place where I had munged the center stitch, basically by putting a yo where I should have put a k, and vice versa. Row 20. Rip, rip, rip. I should feel despondent about ripping up two weeks’ and 40 rows’ worth of lace, but instead I’m feeling better about the whole project. Go fig.
I love those socks, too. Love, love, love ’em. 🙂
Frogging something that really isn’t right is SO liberating, isn’t it?
I really have to pick up that Wiseman book!
ripping is cathartic —- we really should develop some kind of ceremony around it. perhaps some candle burning, incense – something!
I have no problem frogging things that have festered for too long. Although I do have a pair of socks (yes, a PAIR a la magic loop) that have been on the needles for 3 years. It’s more of joke now than anything.
I really love the socks and can’t wait to see pics of the cardigan.
Frogging is a freeing experience. A weight is lifted and it’s almost like discovering some yarn in your stash that you’d forgotten about.
A project isn’t sacred just because it’s already started. If you’re not enjoying it, if it’s not going to be something you’ll ever wear, if you need the needles for something else ….. rip it. Life’s too short to spend kniting things you don’t like.
I really love the blue and white socks Carole. Very pretty! Maybe she’ll model them for us!
Love the socks. Can’t wait to see EDC. I bought the Wiseman book after you bloged about it a while ago, and am so glad I did. Happy 4th!
Ripping has a bad rep. Its not so bad. You can’t be a *real* knitter without ripping some.
😉
great socks carole- and good for you frogging those eehhh projects. It inspires me to attack my UFO’s as well !
Nice Trekking socks. They really have interesting colors. I fear my second one is bored with AL, after New Orleans. Might have to take it back to the Gulf Coast to work on it. I have the same feeling about ripping out stuff I am not happy with.
The Everyday Cardi is indeed gorgeous – thanks for reminding me about that yarn. And I love Nanci’s book – it is so clear and well written.
Nanci’s book is wonderful — so glad you were united with your very own copy! The socks look great and I’m sure they will be loved. And I’m with you — once I frog something (whether because I’ve lost interest or because of a mistake) I feel very liberated. Maybe it is the knitter’s version of bra burning?!