Monday, December 04, 2006

Bipolar Knitting Frenzy and a weekend of firsts...



Gee, with this type of rapid production of finished objects, you'd think that I have no life and that I spend all my precious free time whiling away the hours in front of the fire, knitting away. Errr...umm--euh, right! Moving on...

The scarf you see the Darling Resident Marxist Curmudgeon sporting here represents a series of firsts. It's the first time I have put fringe on anything--I'm not normally a fringe type of person (if that type of person does indeed exist), but this yarn is so odd, somehow it seemed appropriate. It's also the first time I have ever done anything is garter stitch only. Strange but true! I am an avowed stockinette hag, and don't normally like the garter stitch look, but again, there it seems fitting. This scarf is also the first time I have made a scarf for the above-mentioned individual. "Oh wow, I love it. Is it for me? Thanks I'll wear it all the time, I really like it so much. Thanks Bunny!" (Yes, we have cutie pie nicknames, don't people like us make you ill?). After the outpouring of heartfelt gratitude, I didn't have it in me to disabuse him of the notion that I had actually made it for someone else, so it'll have to be another pair of Fetchings for the originally intended recipient! The scarf was made out of Zitron Turmalin that I picked up here. I knocked it off in a few hours and am pleased with how it turned out.




This weekend I was also able to complete the Lite-Lopi scarf from Weekend Knitting. I started it back in March and then, as per the dictates and demands of my usual attention span that is similar to that of a gnat, I put it down sometime later that month. I love this pattern so much, as you can easily memorize the pattern and be off and running. I thought it would be a good idea to make a matching hat, which is also pictured here. I was told by someone to cast on 90 sts for the hat. Which I stupidly did. I worked all Friday evening on it, and guess what? It came out frightfully too big. Now, along with Conan O'Brien, I myself am sporting a gigantic Irish head, but this hat was way, way beyond any head size I've ever seen. I was annoyed, but take the blame. So I decided to felt it, another first for me. I just threw it into the washing machine and let 'er rip. What you see pictured below is the result. I am thinking of making a series of them and calling them 'placemats' and giving them to someone for Christmas. I know, a shitty gift, but I'm desperate over here!!




At the yarn store on Sat., the tiniest kiddie winkie asked me if I'd make her a blue sweater with white snowflakes. Given that I am a terribly selfish knitter who has basically only ever made socks and mittens for her family, I felt that it was time to shed my self-oriented knitting ways and 'give over' as my Lancashire relatives would say. So I bought some Kraemer Summit Hill (love this stuff btw) and rocked hard on it all day yesterday. As you can see, I am far enough along to have finished one set of the fair isle snowflakes, which is exciting.



I'm going to enjoy this spurt of bipolar knitting production while it lasts, because let's face it, I can't keep this up forever. My house is filthy, the laundry is piling up, my cooking has taken a turn for the worse, and the student term papers are staring to trickle in...but for the time being, I am a maniacal knitting fiend.

10 comments:

Cynthia said...

Since you seem to be another project, the Hedgehog patterns have arrived.

YawnOver said...

Men - they think everything is for them. I bet they think this post is about them (silly Carly Simon reference, tee hee.) Anyway, nice scarf and adorable sweater. Knit on!

Karen said...

Whoa, you have been busy!! Everything looks great though - even the hat turned placemat (so clever!!). Yeah, couples with cutsie nicknames always made me sick . . . . then I met my Sweetpea and became one of the nauseating couples!! I vividly remember telling him two months into our relationship "People like us used to make me gag!!!". :)

Anonymous said...

Sometimes plain old garter stitch just works, and yours defintely works! The lite-lopi scarf is also really pretty.

Great idea turning the too-big hat into a placemat!

Melissa said...

The scarf is gorgeous. The sweater is going to be super cute! :)

Unknown said...

You go girl! Maybe some of the knitting mojo will seep my way and I will complete something for christmas pretty soon.

Lone Knitter said...

For the end-of-the-semester-crunch, you're doing well in the knitting department! I was trying frantically to finish up some holiday knitting on the subway this morning, when I realized a great error in my knitting and had to frog it. Maybe I should churn out some scarves in garter-stitch too! Very nice FOs!

Anonymous said...

The sweater is going to be just darling. Can't wait to see a pic when it's finished.

Anonymous said...

The scarf is awesome! I love the colors! I think the different colors that you used makes it seem like it's more then just a garter stitch. Umm, yeah, that hat is way too big! I don't know anyone that has a head that big. The snowflake sweater is coming out really nice. I love the colors.

Anonymous said...

I'll have two of what your having, k? You've been super busy, and I love what you've been turning out! Great scarves. (I'm not much for fringe either)