Wednesday 4 May 2011

Feeling knitty

Some days I feel knitty, and some days I feel stitchy, and some days I find myself havering between the two.



I really admire people who take a craft and stick to it, and progress in an orderly fashion through a series of projects, and don't have any guilty secrets hiding unfinished in remote cupboards, which tumble out unannounced to nudge one insistently. This usually happens when I am in search of some essential little crafty item that I have tidied away so carefully and logically that it involves a fingertip search of the entire house to locate it - and then that neglected work in progress wags its metaphorical finger at me, and quite takes the shine off my enthusiasm for the new endeavour on which I have embarked with such vigour and determination.


However, the upside of all these projects on the go, is that if I need the satisfying emotional uplift of completion, I can usually find a selection of  half-finished numbers to polish off, and thus boost my productivity to a seemingly impressive rate.



Yesterday I was feeling very knitty, and after the traumas of the weekend, I feel quite reconciled to the possibilities of my granny cardi (of which more later),  and found that it goes quite well with this fetching little shawl, which I knitted last December. It had such a festive air, and I was so pleased with it, and its scallop edging, which happened by accident ... it hadn't quite found its spiritual home in the permutations of my wardrobe, but now I can rest easy.


And I even have another very pretty (and very thrifty) knit to show you, and can smile complacently at my capacity to finish what I start, whilst not mentioning the Owls jumper in the cupboard.


So here is one more baby blanket, a knitty one this time, all ready and waiting to greet the army of babies marching towards me over the summer. The pattern is a wonderful one, easy to knit, and designed to use up all those little leftover bits of sock yarn you have in your stash, or if you are me, part of the ball waiting for a sibling to emerge for the orphan sock snuggled up to it. The border is Skein Queen Plushness, and the stripes are all sorts of sock yarn including Skein Queen, Regia, Trekking and Colinette, and the pattern is the Zig and Zag Pram Blanket from the Skein Queen.


There was, of course, the matter of the ends ... 42 colour changes makes a lot of ends. And I know there are sensible people out there who sew in the ends as they go, and I admire you most sincerely, and vow to emulate you every time. But somehow I am held back by the thought that, and I have previous on this, the thought that there might be a bit of frogging and tinking on the horizon, and how would I find those ends so securely sewn in? I did knit a few stitches with old and new yarn, and caught in the ends, but took a belt and braces attitude and firmly sewed them in, all 90 of them (I may be exaggerating here, I didn't count).


And, the good thing about ends, is that if you feel a little weak about participating fully in family life, namely pot washing and table clearing, you can sit industriously on the sofa sewing, whilst directing other family members in the other tasks which you are far too busily engaged to do.


As regards to the granny cardi, I have to say that the washing machine came to my rescue. After much consultation and advice from the lovely ladies of the Skein Queenery group on Ravelry, and more sage opinions from my dear readers, it would seem that, being constitutionally unsuited to frogging on a garment-wide scale, knitted shoulder pads are the way to go (instructions courtesy of EmmaCo here).  But then I had a little brainwave - I noticed that as a result of blocking flat, the sleeves had knife creases which seemed to be worsening the situation (the only time that I have seen knife creases in our crumpled house, I must say), and after a quick spin in the suds, I just hung the cardi above the Aga with the sleeves arranged flat across the body, and somehow it did all come out in the wash, and settled into very retro puff sleeves. And what do I see on the Brora website but a jumper with short puff sleeves ... have I just become all the go by accident?

35 comments:

Victoria - Florence and Mary said...

I'm starting to feel "knitty" too... I'm planning a trip to buy some lovely wools and sit and give it a go again as it's been so long since I did anything!

Victoria xx

PinkCatJo said...

I love the blanket. The colours are beautiful. x

Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...

Lovely knits, you must have such a feeling of satisfcation now having completed so many projects. I love the baby blanket, the colours are wonderful

Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...

Lovely knits you must have a great feeling of satisfaction having finished so many projects. I love the blanket the colours are wonderful

Pipany said...

Gorgeous things here and I am another who loves to have several things on the go. Just been searching out a shawl pattern to use some beautiful hand dyed yarn on and think I have settled on Isolda from Ravelry. Hmm, fear I am rambling! x

dottycookie said...

I flit between crafts - which explains the ridiculous number of half finished projects in my house. I keep seeing so many things I want to try!

Your blanket is glorious.

Serenata said...

I have got a wonderful poem about all those 'projects' tucked carefully away...I must remember to post it, hopefully sometime this week. I have got several knitted projects on the go, terrible really, I should focus on one. Haven't done any knitting for a couple of weeks now, so should get back into it.

Poppy said...

I love the cardi! I wish I could knit better! And as for lot's of projects on the go....no comment from me. :0)

Lou xxx

GardenOfDaisies said...

Your blankets and shawl are gorgeous! As is the newest periwinkle knitting project. I have so many ufo quilts, I really should feel ashamed of myself. What I need to feel is motivated. Well, in all fairness to myself, what I really need is some time off work.

Lyn said...

See I told you it would be fine!!!
love
Lyn
xxx

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes, I too have plenty of nooks and crannies full of half-finished projects - and boxes full of threads, beads, wool etc. waiting for inspiration.

Anonymous said...

I am in awe, they are absolutely beautiful, I don't think I could part with the blanket if I had made it.
I am trying to imagine what "frogging" might be!:-)
Also I have pinched your apple muffin recipe whilst I was here, thanks very much.

Cathy said...

Haven't you been industrious with all your knitting caught up with? The shade of that blue wool is to die for. I always wanted eyes that colour. I really like the stripey shawl too. Stripes never go out of fashion. I wish I could feel "knitty" but I am not by nature a knitty person sadly.

Ever - The red house by the lake said...

I am amazed by your work. That chevron style pattern looks really complicated!

How wonderful to be able to knit well enough to be able to offer it as gifts!

The Fairy Glade said...

I would have to sell a body part to buy the Brora equivalent? Do people pay that amount for a single item of knitwear?

I flit from one thing to another all the time. I am crocheting at the moment, but the knitting needles are staring at me and my fingers have that itchy feeling. I have so many unfinished projects, but then I think most of us do if we are really honest! Sunny and warm here too. Dev x

BadPenny said...

I never feel knitty & I never feel stitchy but I am so glad you popped by again so I can see what I'm missing out on !

::The Beetle Shack:: said...

Hi! Beautiful work there! I would LOVE to learn to knit- its on my list! Thanks so much for your beautiful comments on my blog, I'm following you now so should be able to keep up with all your news!

em xo

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Oh yes the choices are so many, knitting one day, perhaps baking the next and soon it will be jam season.
Whatever inspires you it certainly has turned out lovely... I think one of those baby blankets would be perfect for the front porch on a cool Summer's eve.
Susan x

gillyflower said...

Hi Pomona!
Thankyou for visiting my blog and leaving some lovely comments! Have only just had a chance to leave a comment for you - every time i try to read your blog i get interrupted!
Love all the stripey, woolly colourfulness here!
Glad you got the cardi sorted out - its too lovely not to be worn.
So glad to have found your lovely blog!

Gill

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

I have three big projects on the go, all shamingly stalled by the other parts of my life and my own incompetence. The socks were going swimmingly until I noticed I had made a big mistake quite a while back and can't work out how to fix it. The crochet blanket was going a bomb but is now irretrievably linked in my mind to the period when my FIL was in hospital and simple crochet helped while away the many hours and years of hospital visiting. And the quilt, well you know about the quilt. Maybe I should stick to gardening.

joanie said...

That baby blanket looks so soft and gorgeous. I would love a grown-up version... if only I could knit :)

**Anne** said...

I love having different projects on the go as I get really bored if I work on the same one for too long. Patience is not my strength.
I love the way you write, I chuckle away which is a very nice way to start the day.

Frances said...

I'm another one with lots of projects that are perhaps half-way finished, perhaps less than half-way.

Thanks for the link to the Skeinqueen site...lots of inspiration over there, too.

I'm glad that I can just about knit while reading, so I can just about keep up with the stack of library books that is just a tall as the stack on half-done knitting or crocheting projects. (No way can I crochet and knit at the same time, though.)

xo

Gooseberry Jam said...

You have put a lot of work into that baby blanket, it's just beautiful, I'm crocheting a blanket for my bed at the moment. I have only just learned how to crochet, I have taught myself how to change colour but don't know what to do with all these ends yet, Think I'll take your advice, sew them in at the end, while the family is doing the dishes! :)

Lisa said...

Ilove all your makes, the shawl is fabulous. So pleased that the cardi issue has been resolved, hope you enjoy wearing it.
Lisa x

sara said...

What a lovely blog and so much knitted wonderfulness.......I am in need of coffee but will be back later for a deeper delve into your gorgeous space.
lily x

harmony and rosie said...

So glad that your granny cardi has all worked out in the wash (!) - Brora eat your hearts out. And the very idea that your wardrobe is filling up with all these new knitted numbers must be very exciting. My own knitted creation is taking forever unfortunately but at least there is only one.

Hillcrest Cottage said...

Some mamas of babies are going to be very happy when they receive the fun and colorful "binkies".

I am the Queen of Unfinished Projects! They are everywhere in my life!

KC'sCourt! said...

I flit between different crafts, don't think I could stick to just one.
Julie xxxxx

Anonymous said...

The blanket is just beautiful! :) xxxx

Carol said...

Oh all such lovely bits and bobs you have made, how I wish I could knit...lol I too have unfinished pieces here and there just waiting and waiting. Today I am feeling polishy, which is good as I am not that into housework!
Thank you for your kind words, they mean a lot to me.
Carol xxx

Chrissie said...

Who'd have guessed - Pomona's 'on trend' ! Glad you sorted your cardi - knew you would...

Juliab said...

Wow, your shawl and blanket are stunning. I will be having the same problem very soon as I am about to finish a crocheted chevron blanket which has oodles of ends to sew in. It will be done in front of the TV no doubt. Lovely blog. x

A garden just outside Venice said...

At least you can craft! Said by an hopeless girl :)
Your beautiful blanket reminds me of Missoni's patterns!
xxx

Mousy Brown said...

LOts of knitting going on here too - not sure it's as gorgeous as yours though - I love the shawl (and sock yarn blanket) Very inspiring! :D

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