Monday, March 14, 2011

A Knitting Conundrum Day....

Woke up to this new snow today. And it seems so odd because we just had about a week of beautiful, spring-ish weather. But for now, this alien snow has cancelled my planned trip to Walmart because I never can de-snow the truck like Blaine does.

But I'm not without things to do on a day when I'm snowed in. For instance, I can look at the back of my uncle's sweater and think "Good-- I got that part down." But now the conundrum is what to do with the front of the pullover. I want to put a decorative, masculine, yet easy, panel up the front. But I've looked at all my cabling books and can't choose what I want. So I just sit here looking at the danged sweater, hoping that something in the knitted cables book choices will speak to me.

One thing about snow days is that I appreciate the fire more. We have an "adjustable" fire in that when the room gets cold, the fire clicks on. And if the room gets warm, the fire clicks off. And today it's pretty much on all day. But that's fine with me because between the weather and the fire, my brain concentrates on my knitting projects more....

Um....except I just took up a crochet project that I told myself I could work on for short breaks when I get tired of knitting the sweater. (But the truth is that I simply wanted to design something out of granny squares.)

Okay, the below granny squares are made from Malabrigo bulky in the colorway called "Brilliante". And I'm going to design a cardigan with them. It will be a spring sweater because of the large holes between the blocks of double crochet. And I'm going to design it with knitted areas as well as crocheted areas. I'll put the progress of both garments on the blog as I go.

Wish me luck!

Anyhoo, I guess I better get started as the hours are rolling by. But first I'm going to make myself some hot tea that Blaine bought for me. It's one of my favorites (next to Constant Comment), Twinings Earl Grey.

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10 comments:

danielle said...

Bo - go to the store - sit down - and pull out one of yor outrageously wonderful projects - the chatting will come automatically as people see what you are doing - they will come and chat with you!

danielle said...

Better yet - wear one of your crazy beautiful sweaters too!!!!

Bo... said...

Hi, Danielle!! That was actually what I was afraid of---taking out one of my crazy knitting projects and having the other ladies think "Good Lord, what IS she knitting?!"

But now that you've given me encouragement, I think it might be easier to do! And maybe I'll do the other thing you suggested---and wear my Molly Weasley sweater that I knitted from the book "Charmed Knits"!!!

Thanks for the encouragement! I really appreciate it!

Jenn said...

They will be so intrigued by your designs and your knitting, and you will get nothing but compliments. Go for it!

Jenn

Bo... said...

Hi Jenn! Thank you for your encouragement! It's helping me to get up the courage to go. I've bought yarn there lots of times so at least I feel like I know the staff!

Anonymous said...

How about your Ipod in your basket?

Bo... said...

Anonymous: Thank you---that's a great idea and I'm going to do that!

Mel said...

Bo,

Why do you care what they'll think when it comes to YOUR knitting? You say you don't care often enough here on your blog and on Twitter when the "haters" come out and try to deride your style.

Everybody who goes into that shop has some problem or "secret" that they don't want to let the world see. They are no different or "better" than you. DO NOT be intimidated.

You go around only once in this life. When you meet your Maker in the Hereafter, do you want to stand before Him and say you wasted it by being scared to talk to people? By holing yourself up in a house, and not letting others experience the riotous joy of your creations? After all, your creativity is one of His gifts to you. Do not be afraid to show it.

You CAN do it!

Mel :o)

PS. Think about including symbols of the things that soothe you to include in your basket, like something that represents your faith. A piece of the jewelry that you make to represent your time in your studio. A recipe of your favorite comfort food. A picture of your favorite time of day or spot in this world. Think outside the basket, Bo. :o)

Bo... said...

Mel, thank you so much! You put things in a perspective that makes so much sense. When I look at it that way it gives me a little more confidence. And thank you for the suggestions for the basket because I was really sitting here wondering what in the heck. All I could think of was putting yarn in there--nothing else! But the things you mentioned, especially my faith, are such good ideas and I'm going to put them in the basket. And I'm going to put a piece of paper in there saying "my online friends" because I really appreciate you so much. Thanks, again, Mel!

Bo... said...

Oh, and it just occurred to me to put a teabag in the basket---I am drinking some calming tea right now.