Tag: cardigan

Knitting

A Dearth of UFO’s

Iris Rose

They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I beg to differ. I believe that this road is paved with all of the grand schemes and unfinished projects that I have lying around in my craft space and (quietly) in other areas of our home.  And, before you assume that I have a reasonable stash, this is only the part that is allowed out in public.

I told myself: “Self, you are going to get all of this mess cleaned up before the New Year starts!” to which I replied: “Good luck with that, honey!” I did try my best, with a little procrastinating of course, to get all of the odds and ends cleaned up in the last couple of weeks but with Christmas, vacation, and any other excuse I could find, it didn’t get done. This is what I have left, and I have no illusions about getting it all done at this point.

 

My yoke sweater that I started goodness knows when is back. This has been one of those projects that stalled due to anger at my miscalculations and then lack of interest over the warm months. I have made good progress over the last week and am going to keep on going until it is done. I plan on a Latvian Braid up both front edges with a black folded stocking stitch band (buttoned) and ribbing at the neck, bottom and cuffs in black as I ran out of the grey. I think that it will work and be closer to what I imagined at the start of this than the mess that I began with.

Next, I am almost finished a little tunic, machine knit, with crocheted trim and hand knit neck ribbing, yet to be done. This one turned out just as I envisioned and is a prototype for a new pattern, another thing that I have been ignoring.

Then there is the SHAWL. DD1 gifted me with a couple of Tea Cakes in the spring. I went ahead and sketched out a shawl, started work on it and realized that two cakes would not be enough. Of course, by that time, Tea Cakes were gone from Michaels. I finally tracked some down in the Wool Warehouse online and am ready to go ahead with the rest of the shawl, combining knitting and crochet. This is another pattern that should be forthcoming in the New Year.

I still have all of the toys that I worked up on vacation, but these will definitely wait until all of the above are done to finish these up.  And, there may be a hat or two lying in wait as well!

Have a happy week with lots of crafting time!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Old UFO Now An FO

Iris Rose

What is the oldest UFO that you actually picked up and finished? I finally, finally finished a cardigan that I started in 2001. Only seventeen years from start to finish, not bad, eh? I actually have completed projects older than this one before but this is the latest.

I made the crocheted border squares and then, because the yarn was fine 4ply, got overwhelmed at the thought of all of that knitting plain stocking stitch and hid it in a yarn bin. Who was I hiding it from? I have no idea as I am the only one who ever looks through my stash, so I guess I was hiding it from myself and that UFO guilt. I had forgotten about it until I was looking for yarn for another brilliant idea that popped into my brain one night. Voila, I found the yarn that I was looking for and my deserted cardigan.

It seriously took me about two weeks to pick up the cone of yarn and finished motifs and then I put it down again for another week. I finished the knitting and then I put it down again for another month. What is it about some projects that you have to be dragged kicking and screaming to finish them? I really liked the colour of this yarn, I really liked the design that I made up, and I really felt compelled to finish it but not quickly obviously!

Two weeks ago I told myself that it was finish or frog time. I always like to crochet the bands on my sweaters if practical because it just seems to be a more professional finish than knitted bands. Maybe this is because I suck at knitted bands, I don’t know. Anyway, I took a big breath, not holding it because the bands would take a few hours and got to work. The only thing I don’t like is the top buttonhole placement. I didn’t take the neck band into consideration when I calculated the button placement but, you know, I rarely button up my cardi’s so I think I can live with it. I am happy, happy, happy with the finished cardigan and I am not really looking forward to winter even though I will get to wear it.

I don’t have any other projects this old but I do have a crocheted lace sweater that is about half done that I started about ten years ago and a couple of felted pieces to make bags that are riding past the six year line. Will I finish them? Who knows, maybe I will be inspired now that the ancient cardigan is done but I wouldn’t bet on it. There is too much new and lovely yarn calling me!

On a closing note, I follow another blogger who crochets, very well too. She commented a blog this week, disparaging herself about her weight. I felt sad for her that society makes such a point that we all must fit the same mold. You are who you are and, even though sometimes it is hard to remember, true and real beauty shines from within regardless of the outside dressing.

Have a happy week and be kind to yourself first and foremost. Kindness to others comes from a happy heart.