Fourth time's the charm.
How many times did I start and re-start the Flower Basket Shawl? Four, I think. And it finally took, once I switched to a size 6 bamboo circ (vs. a size 7 Susan Bates - blech! - straight). I blame the needle as well as using doubled laceweight alpaca. This pattern would've been more fun if I had used a single strand of yarn.
I finished knitting it, and it's soaking right now. A pre-soaking picture:
After I bound off (too tightly, I think) and stuck it in some water, I went back and looked at the pattern. Sure enough, I bound off incorrectly. Bah. I just wanted to be done.
This project really made me think. This was yet another project I decided upon because I happened to find the available yarn (and it was cheap) and because it was in IK. I seem to have a weakness for IK patterns like some have for Knitty patterns. But what am I going to DO with this? I enjoy the process of knitting, but I enjoy it even more when the finished object is going to be useful. As it is, I likely won't use this, nor do I have anyone to give it to. So maybe it'll get donated somewhere like Sheila's Shawls. Of course, I didn't bother to knit any happy thoughts into it because when I knit, I don't think. Heck, that's a large part of why I knit!
One of my new year's resolutions is to have more purposeful stash and knit more purposefully. No more buying cute funky yarn to make a scarf I'll never wear (usually done just because I don't want to leave a yarn store empty-handed). No more falling victim to charming patterns that are fun to knit but never see any use. I will knit things that will be used, and get rid of any stash that I no longer feel like using. Ideally, I won't develop that stash in the first place.
Achieving my goal already?
I received a $20 gift card to Joann from my boyfriend's sister. Of course, I bought yarn - 10 balls of Paton's Classic Wool in Peacock to make the cable/rib cardigan on page 79 of the Holiday 2004 Vogue Knitting and 2 balls of Paton's Kroy Socks (in... some color or other) to make the retro rib socks. See? Buying with definite and wearable patterns in mind. Not that I needed to buy it immediately, but I might as well take advantage of sales and free shipping.
Earthquake/tsunami relief
Lots of you have probably donated by now, but if you haven't (or wish to contribute more), check out this sock pattern. All proceeds from the sale will be going to Oxfam.
...and last but not least
If my site disappears for awhile, it's because I'm moving to a new server. I'd say that I hope you don't even notice I'm gone, but in reality, I want you all to panic and keep refreshing in hopes that I have returned. ;)
Tipper @ 8:26 PM * link
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