2kcbwday4 Whatever happened to your __________?



Write about the fate of a past knitting project. Whether it be something that you crocheted or knitted for yourself or to give to another person. An item that lives with you or something which you sent off to charity.
There are a lot of different aspects to look at when looking back at a knitting project and it can make for interesting blogging, as much of the time we blog about items recently completed, new and freshly completed. It is not so often that we look back at what has happened to these items after they have been around for a while.
How has one of your past knits lived up to wear. Maybe an item has become lost. Maybe you spent weeks knitting your giant-footed dad a pair of socks in bright pink and green stripes which the then ‘lost’. If you have knit items to donate to a good cause, you could reflect on the was in which you hope that item is still doing good for it’s owner or the cause it was made to support.

For the purpose of today's blog, I'm thinking of one project in particular. Because it's the one project that has been put to good use.

I made these slippers for my DH about 5 years ago.  You can tell they are very worn.  I made them at his request.  Of course, I didn't start right away, I had more important things to knit.  Then all of a sudden his requests became more persistent, as months passed, he would casually sit next to me in the recliner and as I was happily knitting, he would wave his barefoot in front of me and ask where his slippers were.  Eventually, I just sat down and made these in an evening.  They are made out of lion brand Jiffy I think. It is a bulky weight yarn, so I use #13 dpns. I colors of his favorite sports team DA BEARS!   Needless to say, he pulls them out every winter and wears them proudly.  As I write this, I remember now, that I actually made him the felted clog slipper first, I was so proud of those, they required many more skills then these old slippers.  But, they were not comfortable for hubby, these were. When I look at him wearing these slippers, I think about how long he waited for them and it makes me happy to see that he still enjoys them. I don't know if you can tell by looking at the  picture but, he is going to need a new pair soon, which I will gladly do for him.

If you are reading this as part of the Knit Cro Blog Week. I would love for you to leave a comment with your URL so I can read your post.

HAPPY KNITTING,
Karen

2kcbwday2 Skill + 1UP

Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. Have you learned any new skills or forms of knitting/crochet (can you crochet cable stitches now where you didn’t even know such things existed last year? Have you recently put a foot in the tiled world of entrelac? Had you even picked up a pair of needles or crochet hook this time last year?

To answer this question, the first thing I did was think back on the things I had made.  Two skills were added to the skills learned list:  First, I learned how to do Cat Bordi's Moebius Cast-On.  Didn't go any further with her patterns as they seemed a little boring to me after the cast-on.  The second skill I learned was to knit backwards.  This is fun and a real time saver when making bobbles and doing entrelac.  I guess another skill I started and am still working on is making sweaters that fit me properly, I have been reading, Elizabeth Zimmermann and Barbara Walker books as part of this process. 

On a side note, the prayer shawl is finished and my DH is giving it to his co-worker today.  That means I can start a sweater for me. YIPEE.

If you are reading this as part of the Knit Cro Blog Week. I would love for you to leave a comment with your URL so I can read your post.

HAPPY KNITTING,
Karen

2KCBWDAY1 A Tale of Two Yarns

Part of any fibre enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them...............

I don't knit for the yarn, I knit for the patterns so, when it comes to choosing a yarn to love it's hard.  For the most part, I choose solid color yarns so the stitch pattern will show. That being said, like all knitters, I have a stash and since I worked at a lys, I have a fair amount of yarn.  Before the store closed, I nabbed some Manos Cotton Stria.  I love the feel of this yarn and had a sweater pattern that called for it. So, it sits and waits.

Recently, I stumbled across the above sweater in a magazine. I thought it would be great to use with the Cotton Stria.  I quickly ordered the book to get the pattern. To my surprise, the pattern called for cotton stria.  Did I have enough yarn?  I did, but, not enough colors.  So, being the person that I am, I though I could work with four colors but, that would drastically take away from the pattern.  So, I bought another color.  These are the colors my sweater will be done in.  I will post my progress. Before I can start on it I have to get a prayer shawl finished.  Wish me luck, it could be done by the end of today.

Now, a yarn that I loathe? Chenille, it worms like crazy.  You can knit at a very even tension and things will look great when you finish a row.  But, a couple of rows later you look down and a stitch or two look very very loose. You think to your self, was I getting sloppy? So you continue on being oh so careful of your tension. You look at your finished row, it looks good, you knit on.  You look back a few rows later and they look loose again.  I would think long and hard before I ever use this yarn.

Thanks for stopping by, I'd love a comment.
Karen