Isn’t Susan’s wedding purse beautiful? Some projects are pretty and timeless. Others are — well — I don’t really want to say anything too negative (in part because I am the kind of person who believes objects have feelings. I’ve been known to apologize to a chair for bumping into it.)
Even so, I’ve been cleaning out my closet this weekend and there is one handknit sweater that I will never, ever wear again. I don’t know what I was thinking, although I do remember being quite proud of it at the time. It was knit side to side, a first for me. So it does get a plus in the learning category. It used multiple kinds of yarn — oooh, Aunt Bea. Another part of my learning. It was the first time I did applied I-cord. Woo hoo. I should be too embarrassed to post a photograph but hey — I’m a Clay Aiken fan — I’m used to being taunted. So, without further ado:
Its one redeeming feature is its beautiful amber buttons. I am thinking of removing them and — gasp — throwing the sweater away. I think I need some liquid courage to actually do it.
Remember when I talked about the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival? I did end up going at the last minute. My major purchase was some roving. I have a spinning wheel, but I am not a good spinner. I took a class a few years ago, but stopped practicing. Seeing so much spinning going on got me interested again, so I bought two pounds of Blueface Leicester wool. It’s soooo soft. I got home and pulled out my spinning wheel. It’s a Louet Double Treadle S-51 for those of you who care. I sat and stared at it, trying to remember how the hell to “thread” it and get it to work. Yes, it had been a long time.
I did finally remember, and I’ve spent a lot of time since the Festival spinning. There are occasional moments when I truly “get” it: the fibers pull just right, the wheel spins at the proper speed, and I produce an even, beautiful yarn. But that’s just occasionally. The rest of the time I’m producing novelty yarn. I don’t mind, though. It’s relaxing and addictive and I’m learning. And I’ve got at least a pound and a half of Bluefaced Leicester rovings left.
Finally, in honor of Mother’s Day, here is a photograph of a peony I cut from my garden this morning.
RE: the sweater — In Sally’s defense, the reason she bought the kit was because she tried on a shop sample and actually saw how it would fit and look. This is a novelty for most of us. Usually we don’t know how something will look until we have spent a thousand hours and umpteen dollars on it. Then we go — gee, THAT didn’t work! My test is: would I have bought it if I tried it on in a store? But it looked nice and could be worn to work as a sophisticated jacket with slacks, so it seemed like a good idea. Keep the buttons, Surly!
Comment by lv2knit — May 15, 2006 @ 6:34 am
Poor sweater. (Cleaning closets?) I know from my quilting projects, sometimes things just don’t work out. I’m going to be tackling an applied I-cord on my flower sweater soon, I’ll let you know how it goes.
I hope you’re enjoying your spinning. Could you please post a picture of the yarn that comes from that soft-yummy wool? How on earth do you judge and buy enough of the same raw stock (showing my ignorance here) to make enough yarn to make a project? I couldn’t even get it right with yardages given in the pattern, and on the skeins of yarn.
And the peony? What beautiful shades of pink. Lucky you!
Comment by Wendy in VA — May 15, 2006 @ 4:13 pm