Stitching, Stitching

Stormy Weather

May 21st, 2008

We had a front come through here yesterday that was pretty strong. It thundered, the lightning flashed, and hail about the size of quarters came pounding down. Some of it came straight down, some at a slant and some came sideways. Naturally, I forgot to take a photo. Luckily, Peaches was in the house when all that started, but she was frightened anyway. She couldn’t find a place to escape the racket. The other cats were dashing for cover too. After it was over, I found Charming with her head stuck under the couch. She couldn’t fit under it, but ostrichlike she decided that if she couldn’t see anything, it couldn’t get at her. Lucky was jumpy, but he settled down very fast when he saw that I was still knitting. If mom puts the knitting down, then, you have to worry.

So we got a little moisture out of the storm front, but not much. When I went to bed last night, the storm was still raging–no more hail, but there was plenty of thunder and lightning.

Crocheting News

Every time I write “crochet” I remember someone I knew who pronounced it “crotchit.” The person saw one of those little how to books that I had and asked if I was going to learn to “crotchit.” Actually, I had it to learn to tat, but I got a good laugh out of the mispronunciation–later. I didn’t dare laugh in the person’s face.

When I posted last time, I forgot to include some new doilies I’d made, so I thought I’d include them now. These are some I just thought would be interesting to make, so I did. The doily above is a lily of the valley pattern. which you can get here. It’s not a difficult doily to crochet, but it’s not much fun to dress. There are no obvious places to pin it out into that scallop. You have to sort of feel your way through it. You might have better luck with another version of this doily. You can get it on the same site with a slightly different name; here it is.

This doily is called Rising Sun. I think that’s an appropriate name. I enjoyed making this one very much. It was interesting to do, and I love the look of it. The best I recall, there were a couple of small errors in the pattern, but they weren’t insurmountable. I didn’t make a note of them. I found the pattern for it here.

On the Knitting Front

I’m still trying to use up odd ends of dishcoth cotton. So I found this pattern, and I’ve made several of them. Here are two:

As you can see, I just use what I have. I did find that it’s easier to make this with two yarns that are quite different. I wouldn’t use two yarns, for instance, that have white in them. At some point you will get confused about when to turn for the short row. Now, you can use a marker, as I did on the lighter side of the pink and black one. It works that way, but it’s less trouble if you don’t have the same color in the two yarns. When I did the pink and blue one, I really judged my yardage right. I think I had about five inches of one left and about ten of the other. You can find this pattern here. Abigail kindly posted it for everyone to use. If you want to sharpen your ability to do short rows, this pattern is for you. It’s nearly all short rows, and you’ll never flinch again at the sight of short rows in a pattern.

I have also been knitting on a sweater for myself. It’ll be another top down raglan cardigan sweater. What it will look like, I don’t know. I’ve ripped it out once, and I think I’m going to rip it again. I don’t like the stitch pattern I chose for the trim on it. So if it ever settles down and tells me what it wants to be, you might get a glimpse of it. In the meantime, I am struggling with it.

Clearing the Air

Unfortunately, I have to clear the air a bit, I guess. So bear with me while I try to do that.

I have recently been approached several times by people asking me for information that I have very carefully already included in my blog entries. Please, folks, before you write, be sure that I haven’t already answered your question. I’ve gone to a great deal of trouble to include the links for you; why should I then have to go to my blog and look up the answer for you? I’ve been doing that for people, but no more. If the answer is on my blog, you’re on your own to find it. I’ve already given you help. Any words that appear in blue on my page are links. You can click on those words and go right to the place where I found the pattern or to the source of the pattern or an example of what I’m talking about.

In addition, if you want to know more about a pattern I’ve been knitting, then click on the link on the right that contains those words. That will bring up a page of nothing but the posts where I’ve mentioned that pattern. You might find if you looked just a little, the answer would be right there in front of you. If I haven’t included the information you seek, then of course, you may write. I don’t guarantee that I know the answer, but I’ll try to help.

Furthermore, before I post about a pattern, I try to collect all the pertinent information I can about the pattern. Everything I know about the pattern is right there on the page for you. If I say that I don’t have the pattern I used, I don’t. It’s not there, and that’s it. If I say that I made the project long ago and don’t remember how I did it, that’s the way it is. I’m not going back any more and try to figure out what I did 20 years ago. One of the reasons I’m not doing those things I did 20 years ago is that my eyes can’t take the strain. So attempting to reconstruct the project for anyone defeats the purpose of going on to some other technique. I have this horror of some day having to get my knitting fix with size 13 needles and bulky yarn just so I can see what I’m about. Don’t let’s hurry that.

Also, I’ve been asked any number of times to furnish someone with a pattern that appears in a book or magazine. Don’t even ask.

No, if I have a pattern and have finished a project, that doesn’t mean I’m through with it and will send it to you. If I ever want to get rid of my patterns, I’ll announce it to everyone. Maybe I’m crazy, but sometimes I actually make a pattern twice or three times. Sometimes I just enjoy a particular pattern or book. I have been known to re-read pattern books many times for sheer enjoyment.

Lastly, if you want more information about a pattern than I’ve given you, you can always try Googling for the answer. Sometimes you might be surprised at how much information you can find that way. To Google for something go to this site. Did you see how that link is blue on my page? Click on it and it will take you to Google. Type in the subject you’re looking for, and if Google can find it, it’ll put up a list of more links you can examine for information.

I hope that helps.