I have been knitting more years than I
would like to admit—54! I never really stopped knitting, but at
times I have knit less, and at other times, I have knit more.
The past 10 years have been “more”--and
it's not just that I have knit more. I have blogged, and joined
knitting BB's and groups, I have made over 65 videos devoted to
knitting and created a web page that is mostly about knitting, in
addition to actually knitting things.
This past year, my knitting mojo has
been losing steam.
I have been knitting less, and blogging
less. Project that a few years ago I could complete in a week are
taking me months, and with less knitting, there has been less to blog
about. Just one post in March, and this is the only post for April.
Last week, I finally completed a pair
of socks I started in early February. Part of the slow progress, was
I didn't like how the skein knit up. I just didn't much like the
stripe pattern and more over, I didn't like the breaks in the skeins that broke up the stripe pattern. Secondly, it was a toe up sock (and these are less
interesting to me) and finally, it was a cabled pattern. Cables look
OK, but they really just don't interest me that much. I like how
they look—but not enough to really like knitting them. I know some knitters just LOVE cables, but to me, neah.
But finally, as of last week, they are
finished.
Since then I have started another pair
of socks. I don't remember the brand of sock yarn (and managed to
misplace the label when I make the single skein into 2 cakes. I
remember the color way name—Flamingo--I don't think its a good
name. The yarn is too pink, and not Flamingo pink, which is a bit
closer to coral than to a pure pink. I remember where I bought the
yarn –Knitty City, and about when--5 years ago, (when I was working uptown, at
103rd and B'way at the internet cafe).
These socks are not one of the home
made sock club knits—I wanted something new and a surprise, and
after a few false starts, I cast on using the double knot cast on,
and made some rows of scallops—that I decided I didn't like (to
knit) and changed to a simpler ribbed pattern. A bit more of the
ribbing, and it will be time to start the heel. Pink crowns is a double word play--Pink'd originally meant with a notched or ruffled edge --Pinking shears retail the old meaning of the word. Carnations were commonly known as "Pinks" for having just such an edge. Later, the word Pink came to associated with the color of common carnations. (Carnation is another common name, rooted in the word carne meaning 'flesh toned".)
I dug out some other skeins I liked,
one a bright pastel colorway, and another of light grey with stripes. The second is another color way of Reynolds
“swizzle”--and will likely be another generic pair of
socks—perhaps with something special at the top edge, like these socks made with a different colorway.(I have a third skein of this sock yarn in a dark green color way still waiting its turn)
When I haven't been knitting, I have
been working on my web page—and there is, as always more work to
do. The home page needs a revamping, and there are some under
construction tutorials that need more work... Still images need to be
upgraded to videos.
Speaking of videos, I am continuing to
make new ones—Double knitting ones, and other cast ons, including finally, one demoing the
Emily Ocker cast on..
Finally, two good friends, one a master knitter,
and one a beginner, have been ill—seriously, deadly ill, and this
kind of turmoil has spurred my knitting mojo—each stitch I knit is a
prayer—a hope that they will both do better than their current
medical predictions. Knit a row or two with them in your thoughts
and prayers. They both need them.
