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| Not what I wanted to see this morning. |
...thank goodness for knitting to keep me sane. This week's project was cast on in a literal frenzy: I neeeeeeded to have something on the needles before Sunday, as I hate doing the hour-long ride to Mass without having something to knit along the way. Out here in the sticks, my best blocks of knitting time are in the van.
Anyway, I cast on for this little vest, trying out some unnamed bulky yarn from my stash I bought on eBay about two years ago. It is my first go at bulky yarn and I love it! I love how quickly it knits up! I want to knit sweaters for my boys and big girl now, if I can get my hands on some beautiful, soft stuff without busting the budget.
I was a lot further along than this. Up to the armpits. Then I realized that I had cast on the wrong number of stitches. Y'know the old carpenter's "measure twice; cut once" saying? My new one is, "Count twice, cast on once." I am also really bad at gauge swatches, but since I have a niece 8 months younger than Gemma, I don't sweat it too much! Anyway, yesterday morning found me unraveling what I had and casting on again. God is teaching me patience through knitting. And self-forgiveness.
Not reading anything for fun this week. I am focusing on polishing up Una's writing skills and learning how to teach writing. Brushing up on stuff I haven't done in 30 years. It is nothing like riding a bike, I can tell you. The good part is, once I do this with Una, I should have it down for the next five kids.
Joining Ginny and her lovely Yarn Along this week, and looking forward to taking a peek at what everyone is reading and knitting...
Love that pink color!
ReplyDeleteIt will be beautiful! My dad taught me "measure twice, cut once" - very helpful advice for the knitter. :)
ReplyDeleteThe yarn is beautiful. Is that a milo vest? I've done three already and still counting. How funny about "measure once, cut twice" comment. My husband is a carpenter and always repeats that phrase to me especially when I've working on a quilt. Patience is a virtue I think every mother strives for and knitting is a great way to help or to test it:)
ReplyDeleteI often think that knitting is a great metephor for life :)
ReplyDeleteSo many lessons in patience to be had there.
I've got to get round to some bulky yarn patterns, they are so satisfyingly quick.
At the moment I've got some 2 and 4 ply baby patterns to tackle eeek!
Love the vest pattern! I have looked at that one a couple of times and I keep getting led back to it. I so agree about bulky yarn. It knits up so quickly. Tip - never knit a sweater on bulky and then a sweater on fingerling. Oh the fingerling sweater seemed to take me sooooo long.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the writing. I find it one of the hardest things to teach.
Blessings, Elizabeth
I've taken to finding a small project just for the car, I love Car Knitting! I love bulky yarn too, come to think about it... :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, I love that vest pattern. Thanks so much for sharing! And yes, bulky yarn can be soooo satisfying sometimes. (Especially when you have to start over!)
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you the number of times I have ripped back for a wrong stitch count. UGH! Sorry you had to start over...
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog -- loved your comments!
ReplyDeleteAnd love your blog title explanation -- The Secret Garden is one of my all time favorites!
What a blessing to learn a virtue like patience through an enjoyable craft like knitting. What gentle ways we can learn if we'll only notice! So fun to see your projects and your world. So fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm often impatient when I cast on a new project - I want to start right away! More often then not I have to start over because I didn't cast on the right number of stitches :S
ReplyDeleteOh I am terrible with gauge swatches too--I rarely do them and when I do, I don't really know how to use them!
ReplyDeleteI love the pink! Bulky yarn is really great for bigger projects. I used bulky weight yarn for Seth's bday sweater and that is the only reason I got it finished on time. I am realizing that it will be a miracle if I finish Keats' sweater in time for his bday b/c his is knit at a tighter gauge.
ReplyDeleteI find casting on with dpns to be the most insane challenge! I've had to re-cast every project I've ever started on them.
ReplyDeleteAnd forget gauges! I tend to hold my yarn so tight.
The vest will be cute, undoubtedly. :-)
Happy knitting!
Oh, I'm so sorry you had to start over, and guage swatches, hmmm. I'm always too impatient to just get to the project. The pink is lovely and happy more knitting this weekend :)
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