Day: August 23, 2019

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Dirty Trick

I woke up this morning excited for the knitting. I finished the Caron Cowl. It actually has a name. It’s called the Warm Up cowl. Nonetheless, I woke up thinking about working. And it hit me: my yarn is playing a dirty trick.

Recall please, that I noted finishing the cowl was finishing 6/10 of the Noggins and Napes (changed the name so the collection wouldn’t be confused with this. A book I happen to own. Naturally, if you are making 10 items and you’ve finished the 6th, the next logical step would be to cast on or chain on for the 7th. In this instance, it would be casting on for a lace slouchy. 

That should be exciting enough. Casting on for something new, (even if made before) knitters live for that kind of thing. This morning I was so excited it took me a moment to remember the project I finished just hours before. But I wasn’t excited about the hat. I was thinking about what yarn I would use for the next collection. The next collection that is four projects away. What the? I was actually contemplating it for a moment before I caught myself contemplating it for a moment.

I was thinking about the ten yarns that would go to make up the next collection and all I really know about the next collection is that it has four original patterns in it and one of them is a hat and the one hat will require five or six different colors of yarn. That means searching for more than ten yarns and I might even have to go through some of the free range and caged yarns that’s not already in my downstairs bin. I may have to go on a hunt….through the chunky yarns…

Tricky, tricky yarn. what a dirty trick. I thought the chunky yarns would speak with each other but I understand how it isn’t possible. The caged yarn is separated by color, not weight, and the free range yarn ain’t separated at all. They would have to talk with all kinds of yarn to get the word out that my mind was open for fiber seduction.

It almost worked. I almost decided to go ahead and step into the future and start looking at what might be used. But I came to my senses. I know what I am going use for the lace slouch (Shadowberry), the cable beanie (Pink) and the Basic Beanie (Verbena).The only unknown is for the hat pattern. It will require two yarns..two worsted weight yarns.

I ain’t mad at it for trying. Clever, tricksy. Gollum would be proud. But I am holding out. But maybe I’ll knit just a little faster. And take a peek at my notes to see what’s coming..maybe look at a stitch book to see what the other three patterns will be. I’m still in control of this. I am. Aren’t I?

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The Night I Fell in Love

So, remember when I told you I made a cowl with Caron Chunky Cakes when I wasn’t really supposed to? Well, I was making one in the color I originally intended but it wasn’t going the way I wanted. I decided to use the hook size suggested in the band. The fabric was stiff and didn’t seem at all soft as the first one I made. 

I know some colors of the same yarn can be stiffer or rougher than others but in the skein it was soft. I went up a.hook size and started over. I got the same result. It was stiff and didn’t feel right. I was again in my office – the scene of the original cowl crime – and saw the crochet hook that for me into trouble to begin with. I decided I would try the cowl again to see what would happen. I took the hook and began again in the evening.

And that was the night I fell in love. It was soft and chunky and looked full. It was every bit of everything the first one was. I was grinning from ear to ear as if I had just won both lotteries and the government decided not to take any taxes.

If course, it wasn’t enough to take that victory. I decided I wasn’t just in love with this Caron Cake and this cowl. Oh no, that would be too simple. I was in love with chunky knits as a.whole. I would need to go through the stash and find all my chunky yarns so I could make chunky scarves and recall some past chunky knits. Chunky knits showed up on the Etsy trend page so not only would I make them; they would sell because they were hot. I would get sales. I would have great fun doing it. There was no downside.

I’ve calmed down a little. I might have lost momentum at the thought of going through the stash. I am anxious to make this with a tea cake. I won’t have that chance for a bit because I already have the cowl for the next collection. Hopefully, I will remember.

With the completion of the cowl, I have done 6 of 10. I have a lace slouch, new hat pattern and another cable beanie and basic beanie to complete. The plan is to have it done by the end of the month but we will see.

Pray I stay on track. I can hear the chunky yarns whispering to each other. They may be calling for my seduction. I am vulnerable but I shall stay strong.