Tuesday, May 30, 2006

I'm Throwing in the Towel!


First, a sky picture for Sandy. By the time I ran in for the camera it had moved by so much you couldn't see the hole as clear as it was when I first saw it. I could actually look right thru it and see the blue sky on the other side. Cool, huh?

Remember this shell? I'm putting it away till sometime in the future when I can deal with it. I had one of those nights when the brain thinks it's time to get up at 3:15 a.m. and decided it was a good time to knit, since it was just st. st. I'm at the point where I'm casting off for the armholes and neck on the front and realized I hadn't done it right yesterday while working on it. I decided to take it off the needles and rip back to the beginning of the armholes and when I took it off the needles I was so surprised to see how HUGE it was! Like, maybe 2 sizes too big. I don't know why I can get gauge when I swatch and then evidently my gauge loosens up tremendously when I'm knitting away on something. I don't seem to be able to make a fitted garment, like sweaters, that fit. So, I've decided for awhile I'm just going to knit things that don't matter; like shawls, scarves, stoles, maybe some socks. I'm just tired of putting in all this work and the dang things never fit. And I loved this shell, and the color, but I'm throwing in the towel on this one and probably Cece too. I'm to the sleeves on that but I'm just not ready for 2 disappointments in one day, so, they're going to the UFO pile in my yarn closet.

So, what have I been working on since 4 a.m.? My Leda's Dream stole. It's relaxing and so far, easy knitting. I copied the charts this morning (again) so that I could cut them up and try getting them on one page. There's 3 charts I'm working from and having to shift the papers around is too much trouble. So far it's working out good and I don't care what the gauge is, it's a stole (but, I did do a gauge swatch and although it isn't like the pattern because I'm not using lace weight yarn, I like the looks of the lace).

Maybe some of my moodiness is because we've had some really sad news from New England. My mother-in-law, who has also been a very good friend, is not doing well and we're just waiting for the word to head North. My father-in-law passed away almost 2 years ago (in August) and now I have to watch BTB go thru loosing another parent and it's rough. So, we get up at 3:15 a.m. and look at each other and wonder if "today's the day" and hope to God it isn't, not yet, we're just not ready. So, for all of you out there that really like your mother-in-laws, call them today, or hug them, or somehow let them know that you love them. I wish I was close enough to mine (in miles) to do just that.

Okay, enough pitty party for today, I'm going to go work on my Leda's Dream.

Happy Knitting

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to hear about your mother-in-law.

That's too bad about your shell. I'm getting ready to start a summer sweater and that's what I'm most afraid of - the fit.

Anonymous said...

So sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. I hope you can find some peace and comfort in the days to follow.

I've given up on summer knits like tanks, etc., at least for this year, I just can never get a satisfactory knit. At least there's always shawls.

Mary Ann said...

Maybe when you are knitting the swatch, you are a little tense. But then as you knit the garment, you relax and things just get too big.

So sorry about your mother-in-law. My prayers are with you and our family.

FRITZ said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
FRITZ said...

I've stumbled across your blog, and rather giddly, I've found another avid knitter/blogger. I've been blogging forever and have fallen into knitting because of the blogging.

I realize you have grandchildren and so the name of my knitting site may be offensive to you...but I'll be coming back to peek at your lovely work. I could learn a lot from you; I'm new at this whole thing. But loving it!

If you'd like to swing by and take a look, I'm here.

Happy Knitting!

Catherine Kerth said...

i know what you mean about gauge! seems like everything i make it too big, no matter how many swatches it did...so sorry to hear about your mother in law... i just invited mine over for some dinner and a visit tonight, the kids get so excited when she comes over .... i gave her lots of hugs.