I’m feeling glum. It’s an overcast day, and I have a head cold. The kids are home for the week, which would normally be good, but this week coincides with a huge amount of work Mr. Kninja is doing from home, and is, as a result, mostly a juggling act.
And I made the mistake of reading a particular Ravelry thread complaining about bloggers posting patterns that are not all the way spiffed up, error free, and sparkly.
Blah. I’m trying not to let it get to me, but it’s sort of taken a little of the shine off my my happy magic view of the online knitting community. I’ve always felt really welcome and connected with other knitters, and I like the way people take the time to share their ideas, even when those ideas are half formed.
I’m taking a lot of extra time on my Erin Shrug pattern because I’m trying to get it just right, Baby Bear style. And I mean to post it only when it is just right, no errors, no problems. However, I certainly can’t say that about patterns I’ve already posted…patterns that are more ideas than patterns, where my math may have failed me at times, and my invention may have given out. And I can’t promise that I won’t make more mistakes in future.
I’ve had thoughts of selling the Erin Shrug pattern, but I feel weird going right from half formed ideas to selling a pattern. I like the idea of establishing a trustworthy reputation first. Truth is, I never came into knitting expecting to design patterns for other people. The biggest ambition I had was to make something designed for me, which is what Maude Louise was.
I always intended, though, to do my best to write down what I’d done so that others could make it. And I did write it down, and I learned that I’m not really a quick study at this. That’s an understatement. I’m bloody slow, laborious, and tortuous at this.
You’re probably regretting dropping by for a pity party, so I’ll apologize now, offer tasty snacks, and pull myself together.
Perhaps you would like some milk and cheese?
There. All pulled into place. Pity party finit.
I don’t have knitting pictures this week, but I’ve got a few finished or almost finished projects that I’m eager to show you. I’ve been trying to encourage the kids’ interest in the fiber arts by purchasing the occasional skein to make them a little something, and Eleanor has two new treats this week. Firstly, I took up my crochet hook and learned to actually follow a pattern by making this adorable little goldfish from Beep Beep. Ours is a lot more pastel-y and multicolored, thanks to Eleanor’s very strange taste in yarn. She also picked out a skein of deep purple Cascade 220 recently, and I’ve been making her a little long sleeved shrug based on the One Skein Wonder. She’s a fun person to knit for, and I’m wondering when she’ll be coordinated enough that I can start teaching her. She’s already expressed an interest in learning, but every time I try to show her, she waits patiently, watches me, and then says, “OK, Mama. Now I show YOU how to do it.” Then she waves her needles around for a while and makes yarn spaghetti, and then she says, “Ooooh, darn!” in this adorable little voice.
She’ll be three in April. I’m thinking three’s probably still too little. She’s got the will, but the small muscles need to catch up. Gabriel, on the other hand, can knit, but does so very rarely, and Liam has not shown any interest yet. I admit, I want my boys to join me in my obsession perfectly healthy little hobby, become enthusiastic knitters, and defy gender stereotype, but so far, the little girl is showing a lot more interest and enthusiasm than her older male compatriots. So perhaps I will not have the model family of enlightenment (TM), but at least it looks likely that I’ll have a companion in yarns soon enough.
I made a little headway on Sweetheart Sock number two, but truth be told, I think it’s going to be a long haul. I think knowing how difficult number one was for me is making it harder for me to dive in head first, and as the weather warms up, I have less of the drive of desperation that kept me going last time. Still, the Dude(ette) abides, and I’m plodding away with some success.
I’m also almost done with a Le’ Slouch, a hat I’ve admired since it was first posted on Wendy’s blog, and which I’m only now getting around to making for myself. Simple, but so cute, and very satisfying. I love seed stitch, and I’m getting my fill here.
More later. I promise to be less full of the pathos of the world next time.
