Poppy, my new knitter knitting, but don't make a fuss ... I don't want to distract, annoy or make her feel self conscious. Only yesterday I was asked about how my children were involved in my craft, and specifically in knitting. I answered that both knew of knitting, and other forms of craft making, and I'd happily show them how to 'do-stuff', but they seemed more interested in me making specific things for them than becoming proficient. Then yesterday afternoon Poppy asked where 'her kniting was', and when found wanted me to show her again how to knit. So I did and left her to it. Today - I'm smiling 'cause Poppy is again knitting... but also because things are working out fine knitwise, I finished the Entrelac headband, the third clue in Soctober 09 was released and so knit asap, and my 'other' sock, Frankensock is back in progress.
but first ... look, this morning Poppy excused herself from the last of the kitchen dishes and went off to knit, alone and without help. She is confident and happy, and making progress. Oh its full of holes and tensioning the yarn is foreign to her, but the needles keep sliding out and she keeps putting them back in - and the best bit is that she looks happy.
Quant is finished, and I'm happy with it, I will probably knit another because it seems to be Poppy's new favorite and it tidies up her wispy fringe very nicely. i was a little surprised that the ends were not a symetrical match .. but found via Rokusudoku on Ravelry that one can use the instructions in Lisa Shroyer's Basic Entrlac Scarf (Free download from Interweave knitting daily). Next time I'll do that - yes there will be a next time. The mismatched ends don't really matter because they tie up under the hair and are hidden .. but sometimes I like to know how to make things match. I also appreciate how generous most online knitters are with advice and help.
Soctober 09 - clue III was up Thursday, it contained instructions for knitting the heel flap and cup. I had the clue contents all knit up by end of Friday night - a little dissappointed that it was done so quick. There is a great deal of fun knitting to a schedule, and the pattern is intuitive so even when there is a variation for the heel flap (m1 replaces yo so there are no holes on/in the flap) - its still intuitive. For now I'm metaphorically sitting and waiting for next Thursday - or Friday morning here in New Zealand, for the last clue.
With Quant done, and waiting for Clue IV, I delved into my project basket and found my abandoned Frankensocks. Now Frankensock has not been the most intuitive sock to knit, the pattern is quite complex. Not the stitch pattern of the sock but the way in which the pattern is written. There are 5 sizes so each line has instructions for each size bracketed where needed, and often there are several size brackets in each round. There is a chart for the ziggardy zaggardy mock-lightening patterning .. but not for the end where it zags away into the side rib, so all of that is written out in text for each round, with some sections for one size and some for other sizes. On top of all that there are two full patterns, one for the left sock and one for the right ... they look symetrical but we all know to get symetry in knitting requires completly different instructions at times. All of that means for me, a knitter who has problems following instructions .. that there are a lot of detailed instructions that need to be followed to make it work out. Kniting this is something I feel I have to brace myself for, and work up to - for all these reasons I've found it easy to find other things to knit, Soctober, Quant .. and I find myself thinking what should be next.
And yet when I actually sit down to knit, with a pen to tick off what I've done, and knit .. and count and check ... its fine. This is a lovely well thought out intelligent sock. Perhaps a case of the sheer visual volume of nine (9) pages of close set knitting instructions for a pair of socks that disturbs me - I like charts. All that said, I'm nearly done, the serious patterning has finished, and I'm on the plainest section, the foot.
Take care
na Stella
2 comments:
Hee! Poppy looks great in her headband (Hm. It solves the wispy problem? I may have to make myself one...).
And I totally understand the Don't Spook The New Knitters thing. I have to back away quietly from my friends young 'uns who are starting, unless they specifically ask an opinion or for help, lest it suddenly become Not Cool before they're well and truly addicted.
Hooray for Poppy! It sounds like you're doing an excellent job of giving her just enough help, and little enough hovering, to make knitting a success :) The socks are all looking lovely (I do like that Frankensock quite a lot -- like I need more socks in my "to-knit" list!). And the entrelac headband looks wonderful on Poppy :)
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