I've received my first Ravelympics medals, & I am verklempt; talk amongst yer'selfs.
Completed my first WIPs Dancing event entry by finishing, after nine YEARS!, the simple garter stitch scarf meant for my mom. Begun when I was still a beginning knitter, I used 'ladder' yarn, which completely fucked me up. It is very slippery, & I tend to drop my knitting often (no, not drop my stitches, drop my knitting; I'm just weird, ok?). When I would pick it up, even one dropped stitch would have zipped its way back several rows, & at that time I wasn't very good at picking up dropped stitches, particularly with such finicky yarn. But, I had my friend Eileen around, the advanced knitter who taught me to knit, and she would fix it. Repeatedly. Ad nauseum. Finally, finally, I got to the end without further mishap, and was binding off; when I reached the penultimate stitch - I dropped it again, & ZIP! - undone stitches! I was disgusted, & stuffed the damn thing in a baggie to deal with it later.
Completed my first WIPs Dancing event entry by finishing, after nine YEARS!, the simple garter stitch scarf meant for my mom. Begun when I was still a beginning knitter, I used 'ladder' yarn, which completely fucked me up. It is very slippery, & I tend to drop my knitting often (no, not drop my stitches, drop my knitting; I'm just weird, ok?). When I would pick it up, even one dropped stitch would have zipped its way back several rows, & at that time I wasn't very good at picking up dropped stitches, particularly with such finicky yarn. But, I had my friend Eileen around, the advanced knitter who taught me to knit, and she would fix it. Repeatedly. Ad nauseum. Finally, finally, I got to the end without further mishap, and was binding off; when I reached the penultimate stitch - I dropped it again, & ZIP! - undone stitches! I was disgusted, & stuffed the damn thing in a baggie to deal with it later.And then my mom died.
I didn't know what to do with it. The scarf, I mean. I couldn't throw it away, and I couldn't, somehow, finish it. So I just left it in that damn baggie, stashed in the back of my UFOs pile. And there it sat, 'til yesterday.
Now, of course, I know how to fix things like this. No big deal, I just picked up the stitches back about a dozen rows or so, and knit on. I didn't even have a pair of needles the right size to hand, so I used one needle and a paintbrush, haha. And it took me longer to get pictures of the FO than it did to actually finish knitting it. But it's all done, and I think I need to change it's name from 'Saddest Project Ever' to 'Sad No More'.
Now, of course, I know how to fix things like this. No big deal, I just picked up the stitches back about a dozen rows or so, and knit on. I didn't even have a pair of needles the right size to hand, so I used one needle and a paintbrush, haha. And it took me longer to get pictures of the FO than it did to actually finish knitting it. But it's all done, and I think I need to change it's name from 'Saddest Project Ever' to 'Sad No More'.
I think I'll send it to my sister in Turkey.
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I like the new name! It came out very nice.
ReplyDeleteHere's your medal, your flowers, oh-oh say can you seeeeee....
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! Congratulations!
Hip Hip Hooray!
It's beautiful! Wow, you give hope to stalled out knitters everywhere (at least in northern ohio at any rate)
:-)
Velma, Thanks for your story. I have some UFO's like that lurking under my bed- that I started before I had all of the skills to deal with the yarn &/or pattern. None of them have the connection to family that yours does though. Congrats on finishing it.
ReplyDeletea happy ending (except for your mom :-( )
ReplyDeleteThis has been my reaction lace knitting...I struggle, fix, drop, fix and drop again and finallly throw it in a pile. I may someday go back to it....
I LOVE the fact that you finished it on Valentine's Day. It is a beautiful piece and I am sure your sister will love it! Well done Capt'n!!!
ReplyDeleteGO TEAM GO!
Sounds like a happy ending for Sad No more!! Congrats on both finishing and your medal and thanks for a touching story!
ReplyDeleteYay medals! I have seen so many beginning knitters get frustrated with that yarn... But that's awesome that you brought it back out and finished it!
ReplyDelete