Monday, July 16, 2007

I knew I forgot something....

Did I forget to mention that I'm knitting a border around my blanket? Yeah, I did, and I do!

I don't want to have the whole blanket in my lap, when I'm tackling the border. I've decided to sew one stripe of squares, the whole length, which is 8 squares long. The blanket will be 5 squares wide.



I've got nearly 400 stitches to go back and forth on this border (one long side). Unfortunately I can't knit the design I would have liked, due to dwindling available yarn. Also, the design I DID knit was not what I wanted (not even second choice) either.


It went like this: I opened the Knitting Mosaic Book, where the "Bands" were located. There are black and white (or rather gray) pictures of the designs, followed by the charts. One sample picture has 13 designs on it. So, I opened to one page, looked at the picture, saw my second choice, counted down, looked up the design and started knitting. After the 4th row, there was this "Huh?" in my head, repeatedly, but I didn't get it. After the last row was knit, I looked at the design, and this time there was "WTF" in my head, it looked nothing like the design I'd chosen. I looked at the picture again, and NOW I read the small print beside it. I naturally counted from top to bottom to design 9, but for whatever reason, they counted from bottom up, which would have made the design I wanted to knit # 5. Was I going to rip out 26 rows of roughly 400 stitches? No way! Now I have to repeat the mistake on purpose on the other side. Of course the design is the ugliest on this page, but since you will not see the rest, it will be O.K. for everyone except for myself. But there's a good side too. Now I know how much yarn I'll need, and I will knit the top and bottom border (short side of the blanket) with my # 1 choice of designs. You'll see! So, I'm not only sewing squares, but also knitting, and this will take longer than I'd expected.




In the meantime I have to show you something, so you wont get bored. Look what I've got here. This is a metal box, painted somewhere in Russia (says so on the back). I've got it over 11 years ago, from someone from somewhere, don't remember. I've used it in my sewing days to keep the chalk for marking seams and so on. It's still in there.





I was looking for something else, when I saw it, and until a few days ago, I never really looked at the painting, it didn't mean anything until now. It shows two women spinning with bottom whirl drop spindles. Isn't that cool?





Ask and you shall receive, or something like that. I asked my son to please make me a WPI counting tool, and this is what he brought home for me. He's working in a wood workshop during the summer, until University starts up again. It's perfect. It sits in my hand so comfortably, I love it. He knew what I wanted to do with it, but he could not explain to his buddies, why one would want to wrap yarn around some piece of wood. People who have nothing to do with knitting or spinning, sure think that we are weird. ;o)





I haven't taken a lot of picture of the dogs lately. This one I made a couple of month ago. I like it. Biko looks a little like a Sphinx in this one. She was hoping to get a treat, for being good and letting me photograph her. ;o)

17 comments:

Sue J. said...

Your blanket is going to be so beautiful. And what an adorable shot of Biko. I do love seeing pics of your babes. Milo is settling in well, but suffers severe separation anxiety when I try to leave the house. Howls like a basset hound. So-I just don't leave him. Don't want to anyway.

Devonshire said...

That blanket is going to be amazing. I'm sorry that the border that you ended up knitting wasn't what you wanted, but at least you get to have your number one choice on the top and bottom right? I love the colors. Biko is beautiful!

Micky said...

Yeah you are getting it finished! And even though it has the WTF areas, I am sure it will be beautiful!
Gathering all the good knitting mojo I can send your way.
The recipient is very lucky.
:)

Carol said...

Cool wpi tool!

DAWN said...

Your son is so cool for making the perfect tool for you. I love the little tin, as well. What a great treasure.

Anonymous said...

gaaahh your more adventurous than me doing a knit border!!!
I'm sure it will be fantastic once you get it all together!
Your little tin is soooo cute.

Carrie K said...

Biko looks very regal and sphinx like in that picture! I hope she got treats. They're both staying well, right? Along w/Karl?

The blanket is going to be beautiful despite the annoying band! I was reading your trials knitting it thinking that of course you'd figure something. Too bad there wasn't enough yarn for your first choice though.

Strickfimmel said...

Die Decke wird superschön, aber noch so viiiiiel Arbeit! Bin schon gespannt, wie der gestrickte Rand aussehen wird. 400 Maschen pro Seite, das wird noch eine Geduldsarbeit. Aberes lohnt sich. Biko's Foto ist wirklich süß. Sie schaut daruf wirklich wie eine Sphinx aus.

Debi said...

I love little boxes like that, how cool that it's got a fibery theme!

The package took off for Canada this afternoon :)

Anonymous said...

How boogelly!! Isn't that always the way, I wouldn't have undone it either!! It is a pain in the neck though. What a lovely WPI instrument!! Biko does look Sphinx-like!!! Dogs can look so cute when they want a treat!!!

Anonymous said...

This blanket is going to be a real piece of art, something to cherish for a long, long time! The fact that you're adding a knitted border is pretty stunning too, I can only begin to imagine what a load of work this will be - but you'll manage it alright and the result will be ever so worth it!
What a gorgeous pic of Biko!

sgeddes said...

Biko is positvley regal in that postiion. And you have a very ncie son for making you the little wooden wpi tool.

I'm still betting the blanket will be wonderful despite your protests!

Teresa said...

Oh wow, I really want to see the finished blanket. It's going to look beautiful!

You find the most beautiful stuff. First the sock darners and now that little box! You are one lucky lady :D.

Kris B said...

I couldn't help to smile when I read about the border. It sounds like something I would do. That is so interesting that the tin you have had all this time has an image of spinning on it. The wpi counting tool is awesome. Your son did a very good job making it.

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

wow! I'm might impressed with the blanket!

Susanne said...

Liebe Monika,
wann machst Du das alles? Ich war nur vier Wochen nicht online wegen unseres Urlaubs und in der Zwischenzeit hast Du soviel gestrickt, gefärbt, gesponnen - wow, das ist absoluter Wahnsinn. Deine Decke wird wunderschön, ich bin schon sehr gespannt, wie sie fertig aussehen wird. Und dann die vielen großen und kleinen Socken, toll. Heute habe ich nur mal schnell die Bilder anschauen können und kurz mal quergelesen, ich muss nochmal reinschauen, wenn ich mehr Zeit habe.
Also ich kann nur sagen, wenn eine von uns eine "knitaholic" ist, dann Du. Ich bin wirklich sehr beeindruckt.
Es macht immer wieder Freude, bei Dir reinzuschauen.
Ganz herzliche Grüße aus old Germany und bis bald
Susanne

Violiknit said...

Oh, the blanket it almost done! Can't wait to see it! Sorry about the confusing sample square; I'm sure it looks good. I love that little chalk holder you have, and that WPI counter your son made you is great! Biko definitely is a sphinx in that pic.