Thursday, December 29, 2016

My current works in progress and others

I've been debating with myself about wips.  I have a cedar chest full of them.  I have more in totes and baskets dotting the house like pats of butter on a casserole.  The big question is should I finish or frog?  Smaller questions that have been running around my mind are things like: do I really like this, do I really want this, why did I start it in the first place, why did I abandon/put into hibernation this project.

Current wips include things for my new classes (moebius shawl/cowl + samples, diamonds in the rough shawl), things for my granddaughters (pillows, purses, dresses), things that were to be gifts for Christmas (Advent scarves from 2009 - 2014 give or take), projects that are samples to be submitted for publication.  The new class patterns and projects I will keep at least in swatch form.  I don't know if I will ever finish all of them.  Things for my granddaughters and a new baby will be finished.  These are small and quick.  Items destined to be gifts may need some redoing.  I have discovered a few things over the year about myself and the recipients and the choices I made.  1) I hate laceweight yarn all by itself.  2) While I made good color choices, the patterns may have been not quite right for the recipients.  3) I'm planning to simplify life even more and knit more for me than others.  Items for publication, to be frank, unless they are accepted, will remain swatches with their proposals until I get around to them.  I might find something in this stack that will be wonderful for a gift or me and that will be great.  I won't hold my breath on this.

What am I currently actively working on???  Well let me tell you.  I have a moebius shawl/cowl similar to the tan one I made a couple of years ago.  The yarn is Bernat Alpaca blends, since discontinued.  A great substitute is Ella Rae Alpaca Chunky.  Both are a size 5 (Craft Yarn Council standard) and an alpaca/acrylic mix.  Both machine wash gentle and lay flat or hang to dry.  I hang my Moebius' on a skirt hanger to dry by folding in half  after laying flat.  I arrange the cross to hang on one side and clip on the skirt hanger.  4 layers thick and the weight keeps things from curling.  I have also hung it by laying over an ironing board and letting hang.  Bad idea as my cat likes to rub it.

I have an adult surprise jacket on the go for close to 10 years.  I really want to get that done.  It's a fuzzy purple bulky weight yarn that will be a very nice late autumn "coat" weight.

I have socks on the go and if they get put away, they get forgot.  I have 3 pairs in varying wool sock yarns.  I have counted up my sock yarn stash.  I could knit socks and have a new pair for every 4 days for a year. If I use them all for socks.

I have a bunch of projects for my knitting guild (information found here) and crochet guild (information found here).  Some I really want to finish for me.  Some I really want to finish for sale or donation.  Others I just wanted to learn or hone a technique.  I have been adding to my technique bases.  One thing I really want done is a series of blankets for my crochet guild to donate to Project Night Night(There's a Ravelry group here with more information).  I'm doing a Tunisian Sampler and a series of granny alternatives using bulky weight yarns.  Stash busting and doing a good deed. Double the brownie points.

Things I will be frogging or dismantling?  Who knows.  I don't.  I'd like to have a clue.  I'd like to know that these orphans will be done and homed or at least done.  I'll keep you posted.





Sunday, December 25, 2016

Won't You Wear a Sweater Day

I've never heard of this day.  You would think that a knitter would know about sweater day.   Won't You Wear a Sweater Day is March 20.  It's a day to wear your favorite sweater.

Why am I telling you about this?   Better still where did I find out about it?   What is this day about?

Recently my husband and I were watching a cartoon on PBS, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, while waiting for the show we wanted to watch to come on.  We commented back and forth as married couples do in those little half sentences how this cartoon reminded us of Mr. Rogers and his long running show for kids.

Being the more curious of the two,  I hopped on Google and zoomed in on Wikipedia.   I had known he died of cancer.  But his wiki page had much more information about this man.  My husband was amazed he was a Pennsylvania native.  But we both agreed he did pretty great things for preschool kids and wondered if there was a memorial to him.  There is.  It's in Pittsburgh.





Picture of the Fred Rogers Memorial Statue located near Heinz Field on the North Shore in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on November 8, 2009. 







Wikipedia has this to say about Won't You Wear a Sweater Day: Mr. Rogers production company planned and hosted several events to commemorate what would have been his 80th birthday.   Wear a Sweater Day is one.  It is still celebrated.  The date of March 20 is Mr. Rogers birthday. 

As you might be able to tell,  I'm a big fan of his.  He offered something special to children, beyond a calm interlude in the fast paved world children are living in these days.   I watched his show as a little girl.   My children watched him when they were little. 

At least some of the reasoning behind the day is Mrs. Rogers, Fred Rogers mom.  She knit all the sweaters he wore on the show.  She did an amazing job with the zipper installations, not a wrinkle to be seen if memory serves.   Wearing a sweater knit or crocheted by a loved one is like receiving a hug from that person even if they are far away. 

So remember March 20 and wear a sweater.