Thursday, May 13, 2010

Another WIP...


I finally got my hands around the "thin-to-thick" yarn, Tokyo. Like an idiot, I bought the yarn (well, THAT isn't idiotic) and though, Ok, this is a simple project to get my knitting fingers back.
Ha. Hint: after hand surgery, just do something simple like an afghan square or a wash cloth. Do not - repeat, not use specialty yarn for anything till you have a reasonable grasp on the needles and the coordination. I ripped the sucker back three times. Almost tossed 'em but for 3 balls of the yarn, and for the fact that I really, really like the way it looks when it's done, and for the fact that, for cryin' out loud - it's straight knitting - I'm just going forward. The Tokyo was an impulse buy. (Go ahead, snicker here) I had come back to the LYS and was sitting around while my friend/owner was whipping this wrap up. So how hard can it be?

Well, now I finally put it back on bamboo needles. I'd started it on bamboo circulars, which was one of my more idiotic ideas. Got it onto aluminum needles till I got my fingers back in action, and now it's back on bamboo, but straights, not circs. As you can see, the yarn makes an almost lace-like pattern in itself. You kind of have to tug it a bit, because it scrunches up till the fabric gets a little weight on it. But completed, it's got a lovely look and a nice drape. It's great with a little black dress or anywhere you'll need just a little "something" to either dress up an outfit or outwit a sneaky A/C vent.

I'm told it comes in a silver and a white - I think either would look lovely, but all they had was black, so I went for it. You can see the texture here, where I've fluffed it out a bit. You have to be careful - it's really too easy to pick up too many stitches, because you don't always see the bottom leg of the stitch. I've k2tog a couple of times!! It looks a little sloppy, and I think that till I get more on the wrap itself, it'll look like I don't know what I'm doing. Wait; I don't claim to know what I'm doing, but I do like to think my tension is usually good, even if I do say so myself. This will be pretty once it's blocked a bit and with maybe a nice shawl pin or stick. I haven't decided which, but either would dress it up and keep it on my shoulders. This is an outstanding "tv project" or "waiting room project" because it's plain knitting, but also, when you KIP (knit in public) with this kind of project, it gets people to asking questions. It looks more complex than it is, and the self-patterning is lovely. And seriously, this kind of project in the doctor's office is virtually guaranteed to give you a good blood pressure reading - it's just so relaxing to knit while you're waiting for the doc to come into the exam room and you don't have to worry about setting it down mid-row. What kind of KIP projects do you like to do? What's been the most successful KIP experience you've had? I love it when the older ladies come up and cheer on the fact that I'm knitting, though it makes me sad that they say, "I used to do that but I gave it up." And it's great to see the teen girls sneaking a look. Maybe they'll get inspired, or maybe they think I'm a crazy silver-haired woman with sticks. Which I may be.

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