Monday, Monday: Come on out, then, and show us what you've got. We're more than ready!
This weekend, here, was an ordinary one, made extraordinary by the return of our student, who has finished up his third year now and is home for three weeks before heading back to undertake an internship. So, the plain was turned fancy, as the four seats round our table were filled and (following that 18th birthday a few weeks back) for the first time we are a house of adults. There was a special pleasure in that as we sat together making plans for the rest of the summer.
So that was a first; and I have one more. Look away now if you are of a nervous knitting disposition..
..because for the first time since I started knitting socks, I took a half knitted example, and I ripped it out completely. I unravelled every last stitch. And I don't even feel bad writing about it now, thinking about it.
I had my May Sock of the Month pattern - Down a Rabbit Hole - and a beautiful self striping blue-y green wool, as recommended by said pattern, and I had worked half a sock in the travelling stitch design. But I kept looking at it and I didn't like what I saw. It was - as The (Not So) Small One might have said when she was little, and indeed, might still say today - too..detailed. I always knew what she meant when she said that. She likes good simple design, nothing overworked, as I do, too. We choose plain over fancy and this sock had gone too far the wrong way. It didn't need the stripes and the travelling stitches. It was too fancy. On Friday night it looked like this:
and by Sunday night it looked like the simple blue version in the first picture. Plain, with just a little bit of fancy. Which is good. Unless we're talking biscuits. But that's another story.
How about you? A plain weekend? A fancy one? Little bit of both? Did you learn anything knew, or try anything for the first time? Today might be just the day to make a Memorandum. On Monday.
Last week Deb, Helena, Eileen, Mitra, Mary-Lou, Susanne, Fiona, Maggie, Krafty Karen and Ladkyis made a note or two about what they'd been up to. Go on, give 'em a wave!
And have a good week: plain, fancy, or somewhere in between..
23 comments:
Wow, can't believe he's finished his third year! (Bet you're so glad to have him home for a while!).
Yes, adults all around the table - it's a strange yet wonderful feeling that just keeps getting better and better.
I'm a plain person, well done on starting again, it's only fun if you enjoy the knitting.
I'm with you both on not wanting anything too detailed designwise - lovely to be making summer plans - have a great week
Does that mean that you will have both of yours at Uni come September/October time? Gulp!
So here's the thing .... when I saw that sock on Instagram, I didn't like it, either ... only I couldn't think how to tell you without it sounding rude ... plain socks in self-striping wool for the win.
Unpicking socks - wow you must have really not liked it! I do agree though, the pattern shows up much nicer on the plain colour.
How lovely to have that table full of family, I love that feeling when everyone is under the same roof. Hope his internship goes well - is that closer to home or is he back to Bonnie Scotland?
I'm with both you and TNSSO on the plain/fancy thing. The pattern is definitely the star of the show in the plain yarn. How lovely to have your boy home. It would have been the end of term for mine on Friday too. We're just one year away from four adults around the table. Still not sure how we got here so fast!
We are nearly 4 adults and a first happened here today too late for my Monday blog. We had 4 voting cards arrive through the post because by the date that the EU referendum comes we will be all adults. An interesting one for her first vote which we have all had quite a chat about. On the socks I agree that the stripe and the pattern are too much. When will be see a pair with just stripe and no pattern? Does that come next?
I prefer the plain version of the sock as well, but then I usually opt for plain over pattern.
All adults together ... the start of another exciting chapter in your family's story.
I think you are right, the plain one looks so much better!
I was warned & yet I still looked at the sock before photo - gasp, it was quite a lot of detail, swirling pattern with multi striping colours. I know absolutely nothing about knitting so I can only imagine the work to rip out all the stitches & start again.
Around the dining table now adults - oh if that table could talk of the tales over the years. I bet there is a scrap page lurking within this change.
Couldn't agree more that the traveling stitch looks better in a solid color! Welcome to the whole "adult children" world. I still can't believe mine are not only all adults, but all graduated and beginning the next phase. Not at all certain when they will all move out (Becca may pursue her RN which would put her back in school part-time for two years) but life sure looks different now.
If by biscuits, you mean cupcakes, I would totally agree! Fancy cupcakes rock, but socks...yes, they need to hug your feet, not hurt your eye balls when you spy them lurking under a pant leg! And how many pages have you ripped apart when things just wouldn't settle? I haven't done that in a long while, but generally when they come back around, my heart is happy!
Unravelling, as my Granny called it, is a most important part of the knitting process. It was something that wartime made common, not because of dislike of patterns but for economy so "frogging" as it is now referred to is an ancient craft practiced by those who are experts in the world of yarn and needles.
I won't say how many times I have done it while making the donkeys, let's just say I am good at it.
SHooooooot! You pulled it out? I couldn't...just couldn't. But I couldn't knit 1/2 a sock in the 1st place, so it's all academic....or not, as the case my be with your boy home. LOVELY for you....as for fancy biscuits. How about choc chip with peppermint crunchy bits??!!! Rather nice [understatement!!!]
I know exactly what you mean by too "detailed".
That blue/green yarn is beautiful on its own without the intricate stitch.
We see and appreciate it so much better in the dark blue version! Bravo!!
This week-end, we took a long walk to a beautiful and rather famous cemetery in Chicago.
It was extremely interesting but I did have nightmares on Sunday night ;)
I'm definitely a plain person, too, but I have to say I love the color combination of the striped sock. Perhaps later without the fancy stitch?
you made the right choice.
So you unraveled and re knitted all in a weekend? You are far too clever for your own good,myopic know that, don't you lol ... Now what's this about biscuits? xxx
I'm sure the socks will look lovely whatever you do with them. Enjoy having your son home for a little while. Have a great week!!
I'm in total agreement about the socks...I'm a bit of a plain person myself...oh! Except for the biscuits!! Xx
I like that description for something that needs to be changed - a little too detailed! :) It was a plain weekend around here, lots of hanging out & binge watching The Last Ship! :)
I see what you mean - definitely s good decision, and the pattern is so much prettier and more visible in plain. I'm not sure I'm with you on the biscuit front, though - a good plain Aberneathy takes a lot of beating in my book :).
Post a Comment