I know, I know, you were expecting to see a little more knitting on a blog named knitnut.net, weren’t you? I DO knit, I just run out of things to say about knitting, so I only blog about it once in awhile.
The flip side of this is that someone recently suggested I rename the blog, since the name knitnut.net doesn’t really convey what it’s actually about, and it might dissuade non-knitters from visiting.
I probably wouldn’t have named it knitnut if I’d known when I started what I know now, but I do like the name and the sheep and knitting and blogging and it’s okay if I only blog about knitting once in awhile when something spectactular happens like I Actually Finish Knitting Something.
[insert drum roll here]
I finished knitting the Three-Year Sweater!!* And yes, I am a slow knitter, and I also tend to “lay projects aside” (as in “stuff them in a bin in the basement”) when I get bored or confused, or when seasons change or when I see something else I’d rather be knitting.
I wore it yesterday to Julia’s birthday party (which was an excellent party, by the way, with lots of interesting conversation, and I had the pleasure of meeting two more of my virtual friends – Carmen, who knits and who comments regularly on my blog, and Robert who reads regularly but rarely comments and who consistently beats me at Scrabble on Facebook.)
Carmen and Julia were anxious to get my outer layers stripped off as soon as I arrived so they could see my freshly completed sweater. They said it was beautiful and admired the perfect Darrell Thomas buttons and there was even a subsequent discussion about the nature of art and whether knitting qualifies as art. (I think only the designer can claim it as art, unless the knitter made extensive modifications to the pattern, which I never do because I’m not that good.)
I don’t know if anybody else does this, but I always have this urge to point out my knitting mistakes whenever someone admires something I knit. I’m not a hundred percent thrilled with how I sewed this sweater together, and I think it’s affecting how it hangs. See? There I go again.
Here’s the sweater on Genevieve, who is my most model-y mannequin. I also posted it on Ravelry. (I think I was the last knitter on the internet to find out about ravelry, but just in case there’s anybody left who still hasn’t heard about it, go sign up!)
I immediately started knitting another sweater, since I already have the wool and the pattern and the momentum. It’s the Mission Falls Erika Cardigan. I should be done in about 2011, and I’ll make a point of blogging it then.
Unfortunately I sustained a foot injury while knitting and watching the Oscars last night, so today I’m sidelined from running even though Ottawa is experiencing perfect running weather today.
*The Three-Year Sweater is also known as Sirdar #8336. If you ever knit it, be forewarned that there’s an error in the pattern with respect to the math behind the buttonhole spacing. It’s easy enough to recalculate, but it’s better to know recalculations are required before you knit it the wrong way.
I love your blog’s name. I’m a sucker for a clever blog name and even though I don’t knit, that’s totally why I clicked over. Then to discover that you blog about lots of things that interest me, well… that’s why I’ve stayed.
It IS funny though, how blogs evolve. When I started my blog, I had completely lost my passion for photography. Not only did my blog help resurrect that passion, but now I have an audience for the photos too. I’m in awe of anyone who can knit a whole sweater, no matter how long it took you or how many mistakes you made. You can wear it and it makes you feel warmer than without it… now that’s success!
Your blog name is perfect. It reminds of yarn, therefore it makes me think of telling a yarn…
“To tell an entertaining tale or series of tales.”
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/yarn
I have a habit of unraveling my knitting if I spot a mistake before I finish the project. This can happen many times for the same project. Luckily I only knit small things such as mitts, hats, scarves, and socks!
I’ve been a Raveler for, oh, one day now. Gracenotes but I’ll likely never post or add photos or anything because I’m backward like that . . .
if it buttons all the way doen the front I would call it a cardigan rather than a sweater…?
it’s absolutely beautiful zoom, love the buttons!
Love the picot edge on your sweater.
Changing the subject to Duncan..he looks just like our cat Oscar, a Norwegian Forest Cat. Google ‘Orange Norwegian Forest Cat’ to see a picture of the breed
I love the color of the sweater. I, too , am a slow knitter. And I always point out the mistakes (if I haven’t ripped the knitting back and fixed them). I don’t know why that is because I know no one would notice them. I guess it’s because I would know they’re there.
I really enjoy your blog and I think the cardigan is lovely – the buttons are perfect. I would like to make it (it will probably take me three years as well) but I can’t find the pattern for sale anywhere. Could you give me more information about the name of the Sirdar book it is in? Thanks.
Had not made that connexion – knitting, yarn, story! I like it.
How does one acquire a foot injury whist knitting, I wonder?
1: Don’t change the name. It’s great. If someone doesn’t get it then *%#^ ’em. I enjoy your blog as it is and I look forward to each new post.
2: The sweater looks very nice. So what if it took 3 years? It’s not like you’re a factory. I spent 19 years of my life working in a factory and believe me, production work bites.
3: I know about pointing out mistakes although I try to resist the impulse. I always thought that because I was brought up by a hypercritical mother I learned to beat myself up before someone else could. But that explanation was too facile and it’s clear that lots of people do it even though they didn’t have my mother.
4: I want to know what kind of foot injury can be sustained while knitting. Although I did injure my knee somehow while knitting…
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Does Genevieve have any acquaintances, friends and/or family members that need a good home? If so, I really really want to adopt him/her/it/them.
Thank you for the kind comments on the cardigan sweater and on the blog name.
Susanna! You taught me two things today: the name of the edge (picot) and that Duncan is an Orange Norwegian Forest Cat! I love the sound of that, it’s so exotic. And I did google it and there’s one picture in particular that looks a LOT like Duncan. And here I thought he was just a domestic longhair.
For those of you who were wondering how I sustained a foot injury while knitting, well, I was wondering that myself. All I know is I was sitting in my favourite knitting chair, knitting and listening to the Oscars, and when I got up my foot hurt. It felt like some bones were out of place. It hurt all day yesterday too, and I was limping. Today my foot is 100% fine, because the pain mysteriously moved up just below my knee.
XUP – Genevieve is one of four mannequins in my house, but they’re not looking for homes. As a matter of fact, I think they’re looking for more sisters to move in with us.
What’s in a name anyway…. I to tend to take a long time to knit things.. mostly because I start too many projects and never Finish anything… It once took me five years to cross stitch a duck sampler for my father (there were only four ducks)…nothign wrong with that.
I love the yarn you used for the cardigan (green is my fave colour)
Gwen: the patterns in this booklet: http://www.velona.com/items/211/B21189.html
Valerie – four years, five ducks, entirely reasonable. I’m sure your dad thought it was well worth waiting for!
I came for the knitting that I assumed might be around, but I stayed for your quirky personality and thought-provoking articles. Quite honestly I’d still be around even if there wasn’t any knitting activity.