Greetings from the
beautiful fall weather! And thank you for your suggestions on the yarn. I hear
you, you pointed out that wasting the yarn would be a shame, it would, I know,
so here are my thoughts. But at first a few words about blocking.
I often block garments
when the process is on the way. Usually I take the needles out, put the
stitches on a piece of heavy cotton waste yarn, knot it in order not to lose
any stitches or cause further trouble. Then I completely wet the garment, stretch,
pin it out to its measurements to make sure it will be the size I want. There
are times when I am in doubt of the stitch outcome, like in fair-isle, I might
have worries of the unevenness of the fabric; then I might block it to be sure
that the surface is going to smooth out and the fabric is nice and neat.
At the moment I am
making this entrelac cowl. Since this is my very first crochet entrelac piece,
I had lots of worries of the edges of the piece. While blocking something where
size does not matter, might seem a bit silly, this time I blocked the piece in
half-way point to make sure that there would not be too bad curling (I am so
new to Tunisian crochet that I am always wondering if my hook size is correct
and if the fabric is too tense and will curl up tightly), except more than curling I was worried of the
edges being even. I am constantly battling with the edges, I think I am going
to get it right eventually although not while doing this little piece! I pinned
the edges very carefully and they don’t look too bad. Anyway, while I block, it
is always a timeout, moment to consider, possibly change plans if the fabric or
the garment does not seem right. I want to give myself time to revise my plans,
make a start on processing the measures needed to make the piece just right.
This cowl… I know the
edges are not to my liking, so I am contemplating on different edge treatments…
crab stitches? I-cord? Edging in another color? Maybe there is something that
does not come from the top of my head, however, eventually pops out, if I let
myself ponder it for a bit. While I am slowly putting the pins to the right
places, I look at the fabric from different angles wishing it will talk to me.
Not always, sometimes the stubborn piece just lies there flat, silent and
refuses to utter a word of wisdom.
Like is the case of the
SilkeTweed cardigan. It is lying on the ironing board keeping its silence. I
know the stitches are not happy; once again it is going to be ripped out. You
were right; the yarn is such a lovely color, it should not be wasted, for that
reason I am not quite ready to give up yet. Yesterday I made a desperate dash
into totally different direction. I cannot knit anything with this right now. I
have cast on three times, none of them have worked, therefore this yarn is not
going to be knitted. I tried to crochet with it; at the most I made probably 20
stitches, knew immediately that this would be another battle not worth doing.
This little swatch is
done in Tunisian crochet – and there are elements I like. It would be a lovely
shawl, however this technique works only in the round (there is one color for
the pick-up row, then another for the return row) thus I would need to steek. A
cowl is an option. A cowl, a hat to match maybe… Even though every time I have
pulled out the project, some of the yarn has evaporated, there is still plenty,
most likely a sweater’s quantity. (Isn’t it odd that no matter how carefully
you rip out the project, you always end up having little bit less yarn, even
though you think that you did rip everything…?) That swatch looks very much
like a sleeve; I cannot help myself, it does look as if it were a part of a
sweater. Should I once again set myself on another sweater odyssey… somehow I
feel that this yarn is doomed not to become a sweater. Of course I could make a
cushion cover… it would eat most of the yarn, if I would make a big one…
I am very much in doubt
yet. The size and feel of the original piece was very off, this in the other
hand, this little sleeve swatch with the wool yarn in between feels a lot
better. I would get similar effect using alternating garter stitch stripes with
stockinette, but I did say that I cannot deal with knitting with this for the
fourth time. I have never done a sweater (much of anything really) with Tunisian
crochet; maybe it would be just the challenge I would need to have a fresh
start with this yarn. I tried two different hook sizes with the swatch yet I am
not sure which would be the right choice. I plan to make another swatch; try to
be more careful with the silk/wool yarn to see if it will take care of the
unevenness of the garter stitch looking stripes; in addition I need to think
about the color change jog. I am making a visible seam, just not sure what kind
of a seam, where to put it, if I take onto a sweater path.
While this is mainly
where my thoughts have been roaming, my hands have been busy with the cowl. Although
my happy, easy part is soon over, very soon it is time to start making
decisions for the edges and the closure. I expect to arrive into a painless
conclusion, something that smoothly comes together… Day before yesterday I was
cleaning the shoreline. It attracts willows, willows provide a lovely haven to
mosquitoes, and thus the shoreline needs to be clean.
We have some junipers
growing there as well and once in a while you come across a dead branch. Every
time I have cut away such a branch I sniff it, the smell is very distinct,
cannot help wondering what a waste to throw away all the branches… Over the years I
have collected the best ones and have had plans to make them into wooden beads and
buttons (like in these necklaces, I made these blue wooden beads)… so this cowl, should it have buttons made of juniper? Did I say that I was anticipating a smooth landing? And yet I am taking all these detours?
I hope you have a nice
weekend,
Wool with you,
Lene
PS. I have never made wooden buttons, just these beads, so to have a few good ones, I most likely will need to make three times the amount I will end up using. Maybe when I block the cowl, it will tell me to forget about the buttons and will give me a simple, better solution...
PS. I have never made wooden buttons, just these beads, so to have a few good ones, I most likely will need to make three times the amount I will end up using. Maybe when I block the cowl, it will tell me to forget about the buttons and will give me a simple, better solution...
Gosh the textures in those photos is just great. I really like the squares in the different hues.
ReplyDeleteYour tunisian crochet is gorgeous. I really should learn some more techniques, all I do is go back & forth. lol
ReplyDeleteYour cowl is simply beautiful. This is the first time I have ever liked the look of entrelac. Maybe it's the texture of the Tunisian crochet that makes it so lovely. And of course the colors of the yarn.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous colors and textures. Your lake pictures are beautiful. We are still hot in eastern PA and I am longing for Fall.
ReplyDeleteI am so in agreement with Pam's comment about your Tunisian crochet cowl in entrelac for I, too, have not been at all attracted to entrelac--ever. So, your piece is inspiration. As are your words. And your processes. Much thinking and introspective analysis. I love it that you fret over your work. Your fretting is indicative of your artistic nature and you take it all parts of your work in to consideration--the fabric, the feel, the heft and weft, the behavior, the color and, it seems, when your project speaks the outcome is pure to behold. Thanks for such a wonderful blog that shares your life, your environment and your nature.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I barely understand anything about either knitting or craft but I simply love your writing Lene. Keep sharing please, it's an immense joy.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I barely understand anything about either knitting or craft but I simply love your writing Lene. Keep sharing please, it's an immense joy.
ReplyDelete