Anyway. Being sick and cooped up inside for six days in a row (apart from going to see the doctor to get drugs, and nipping out to the cafe around the corner for iced coffee- which I swear has magical, medicinal properties) does have its benefits, in that one actually has time to craft. In between much consumptive coughing, feverish tossing and turning, gulping down acidophilus yoghurt, watching the The Crucible and getting horrible vivid nightmares about witch hunts and hangings, and scratching myself half to death thanks to the lovely side effects of my antibiotics, I actually managed to get a fair bit of crafting done. For I am a machiiiiine.
First off, as the title of this post may suggest, I am knitting wings. Yup, seriously. Knitty, it would appear, has everything- even a pattern for knitted angel/fairy wings. (And a pattern for a knitted umbrella, but that's another post). Wish I'd thought of it!
Why wings, you ask? Me, I am a great lover of Baz Luhrman's Red Curtain Trilogy. I have copped much flack from my more "cinematically astute" friends over the years, by my love and devotion for Moulin Rouge! remains firmly intact. I've been planning a Baz Luhrman-themed birthday bash for the past couple of years...however, due to yucky personal circumstances last year, and me just not being effing bothered the year before, it hasn't happened yet.
Early this year, as luck would have it, I discovered the angel wings while surreptitiously browsing on Knitty at work. Henceforth, I decided it was high time I hosted said Baz Luhrman bash, that my upcoming 26th (ugh) would be just the occasion, and that I'd go as Claire Danes' Juliet and knit my wings. Like this:
Yes, I am aware that Claire's wings have that "unfurled" look, whereas the ones on Knitty sort of droop downwards. Meh. In spite of that, I've made a decent start on my wings, and they're not looking too shabby. Only problem is, I'm using nasty Panda acrylic, which I swear makes creaking sounds when I knit, and makes me want to douse myself in rehydrating hand cream after every row. I need to get these done by the 16th of October...but I'm not going to get all that far if I keep throwing them down in disgust, and picking up one of my thousands of pure merino projects. Which don't have the quite the urgency, but are SO MUCH NICER on my poor hands. And just...feel nicer full stop.
Oh well. Here's a wing in progress:
Lovely, innit? In other awesome crafting-related news, I taught Matt to knit! He is, unfortunately, back on the dreaded ciggies, after having given up for almost a year, and he asked me to teach him so he'll have something to take his mind off things when he decides to quit again. Good thinkin'. I got him started on a practice swatch-y thing on Monday night...and he is good. Ever the proud girlfriend, and much to his mild chagrin, I didn't hesitate to crank out the camera and record his "first steps!
He's planning to progress to a scarf, so I'll probably get him his own yarn and needles when I next go shopping. He seems to enjoying it so far, and hopes to knit himself a sweater when he "gets good enough." Which is grand, considering I'm under strict instruction from the Knitting Gods to not even think about knitting him a jumper until I've got the ring. I'm not usually the superstitious type, but that's one knitting taboo I don't want to mess with. As I've no idea when he will be presenting the ring...he can take care of that one himself for now. ;P
Speaking of jumpers, my first sweater vest continues to grow. Am currently working on the back, and have about four, maybe five, inches to go before I need to cast off for the shoulder straps. I did some more work on it while I've been sick, including while waiting at the doctor's office, and while tucked up in bed on Friday, practically tripping-out with the fever. And, I actually managed about an inch before deciding that a nap was probably a good idea. Mindless, two-by-two ribbed projects are good for sickly knitting, it would seem!
Here's a gratuitous progress shot. Could be the last for a while, as it may well be going into hibernation soon, thanks to Christmas knitting looming ominously on the horizon.
And finally! Being sick does actually provide sufficient time for the ADD knitter to actually get back to those projects which she's started with all the best of intentions...but have gotten cast (haw haw) aside and kind of "lost" in amongst all the hubbub of knitting her first garment, and trying to get about a bazillion presents done at the same time, for she is generous to a fault. Yup, we've all got 'em.
One such project of mine is this pretty wee thing, also from Laura Irwin's Boutique Knits, which I cast on while I was off with a bad cold (yup, my immune system does not exist) back in August. I got the band all finished...and then didn't touch it again for several weeks, leaving its beautiful turquoise 20s-style ruffled-ness languishing on top of the ironing board. This week, I somehow managed, with the tonsilitis still throwing a party in my bloodstream, to pin-block the band, sew the ends together, weave in the stray yarn ends, pick up 100 stitches and get a good start knitting the body over the space of about 48 hours.
Not a bad effort, considering I was doing all that in a wonderful fog of bacteria and snot. Have a photo:
Hmmm. I was thinking the other day how excited I was to have graduated from knitted accessories to garments, and was even comparing it to progressing into long-term, steady relationships after years of quick and dirty flings. However, in my case, the "quick and dirty flings", like the above hat and the Spirogyra I've been working on since June, seem to get dragged out far longer than good ole fashioned short n' steamy tryst should really need to. Like the knitting equivalent of a couple who keep meeting for drunken sex, long after they've both decided it's probably not going to work out, so let's leave it at that.
Then, I realised, oh wait, it's because I'm always knitting more than one thing at once. That is why things never get finished: I'm sleeping around (knitting around?), or so to speak! I just...give some of my partners more attention than others. ;P And...anyone who knows me will figure out this is a really not an apt analogy I'm using...
Anyway, it's back to the office for me tomorrow. Less time for knitting, of course, but I am nonetheless thrilled to be tonsiltis-free and back into the world! As a celebration, I shall be taking a stroll down Cuba Street at lunchtime, and buying yarn. And kebabs.
No comments:
Post a Comment