Warm Hearts Warm Heads

My friend Belle's mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She has already had the required surgery, but now must also undergo chemo.

Belle called me last week to schedule a time for me to come over and help her with some quilting she wants to do. (Yes, I quilt. I actually am probably a more skilled, though less frequent, quilter than knitter. Quilting isn't as portable as knitting...) While she had me on the phone she asked, in a plaintive manner, if I would consider possibly knitting her mother a chemo cap.

Here is the thing. I am very busy right now with school and work and life. Belle knows this. I am also trying to finish up my gift project queue. Belle knows this as well. She was very reluctant to request anything, but really wanted the chemo cap.

Here is the other thing. My mother had breast cancer. My grandmother had breast cancer. I knit mostly because I see it as a way that I can serve others. There were no grad school assignments, library duties, or social obligations that were going to keep me from making that cap.

I went to Knit This, Purl That on Sunday and purchased the softest yarn I could find. It is a cashmere, silk, merino blend. I found several patterns online, and had Belle pick out the one she liked the best. Then I put all other projects on hold till I got the cap finished. (I had a deadline set...tonight when I was going over to Belle's house for the quilting counseling.)

I got it done.

Here is Belle modeling it. (Please note...this photo was taken LATE at night after approximately 6 hours of quilting...)



Best wishes to Belle's mother! I hope that as this cap keeps her head warm, she is reminded of all the warm hearts who love her and are praying for her speedy and full recovery.

Cashmere Mulligan

My favorite yarn store went out of business a couple years ago. But, a la Pollyanna, I found a silver lining. I was able to get the orange variegated cashmere that I had been eyeing for several months at a ridiculously reduced price (not to mention the fact that I was able to use my “frequent customer” gift certificate…).

When I got the yarn home, I literally just sat petting it for a while. I love cashmere. I was very excited because I had recently come across a stitch pattern called “dragon scales.” I love dragon books, and decided to wed my love of cashmere with my love of fantasy and make myself a scarf.

I cast on, and started out enthusiastically, for about 4 inches. Then I set the project aside and never picked it back up. This was over a year ago. I love the yarn. I love the stitch pattern. I do not love them together.

“Dragon Scales” is a semi-intricate/fussy pattern which is not shown off to its best advantage by the yarn’s coloring. Also, I started to realize that I might not have enough yarn to make the scarf a length that I would wear. (I tend to lean toward loooooonnnnngggg scarves.) As I got the yarn on sale from a now defunct LYS, I can’t just go out and buy more…and I can’t really afford to buy more online. So, what to do?

I am taking a Mulligan.

I have known I needed to for a while, but just couldn’t bear to admit defeat. I pride myself on my eye for color and design, and to say that something I envisioned just won’t work is hard. But, it needs to be done. I am unraveling the scarf.

I will still make the dragon scales scarf, but out of a solid colored koigu that I had in my stash. I will still make a scarf out of the cashmere, too, but using an adaptation of the waterfall lace pattern I used on Mom’s Christmas present. (The pattern highlights, rather than fights against, variegation.)

In the end even Superknitters need to admit their fallibility. I tried something. It didn’t work. Being a Superknitter means picking yourself up, moving forward, and not letting beautiful yarn languish due to your own pride.

Stitches West 2009

I went to a YARN convention yesterday with B1. It was SOOOOOOOO exciting. There was literally an entire convention center filled with yarn, books, needles, and knitters. It was like a little slice of heaven here on earth.

Frankly, my ability to talk non-knitters into going to these sorts of things astounds me. (Since, technically, I talked 2 into going. Berkeley was originally going to go with me, but then she ended up having meetings she couldn't get out of.)

B1 was suitably impressed, but confided to me that I don't exactly look "knitterish"...there were some interesting folks out and about that day. In fact, after looking at one particularly enthusiastic knitter, B1 told me that if she ever caught me dressing that way she would either disown me as a friend or lock me up somewhere. I appreciated the sentiment.

Most importantly: I completely behaved myself. I bought the yarn for B1's birthday beret...which technically doesn't count as a purchase since I have had that yarn bought and paid for mentally since her birthday in December. I also shopped for buttons for a cardigan I am working on, but didn't find any I liked.

The only other thing that I bought was a pattern, Silken Scabbard by Stitch Divas. (...and believe me this was tough since everything was so pretty, and soft, and tempting...) We walked around a corner, and I saw this sweater on a mannequin and my jaw literally dropped. I was even more excited when I looked at the pattern and saw it was a top-down, in the round, seamless construction. While the sample was knit in cashmere (mmmm...cashmere), and mine will not be for financial reasons, I still think whatever silk/wool blend I choose will make for a sumptious and gorgeous garment. I just have to finish several other things before I start, or even buy yarn, for this one.

A Yarn For Every Knitter And A Knitter For Every Yarn

I was walking through a yarn shop the other day and saw what to me was a HIDEOUSLY HORRID yarn. (Said fiber will go unnamed so that no one is offended and I don’t get sued by the manufacturer.) I thought to myself, “Who would buy that, what on earth would they do with it, and why would they even want to?” I kid you not, mere moments later another patron walked through the door, made a beeline for the shelf, and scooped some up. Apparently, she LOVES that yarn and uses it to make some sort of purse. (I still can’t envision that being at all attractive…) This got me thinking though about yarn personalities.

If I were to lay several balls of yarn out on a table and invite the knitters close to me to choose a skein, each would be drawn to a different fiber. This is because not every knitter likes every yarn. We are like addicts with drugs of choice. I can with almost 100% certainty predict what is going to turn on my friends:

NorCal Gal would immediately pick up something soft, probably worsted weight, machine washable, and blue.

Mom would go for a self-striping sock yarn in jewel tones, or perhaps a new color way of dishcloth yarn.

The Aunt would want something cheery, a novelty yarn that she could use in a garter stitch scarf, most likely a chunky weight.

I would look at the ball bands and pick an unusual fiber…or alpaca, anything in alpaca, and probably orange.

Princess or Prada would grab something glitzy and glam…fuzzy or sparkly…and then hand it to me since neither one knits.

This way every yarn eventually gets knit…just not by every knitter.