Thursday, October 29, 2009

That Baktus Scarf
I have been spending a lot of time on the Ravelry site, drooling over projects made by people all over the world. This scarf has over 1800 entries. It is a simple knit, suitable for beginners and just so versatile. The yarn makes it, but there are several knitters who have added their one variations, making it even more intriguing.



You gotta love the model.
I have already made two and am working on a third, in a modified design...

Here's the thing about knitting. There are simple and difficult techniques and there are always several ways to attain the same result. No one can tell you it is wrong if it turns out looking OK.

The challenges are just enough to tantalize the puzzle solver in us. For example. I was cleaning out a box of yarn and found a sock and a half, just waiting to be finished. The pair was knit from the toe up, which I was learning a couple of years ago from videos and patterns online. I did a good job on the first sock and the second was waiting for the heel. Hmm. What pattern was that I made the first sock with? Couldn't find it, didn't save it, was at a loss. So I tried doing it again from the video I did find, and it didn't look good to me, and didn't match the first sock. Grrr.

Last night I decided to just take some other yarn and make up heels until I felt I had figured it out my way. I tried four times and frogged all of the tries. Not good. Now I am really determined to find out what I did the first time. It has become my mission.
When I finally get it right I will dance around and blog the thing, which only really matters to me. And probably I won't be making toe up socks any more anyway, as I prefer top down ones and have 35 pair already. This gets seriously nutty. Am I right?

The thing about knitting is that it is something you can do anywhere. In social moments and anti-social moments. And it is not wasting time, because you have a project that is probably functional in some way. ( I can't imagine why anyone would want a knitted dishrag, and they have become so popular, go figure.) And right now I don't feel like getting up and doing anything.
So I am knitting.
In a few days I will have noticed that I have a pile of new stuff and it has to be put away with the other knits, some of which are stored in our garage. So for me, maybe it isn't the finished product, so much as it is the process. And having a reason to be just sitting by the fire, with my feet up and my hands occupied with gorgeous yarn.

4 comments:

  1. Ah Melody, I can so relate to today's post! Just having something to knit is a necessary thing for me, and one of my favorite things is socks (since I live in sunny San Diego, it's a good choice!). My sock drawer is full, various family members have been gifted with socks, yet I knit on! Check out the Through the Loops mystery sock knit-a-long (KAL) on ravelry too. It's been a blast!

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  2. Oh yes, it's all about the process for me. I love the finished product, but it's the sticks, string, peaceful time spent with my hands and mind busy but yet relaxed. It is the zen of the act rather than the end of the journey. Looking forward to seeing your heels!

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  3. I do love the model - in fact I have one of my very own!!

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  4. Kay Crandall10:58 PM

    I don't knit but as Doreen Speckman once told me in a quilting class "It's not the done but the doing that's the thing"

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