I took it home and started to work. One panel finished up well but the next?!! Mon Dieu! It was a good five inches longer than the first! Back to the LYS to say that one skein and the other must not have the same amount of yarn. The owner smiled at me and checked my gauge. She showed me the finer points of knitting lacy patterns, and off I went. Everything from that time forward came out splendidly. Well until Moths invaded....
Everything was right with it until it developed HOLES sometime in the 90s! A couple of other victims were tossed. Immediately I put my Beautiful Afghan into the freezer. It stayed there until DH found it, last week, underneath the frozen veggies and fruits, and loaves of bread where it lay silent and forgotten in it's plastic bag(yes, I know, very bad!). All the past six or so months I'd been periodically searching for it in two (stash)rooms of the house. In my mind's eye, I could see it completely chewed up - suffering in it's pain - inside a plastic bag or cardboard box which is, as any knitter knows, no protection at all from marauding moths. Wool eating moths are so small that they seemingly have the ability to slip between molecules and lay their eggs on woolens.
The next task to figure out is how to mend this pretty thing, and to find the colors to do so. I've looked at Needlepoint wools, but now, maybe Brown Sheep has the right stuff. Soon, I will head to my favorite shop and have a look see.
The Ravelympic sock will not set any records but it will probably finish. That's important, too, yes? And, DD1 will have her pretty, periwinkle blue, shortie (but not too short!) socks. Trying to knit with a hot little doggie in my lap in this muggy August weather has been a challenge. So, fortified with ice tea and a fan, I leave you to your entries, and may the best WIPwrestler win!
That's my grandmother's afghan! She made several of them, and I had her needles and made one myself! (Except it was ugly and I pitched it out when it got full of holes.) One, when she was very old, was very ugly, because she couldn't see how bright and garish the colors were together. It was treasured anyway.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely! Even the holes tell a wonderful story. Lots of memories, must save it.
ReplyDeleteDo you still have the pattern?
Meribeth
Your photos are marvelous. You have a wonderful appreciation of natural beauty. Hope you can match the wool for your afgan. It can be very difficult after a few years.
ReplyDelete@ Sallyjo, I'm happy to know that the pattern was well spread out in the country. I can't find it on the web but I will try again later. Lovely story about your grandmother's afghans and yes, that bright and garish afghan must have brought much joy to you, every stitch a memory. You have some of your grandmother's needles? Beautiful! Things like that are such treasures. I have my mother's sewing basket and my maternal grandmother's thimble, and my paternal grandmother's treadle machine. Lovely memories too.
ReplyDelete@Meribeth, if it's not on the web I will put it up here on my blog. I have to do it from memory and it's simple but it will take some time. A day or two I think. Eight repeat rows rings some sort of dusty bell...
@Thank you Joan. I am going to go looking soon for the wools if they are available locally because Brown Sheep carries so many colors in their needlepoint line. I've been looking so long, that maybe it's time for hand dying but such a small amount is hard to think about. Maybe using a crayola perma felt tip pen? Just kidding!
Even if I can't match it right away, I'll re-knit the areas to preserve them. Also, I'm happy that you like the nature pics, and thanks. My camera is a joy to me. I just have to learn to deal with flash-wash a little better. I need to figure out how to minimize it or to get rid of it. And always wear my glasses while taking snaps! Rule one! ;)
I'm so glad you found the Beautiful Afghan again - I've just been reading about the Gees Bend quilters and finding them a great inspiration.
ReplyDeleteIt will still be beautiful with repairs on it :)
Thanks magnusmog, I am planning on knitting it with some fisherman's wool yarn to preserve it until I find the right colors. It's the same size as what it was knit with.
ReplyDeleteGees Bend quilters are such an interesting and as you say, inspirational group. They really do make do with what they have, and make beautiful what was worn out and give it new life.