knitting

Knitting

What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

I have been attempting to learn to knit in the last few days. It is quite challenging for me. Have you ever seen that old Hunchback of Notre Dame movie where the old ladies are sitting in the front row excitedly watching people being guillotined? Their knitting needles clack furiously until they pause entranced when the blade drops. Then the furious clacking resumes uninterrupted till they pause for the next head to roll.

I definitely haven’t reached the point that my needles clack. I laboriously labor over every stitch. There is no fluidity in my movements yet. So far, my muscles have no memory. I will keep plugging along but I don’t believe I will be gifting handknit socks, scarves, or sweaters by Christmas.

Learning to Knit for a Total Beginner: starting with the Basics

I am teaching myself knitting

This is the first challenge I’m facing. My precious little lapdog is very needy. He’s just realized how much he always wanted to knit.

I went for a couple of sessions of knitting class just before the COVID shutdown. I managed to cast on and do a couple of rows in the first class. We were instructed to do a few more practice rows before the next class. I waited to continue until right before the next class. Everything I had struggled to learn in class abandoned me. Bud offered to help me after studying what I’d done. When I got back, the instructor was impressed. “You can help me teach this class.”

I had to fess up, Bud did the work I was showing. I plugged on through the class making no progress. COVID cancelled the class. I wasn’t sorry.

Anyway. I am giving it another shot. I gathered my supplies, found a Youtube tutor and set to it. So far, I did moderately fair with casting on. Time to go back and study the Tutorial so more.

Knitting

What skill would you like to learn?

I bought some lovely charcoal yarn about a year ago with the intention of learning to knit. That will be my next project. Before covid, I was going to a knitting class. Th leader got us started the first day and had us cast on and do a couple of rows. It looked easy enough, then she gave us an assignment. Bring a few rows to show our progress to the next class. I set to work as soon as I got home. My brain emptied. Bud and I got on a YouTube tutorial. He whipped out a few rows. My rows were deplorable.

I took his work when I went back to class. I couldn’t do diddly. When I ‘fessed up, she asked if he could come help with class. The next class was canceled due to covid.

Hair of the Dog Sweater

This is the prequal to yesterday’s post about dog sweaters.  I decided it might go nicely today.

My son John lives to torment my mother. Buzzy, our American Eskimo Dog sheds incessantly, making us vacuum every day to stay ahead of him. One day my husband Bud noticed a big paper bag on the mantle stuffed full of Buzzy’s combings, hair pulled from his brush, and hair swept from the floor. Amazed, Bud asked, “What in the world is this bag of dog hair doing up here?”

Mother chimed in, “Oh, that’s Buzzy’s hair I saved up for your sweater.” This was the first Bud had heard of his dog hair sweater. He thought maybe Mother had finally come unhinged. “What dog hair sweater?”

“The one you’re going to get the woman at work to make for you out of Buzzy’s hair.” Mother thought Bud was losing it. “John told me to be careful to gather up all the hair I could find every time I came over so that woman you work with can spin it and make it into a sweater for you. How long do you think it will take to get enough?”

Poor Bud had to break her heart. “John’s been pulling your leg, again. There ain’t gonna be no dog hair sweater.”

 

 

My son, John

John as Jason

 

Tale of the Hair of the Dog Sweater

Mother and BuzzyimageMy son John lives to torment my mother.  Buzzy, our American Eskimo Dog sheds incessantly, making up vacuum every day to stay ahead of him.  One day my husband Bud noticed a big paper bag on the mantle stuff full of Buzzy’s combings, hair pulled from his brush, and hair swept from the floor.  Amazed, Bud asked, “What in the world is this bag of dog hair doing up here?”

Mother chimed in, “Oh, that’s Buzzy’s hair I saved up for your sweater.”

This was the first Bud had heard of his dog hair sweater.  He thought maybe Mother had finally come unhinged.  “What dog hair sweater?”

“The one you’re going to get the woman at work to make for you out of Buzzy’s hair.”  Mother thought Bud was losing it.   “John told me to be careful to gather up all the hair I could find every time I came over so that woman you work with can spin it and make it into a sweater for you.  How long do you think it will take to get enough?”

Poor Bud had to break her heart.  “John’s been pulling your leg, again.  There ain’t gonna be no dog hair sweater.”

imageMy son, looking his best.

image

Photo of hair I brushed out of Buzzy this morning, pictured next to pint jar.