Works In Progress Report: Wearable Hug 13 Gets Pushy
What Have I Done Now?
No, nothing bad. I was able to completely whip through the rest of the Market Squares Bag on Tuesday, then on Wednesday I knocked out two full I-cord straps for it.
Market Squares Bag, Pre-Blocking
A note about the scale: each of the straps is about 35" long. That makes the bag about 17" or 18" across, and about the same depth.
The next step is to work in all the ends on the inside. Fortunately, since this will wind up being felted, I don't have to be very fastidious about that. Then the pieces get blocked and the straps are stitched in place before I toss it in the washing machine and agitate the bejeezus out of it. Since there is full drying to achieve after the blocking (and before the assembling), expect to see the finished photos on Monday. With maybe some more in-progress shots as well.
Wearable Hug 13 - Making Demands Before I Even Cast-On
Next up on the needles, Wearable Hug 13 (WH13). And this one's being a demanding diva of a Hug already!
Normally, I take my Lion Brand Homespun yarn and my size 13 needles, and I cast on 57 stitches. Before I even chose which of the colorways of Homespun in my stash to use for WH13, a voice in my head said, "You're going to cast on 63 stitches for this one. It needs to be wider."
Huh.
Okay, that's not a problem. The Hugs tend to come out plenty long enough that making it a little wider won't short-change the length.
So I looked at my stash. I had two colors to choose from:
Fuchsia (L) and Adirondack (R)
Ah, yes...the fuchsia. I've been eager to work with the fuchsia. I think I'll do the fuchsia...
"What are you doing?" said the little voice. "This Hug's supposed to be the Adirondack. It needs to be earthtones."
Oh. Okay. I'm a little disappointed, but I've learned to trust my instincts - or the little voices - when it comes to the Wearable Hugs. Each time I knit one, it becomes more clear that somehow, someway, I'm not the one who decides what these need to be or who they belong to. So I stop myself in reaching for the Fuchsia, and take out the Adirondack instead.
Purples and Browns, Greens and More
I grew up not far from the Adirondack region of NY, in Syracuse, and my father's family was from the North Country. So I've had occasion to visit the area frequently. They got the colors right - these shades evoke memories of trees, mountains, ponds and lakes tucked between craggy peaks...very nice.
So with the yarn chosen, and the width of the shawl determined to be 63 stitches, I sit down with my usual size 13 needles and cast on. This time, the voice lets me knit 3 or 4 rows before interrupting again.
"No, no...that's all wrong. I'm not supposed to be all loosey-goosey like the rest of the Wearable Hugs. I'm supposed to be sleeker-looking than that."
Well! As I said, I've come to trust the needs of the Hugs, whether I understand them or not. Just to be sure, I pulled out a pair of size 11 needles and swatched a little, and the voice affirmed that the result was what it wanted. In fact, this explains why WH13 needs 63 stitches instead of 57 - the tighter gauge will be pulling in the width.
So now, I had a problem - my only size 11's were short ones, too short to hold 63 stitches. Which means that I had a Wearable Hug demanding me to go out and buy knitting needles today. Not that I mind an excuse to shop, but the budget doesn't suffer these demands lightly.
I know better than to argue with the Hugs, though. So I popped over to the LYS. Inox 11's would cost a little under $6, but they were incredibly unattractive to my eye.
Then I spotted the Brittany's. I've seen these before, but hadn't had a reason to buy yet. When I looked at the price, I decided that the modest $3 premium over the Inox was more than worth it. I knew Gryphon would agree, too - we'd long since decided my knitting was at a level where it's worth paying more to get me better tools.
And that's how I came home with my first pair of size 11 Brittany birch knitting needles today. Not because I wanted to buy them, mind you, but because a Wearable Hug demanded to be knit on needles I didn't happen to own.
I've done nothing more than cast-on before needing to come get my blog written for the day. So far, WH13 seems content with the current state of reality.
WH13: The New Hug Begins
The pink yarn is a scrap that I used to help me count the stitches as I cast on. After every 20th stitch, I did a half-hitch around the needle to mark my place. That saved endless counting and re-counting on the way to 63 stitches.
Every Wearable Hug to this date has made its needs known in one way or another. This is the first to be so vocal and so specific about them, though.
It's going to be an interesting ride. I can't wait to see who she belongs to!
No, nothing bad. I was able to completely whip through the rest of the Market Squares Bag on Tuesday, then on Wednesday I knocked out two full I-cord straps for it.
Market Squares Bag, Pre-Blocking
A note about the scale: each of the straps is about 35" long. That makes the bag about 17" or 18" across, and about the same depth.
The next step is to work in all the ends on the inside. Fortunately, since this will wind up being felted, I don't have to be very fastidious about that. Then the pieces get blocked and the straps are stitched in place before I toss it in the washing machine and agitate the bejeezus out of it. Since there is full drying to achieve after the blocking (and before the assembling), expect to see the finished photos on Monday. With maybe some more in-progress shots as well.
Wearable Hug 13 - Making Demands Before I Even Cast-On
Next up on the needles, Wearable Hug 13 (WH13). And this one's being a demanding diva of a Hug already!
Normally, I take my Lion Brand Homespun yarn and my size 13 needles, and I cast on 57 stitches. Before I even chose which of the colorways of Homespun in my stash to use for WH13, a voice in my head said, "You're going to cast on 63 stitches for this one. It needs to be wider."
Huh.
Okay, that's not a problem. The Hugs tend to come out plenty long enough that making it a little wider won't short-change the length.
So I looked at my stash. I had two colors to choose from:
Fuchsia (L) and Adirondack (R)
Ah, yes...the fuchsia. I've been eager to work with the fuchsia. I think I'll do the fuchsia...
"What are you doing?" said the little voice. "This Hug's supposed to be the Adirondack. It needs to be earthtones."
Oh. Okay. I'm a little disappointed, but I've learned to trust my instincts - or the little voices - when it comes to the Wearable Hugs. Each time I knit one, it becomes more clear that somehow, someway, I'm not the one who decides what these need to be or who they belong to. So I stop myself in reaching for the Fuchsia, and take out the Adirondack instead.
Purples and Browns, Greens and More
I grew up not far from the Adirondack region of NY, in Syracuse, and my father's family was from the North Country. So I've had occasion to visit the area frequently. They got the colors right - these shades evoke memories of trees, mountains, ponds and lakes tucked between craggy peaks...very nice.
So with the yarn chosen, and the width of the shawl determined to be 63 stitches, I sit down with my usual size 13 needles and cast on. This time, the voice lets me knit 3 or 4 rows before interrupting again.
"No, no...that's all wrong. I'm not supposed to be all loosey-goosey like the rest of the Wearable Hugs. I'm supposed to be sleeker-looking than that."
Well! As I said, I've come to trust the needs of the Hugs, whether I understand them or not. Just to be sure, I pulled out a pair of size 11 needles and swatched a little, and the voice affirmed that the result was what it wanted. In fact, this explains why WH13 needs 63 stitches instead of 57 - the tighter gauge will be pulling in the width.
So now, I had a problem - my only size 11's were short ones, too short to hold 63 stitches. Which means that I had a Wearable Hug demanding me to go out and buy knitting needles today. Not that I mind an excuse to shop, but the budget doesn't suffer these demands lightly.
I know better than to argue with the Hugs, though. So I popped over to the LYS. Inox 11's would cost a little under $6, but they were incredibly unattractive to my eye.
Then I spotted the Brittany's. I've seen these before, but hadn't had a reason to buy yet. When I looked at the price, I decided that the modest $3 premium over the Inox was more than worth it. I knew Gryphon would agree, too - we'd long since decided my knitting was at a level where it's worth paying more to get me better tools.
And that's how I came home with my first pair of size 11 Brittany birch knitting needles today. Not because I wanted to buy them, mind you, but because a Wearable Hug demanded to be knit on needles I didn't happen to own.
I've done nothing more than cast-on before needing to come get my blog written for the day. So far, WH13 seems content with the current state of reality.
WH13: The New Hug Begins
The pink yarn is a scrap that I used to help me count the stitches as I cast on. After every 20th stitch, I did a half-hitch around the needle to mark my place. That saved endless counting and re-counting on the way to 63 stitches.
Every Wearable Hug to this date has made its needs known in one way or another. This is the first to be so vocal and so specific about them, though.
It's going to be an interesting ride. I can't wait to see who she belongs to!
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