Why do I do this to myself?

[oyceter]

I went to knitting circle yesterday, though it was more "knitting line," given that only two of us showed up.

(now I am ashamed of myself for the absolutely horrible math joke that I have inflicted on everyone)

Anyway. I have finally decided to cave in and admit I am certifiably insane when it comes to anything crafty. Instead of proceeding carefully into the void, like most (sane) people, I immediately pick out the most complicated, most insane project I can possibly find. In other words, I have begun knitting the Vogue Knitting HOliday 2006 cropped lace top. In freaking laceweight mohair.

In the cold light of day, it obvious where I have gone wrong: Mohair! Lace! A pattern with six different lace patterns! In mohair!

To exacerbate matters, I actually decided this would be a great project to bring to knitting circle.

Unsurprisingly to anyone (except me), I spent all three hours knitting three rows, and then painfully unknitting four rows, all while attempting to not be rude to my poor other knitting circle compatriot, when really all I wanted to do was a) tear the mohair into six million little pieces, b) burn it, c) salt the ground its ashes resided on, d) all the while swearing like a madwoman, and e) banging my head against a table repeatedly for doing this to myself.

You laugh! But that is because you do not understand the pain that is unknitting mohair! All those nasty little fuzzy fibers twine together into impenetrable forests of fur!

Well, extremely tiny and scaled-down impenetrable forests. But still! Impenetrable!

The coffeeshop closed before I could unknit all four rows, and I ended up on the couch at midnight, half-assedly watching The Collector while glaring at my knitting and unknitting one stitch at a time (4 rows times 87 stitches per row equals 348 stitches and really it is more like 6409 because there are increases and decreases and stitches tangling together into one in a horrible matted mess!).

But I laugh in the face of the evil lavender mohair, even though I know it will only return from the dead to wrap its fuzzy tendrils around me for revenge.

Also, because I continue to be a) stupid, b) insane, or c) both, I look at my lovely four knitted rows that took approximately 5 hours to do and I pet my light-as-a-feather project and I would do it again!

Really, I never learn.

On another note, there was a rat owner at the cafe, and I tried very hard to not eavesdrop, but then I heard "rats" and "pets" and "play with them" and my knitting compatriot said my face lit up like a megawatt bulb (I may be embellishing the bulb part) and I probably babbled for much too long about my wonderful dorky flat rats and eeeeeee! Another rat owner!

Comments

[yhlee.livejournal.com]

You must report on The Collector! And I must someday find time to watch Spooks! (I am rewatching Angel mostly because I am trying to grab the final clips for auction!vid so I can finish the darn thing and kick it off my backup drive.)

[oyceter]

I am writing up a report! I have to warn you, I am sort of snarky about it right now...

[yhlee.livejournal.com]

Just because I adore S1 doesn't mean anyone else has to. ^_^ And even I snarked at parts of it. (OMG Morgan is Angel down to the bad hair in historical segments.)

I indexed (http://pegasus.cityofveils.com/test/bookslj.phtml) my past posts on the episodes (do a search on "Collector"), if you're curious about the blow-by-blow reports.

[oyceter]

I saw Morgan and thought he was Wesley for a second because of the short hair and stubble!

Woe, I think some of your links are broken -- they go off to 404s =(.

[yhlee.livejournal.com]

I should fix that--I deleted a bunch of posts. :-]

[oyceter]

Yes you should! I am now eager to read commentary!

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

Tonight, I begin the squirrel mittens. This requires learning the magic loop, and also learning how to do more complicated fair isle, plus doing it in the round. This may end up so, so badly... but my beautiful soft fuzzy baby alpaca yarn is calling me.

In conclusion: knitting apparently makes us crazy!

[oyceter]

Wow, go you!! The magic loop thankfully isn't that hard, and I (so far) like it better than DPNs because it means less joins.

Baby alpaca eeeeee!

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

>Well, extremely tiny and scaled-down impenetrable forests. <

Hee!

[jinian.livejournal.com]

The part where knitting is great to do while you watch tv or socialize comes AFTER the part where you learn how to do the stitches, silly! You can outsmart the mohair.

[oyceter]

The sad thing is, it's not even a complicated lace pattern! (at least, not section E) It is seven stitches long! It consists of a k2tog, 2 yos and a ssk! There are only four rows, and two of them are purl rows!

I fear my yarn is smarter than me. Send help.

[fourthage.livejournal.com]

I am convinced there is something about the mohair projects in Vogue Knitting. I tried to make my aunt a triangular shawl a couple years ago from there and somehow, I swear I don't know how, ten rows in I'd managed to increase the count by fifty instead of decreasing by thirty. Yeah.

[oyceter]

I'm sure they are cursed! Cursed!

It's a miracle anyone makes anything in mohair.

And yet... it is so beautiful...

[canandagirl.livejournal.com]

You're not the only one with grand knitting dreams. Remember, I only know how to knit squares or rectangles, and I really only know how to do one type of stitich and bind off. With that knowledge, I'm still determined to make a blanket by knitting eight scarves and sewing them together.

I'm thinking, logically this could work...

[oyceter]

Hey, but that's how you learn more! Do not fear the large projects! Embrace them and your knitterly insanity!

[canandagirl.livejournal.com]

I'll take your advice...besides it's not like the world will end if my blanket turns out crooked.

I hope.

[ginny-t.livejournal.com]

But it's so pretty! I agree, laceweight mohair is just evil. Mohair in general is a pain. Still, it comes out so nice. (If you get too frustrated, I find that Knitpicks' laceweight alpaca is lovely soft, a teeny bit halo-ish, but tinks well.)

[oyceter]

Ooooooo, I have some of theirs stashed somewhere for a grandly ambitious traditional lace shawl. I'll get to it. Someday. Really.

rat-owner

[anleedruid.livejournal.com]

I just found out from Lisa a few days ago that apparently Alicia (from our class) is a rat owner, too. Well, *was*....I think her rat died recently. =(

Re: rat-owner

[oyceter]

Oh no! That's very sad =(.