Friday 23 May 2008

Storm Water Scarf - Blocked!

Here it is, worn as both a wrap:

Here it is, worn as a scarf:




I am not sure about wearing it as a scarf - all those 4608 ssk, yos and yo, k2togs look a bit lost?

It is about 18914 stitches in total (including cast on and off). Trust me, I felt every stitch.

If I look at the elapsed time it took to knit this and think when and where I worked on it. I come up with about 32 hours of work, which sort of feels right. However, this means that I only managed to worked at the rate of 588 stitches an hour (9.8 stitches a minute)? This means that (on average), I worked about 270 stitches during each commute - just over 5 rows a journey.

However, that is not right. Generally, I was managing 10-12 rows per journey. This is about 1176 stitches an hour, which means that it should only be about 16 hours of work? Either way, it still felt like a-very-long-time.

It is also known as the Midwest Moonlight scarf and for those with stitch library books, I think that it the Crazy Patchwork stitch?


I am not sure whether this will stay under my roof or head off somewhere else.

You see, I do not love it and I am not convinced that it suits me. I think that I picked this colour because I know it is one that my mother likes and it was the nicest colour available in the shop at the time I was there.

So I did not buy it because I felt a huge, personal draw to the colour - I bought it because I had heard a lot about Seasilk and wanted to see for myself what it was like to work with. However, as the scarf took so long to make, I am loathe to give it away immediately. It's just disappointing to have something that I do not utterly love at the end of such a long process.

So mum, if you like this, is there anything that you would like to trade me for it?! What's the retail value of a handknit Seasilk scarf, patiently worked on Lantern Moon Ebony needles? If I decide that I work at UK minimum wage, this scarf is worth somewhere between £106.32 - £194.64?! I don't know, maybe I should just put it away for a while, wait to see how I feel about it later?


I have to ask, is there a syndrome for the pathological dislike of things that you make for yourself? Do I need therapy? I suffered with the same thing after I made the shaped lace tee (ugly lumpy thing) and it's the reason that I have not ripped back the Ribbed Shrug to redo the ribbing yet.

I know that I am not alone in suffering from this affliction though - I do know others who are constantly unpicking the things that they make for themselves. Maybe I should start a Ravelry support group: 'Knit it, hate it, gift or thrift it. Ho hum, move on'.

Yogicknitter is now planning to knit this - the big shawl version. It will not take her very long to whip it up and she is going to make it in Monarch, Handmaiden Camelspin yarn that she picked up from Purlescence - a very lovely colour and yarn. So watch that space to see something that is likely to be rather more lovely than my own modest effort!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would not be my color choice, either, but it's a lovely piece. Perhaps you'd love it if it were overdyed with a color more to your taste? Perhaps you've completed one of your holiday gift knits? Perhaps you want to send it to live in Florida with me?? (Sorry, felt compelled to add that last.)

As I keep almost nothing that I knit, I don't have to go through the love/loathe/don't-care thing, so I'm afraid I can't offer anything other than moral support in that area.

It's a beautiful shawl, though, truly.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Toni, it is beautiful. But I completely understand about not loving the things you make. In my case I'm usually happy with scarfy stuff, but jerseys - oh they never seem to fit just the way I wanted them to. Always disappointing. Start that group, woman, we need the support!

I do like Toni's idea though - keep it for a Christmas gift (for someone *very* deserving). It would be a very impressive present. Oh, and I think it looks just fine as a scarf; the lace isn't such an elaborate pattern that it really needs to be shown off flat.

Anonymous said...

I still think it is just beautiful. I love the colour which I do think suits you and it is stunning. It has inspired me to use my birthday gift camelspin to knit one.
I love the idea of the group so as Robynn said go set it up we'll meet you over there.

Team Knit said...

That's so funny, because the first thing I thought when I saw your scarf was, 'I LOVE the colour!'. But then again, green IS my favourite. I agree with the others-that's a fabulous gift-to-be for a very lucky someone!

You did a great job, by the way.

- Julie

Anonymous said...

Good to see it finished, at last. I often file an FO for some time before I can like it again. (And one I just finished has gone straight to the Goodwill box, as the yarn is so thick I can't move in it...)

Woolly Stuff said...

I think the colour is beautiful, and it looks great on you.

Sometimes it helps to just put it away for a few weeks, or months, or a year. I knit a sweater last year, that I decided I really didn't like. I tried to get rid of it, but couldn't, so i just shoved it in the back of the closet. I had totally forgotten about it, when I found it again a few weeks ago. And now, I love it. I'm so glad I have it!