Saturday, February 27, 2016

Feeling Refreshed

The dragon project was an intensive two weeks worth of work. I abandoned all other projects in the face of it. Happily, this means that I am returning to my old projects with fresh eyes and vigour.

First up for the finish line is this:

It's BooKnits Rainshine and I'm using my own handspun. The yarn is a camel/silk blend from Sericin Dyeworks. I'm adding some Japaneese beads on this row. I'm in love again!

 

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Finisher's Let Down

Somebody help me. I don't know why but often when I finish knitting a project, I feel let down. I look at my FO and think "meh."

I start off all keen and excited. I'm usually on fire during the knitting. When I get home in the evening I can't wait to get to work on my project. But it's not until I put the final touches on my project and step back and look at it that I get that ole let down.

I think, it's nice. I think I did a good job. But it's usually not what I envisioned.

Are my expectations too high? Am I disappointed to find that I am only human and it doesn't look perfect? I wish I could just enjoy my FO. Instead I usually just accept the feeling, stuff the thing in a bag or at the back of the closet and try to forget about it.

The let down doesn't always happen. Occasionally I make a project I love form beginning to end, but that seems to be the exception. Not the rule.

Well, here it is, my finished dragon, let down and all.

 

I think it's nice. Just not special. And it was a whole lot of work. I must say, I did have fun making it. Maybe I just miss the process?

 

Sunday, February 21, 2016

What's got me excited.

It's always a pleasure to have an exciting project on the needles. Something that you can' trait to get back to. What's got me excited these days is a knitted dragon. This pattern by Kim Harrison is just beautiful. Somehow, she has created a graceful creature from cotton and pipe cleaners. Kim has included step-by-step video instructions with her pattern that are a huge help in removing all ambiguity.

I am listening to the Steven King detective novel, Mr. Mercedes, as I am working on it. The pattern has come to have some of the same tension for me as the novel. How will it all come together?

I have made some adjustments to her pattern to account for my supplies. Kim uses 3mm pipe cleaners as supports, but I could only find 6mm and I was in a hurry to start. So I bought some heavier weight yarn to knit a bigger dragon. I used 4-stitch I-cord for the wing bones, instead of 3 stitches. When I got to the hands, that wasn't going to work, so I used a bigger needle for the fingers and stuck with the 3-stitch I-cord.

I also wasn't going to muscle the pipe cleaner through all those I-cords. Kim has you threading it through on a needle, being careful not to catch the yarn. Instead, I just knit the I-cord around the pipe cleaner. Worked like a charm! I don't think I'm the first to do this.

As of this writing, I have all the dragon's limbs and have started on the tail. Today, we may see this creature start to come together. Can't wait!

Just a leg for now...

 

Monday, February 15, 2016

Where's Laurie?

On Facebook, I'm administrator for the London District Weavers and Spinners page. There you will find interesting articles, videos, and funny pictures that I have found in my travels over the web. Mostly I post weaving and spinning stuff, plus pictures of sheep, but sometimes I post knitting related content too.

I'm also on Pintrest now. I'm not sure how you can find me there. It could be my name, Laurie Corriveau, or is it @laurie_corrivea which is below it? If I figure it out, I'll update this post. I don't pin a lot, but I find it relaxing to browse on there now and again.

Of course, you can still find me on Ravelry as LaurieM.

Gratuitous kniting picture: