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!
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?
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...
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:
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