O.k. you have to picture this.....Erika is finishing the sweater she has been talking about for the past three days. It has actually turned into one of those projects that finishing is part of the zen of the project. Music is blaring and not just any old music...Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition performed byFlorence Mustric(one of our customers) on a church pipe organ. How grandiose a finish it that? I am so happy for her. This recording has pushed her to new musical levels and has given her so many new things to learn. If you live in Lakewood you can purchase it at Educator's Music; if not, it will be available on Amazon in spring(I think I have that right) . So anyway, the sweater just needs buttons and I will be done with it. What a great morning.

All right, I was so smug during my last entrry....I had my "new" design on all basted together. That night the world of blocking entered my dreams. I realized that Ihad not blocked any of my pieces before I basted them together. There are many schools of thought on when it should be done.... and my opinion varies with the type of garment you are finishing. The one in question here though, is definitely a blocker. Lots of stockinette and a beautiful bulky yarn worked on large needles. Of course the next morning I had to rip open the basting and block all the pieces flat. A nice steam iron, a damp cloth and a spray bottle filled with water. There is something beautiful about how a piece can change in character by applying a little heat and iron wieght....nothing too dramatic...just a slow easing of the stitches. That was yesterday....today I am slowly and patiently sewing the seams together because Maggie Jackson of Maggiknits once advised me "that the finishing can totally make or break the garment". I want mine to be outstanding!

Over the past couple weeks there has been a discussion about UFO's on the Knitting Daily/Interweave Press website. They did a survey about how many and why. I have been chuckling as I read the newest because I relate alot to so many of the stories. While I did not respond to the survey, I did sneak a look at what all I do have in the "waiting" to be finished piles. At least one of the 95% completed garments I was telling everyone I was just going to rip out and reuse the yarn....the pattern was just plain old ugly and what was I thinking to have even knit it that far. That was last year....this week I pulled it out and said what can I do to make this a fantastic design instead of what it is supposed to be? Well I think I am on my way to the fantastic design.....a little Jackie O collar combined with a bulky oversized sweater....right now I have it basted together with loose ends hanging everywhere...I have high hopes ffor the final stages. Stay tuned for the picture of the finished object. Thanks, Sandi Wiseman of Knitting Daily for making me take a second look at what I have done. Moral of the story is don't always rip right away...try to see if you can take a fresh look at something that is started.
Cheers