Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Touch of gray

What did I do today? Last night, I made the big purchase from The Woolery. I got an email with a tracking number today. I love emails with tracking numbers. I don't know when Ron's Baconwave arrives (it can cook 14 slices at a time, he loved the one he had in CA), but it'll probably come mid-next-week.

I offered a swap on a knitting board, a book I don't like (Barbara Walker #4) for someone's leftover acrylic yarn. Acrylics tend to be the unloved stepchildren of the knitting world. They're around, but no one loves them, anticipates new arrivals, or mourns the loss of a colorway. The attitude I've picked up tends to lean towards disdain.

I did get a couple of replies - people wanting to swap, or just send the yarn off to a good home. Yay! I plan to have a lot of fun knitting them into a "Scrapghan". I love acrylics. It's just who I am. Sure, they can be scratchy and rough when you're working them up, but a quick wash with some fabric softener and you've got a beautiful finished product. You don't have to fuss over them, either, and an entire project's worth of yarn only costs me a couple of hours' pay.

My "Touch of Gray" afghan (I tried naming it "Blackie" or "Zebra" but the names don't stick), is really progressing. I've already knit one of 5 strips (50 inches by 10 inches), and started the second. They're edged in black but the main body is the Red Heart "Zebra" yarn (a varigated black/gray/white). It forms very interesting, contemporary patterns as I garter stitch my way from one end to the other. I look forward to seaming it together, washing it, and keeping it. I'll probably single crochet the edging in more black. It travels really well. I use my Knitpicks Options circulars, 24 inches, with size 8 tips. That's some fast, fun, knitting.

I've decided another thing. I like simple projects. I've decided, if I want to make garter stitch afghans and ribbed watch caps, then that's what I'll make! The knitting police are not going to drag me off because I don't want to do anything more challenging. I could, but I don't want to.

I like simple knitting. I like easy projects. So that's what I'll do. If I get bored, I'll "Upgrade" but for now, I'm happy garter-stitching my way through all the afghans in my head. I have lots of project ideas in my head, enough to last for years. I'll just have fun making them come to life in a simple manner.

It's not a crime to make garter stitch projects in acrylic. They make me happy.

That's enough.

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