Thank you for all your support this week. We've been feeling a huge internet hug and it's wonderful.
I finished the Toulouse Sweater (here's my project link) a few days ago and I can't tell you how big of a deal this is. It's my first ever knitted sweater. My 3rd attempt. My first sweater attempt was about 13 years ago, when we lived in Seattle and I was super new at knitting (I'm still new) but new enough to not realize how silly it was for me to try a sweater with tiny needles and no real experience. I still have that yarn. Then, about 4 years ago there was another sweater attempt, and it was very sad because I really thought I could do it, I had quite a few knitted projects completed so was full of hope, but after many twisted stitches and needles that were too long and me not knowing what I was doing, it got frogged and that yarn has made all kinds of accessories and I still have some left.
But, then I tried agan. I started this right before we found out about Grammie's cancer and later I felt guilty I wasn't knitting her hats, but at that time we were told she wouldn't need chemo, so off I went, knitting away. The long tie part took forever. Through the holidays and all the issues with Grammie I kept knitting, and it was so therapeutic. Especially because there wasn't a whole lot of thinking involved, just knitting. It was really great, mostly because it was taking so long. It was so nice working with my hands, knowing I wouldn't have to think of another project any time soon. I sewed 3 costumes, a dress for myself, and 2 skirts, and 3 robes with matching eye masks for the girls during this time too but sewing goes so fast, and I needed to come back to the same project over and over again, and this was it.
We are seeing the same people at the chemo center every 2 weeks and they have seen me knitting this, so I'm going to wear it next week. I was getting some grief over the huge armpit holes a guy pointed out to me when we were talking. He was concerned about that, I reassured him I could stitch them up and you wouldn't be able to tell. I plan to show him my armpit next week.
With sewing, I can pretty much visualize exactly what the finished piece will look like and hang like when I see the fabric, but with knitting, the string, or the yarn, is so different than the fabric I make with it—it's really thrilling. I thought I would get sick of the color of yarn, but I didn't at all. I have already cast on for this pattern, which is an entirely different look, hobbit cute, which I'm excited about.
- About making clothes, the Coletterie has an interesting interview with an author about the cheap clothes industry.
- I'm listening to Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, who I saw with the Radiolab tour, loved, then forgot about and then remembered about just now.
- We finally watched the Descendants and loved it in its sad funny way. It also makes me even more excited about a trip to Hawaii we have planned in a few months.
