Lessons

I learned something interesting yesterday when I scored at a local antiques mall.  I found a vintage Weave-it (perfect condition with original instructions, needle, everything) and quite a few knitting books.  I had a lot of the books on the booth but I found something interesting.

It took me a minute to realize that, although this is the same baby and the same photo shoot, it's not the same photo.  You know how you look at something and know there's something odd but you just can't put your finger on it?  This book initially came out published by Bear Brand yarn.  Some really cute patterns.  But not too far on, Bear Brand must have been bought out by Bucilla because they published a revised version.  The original version was 50c and the revised was $1.25 - talk about inflation!  But it kept the same volume number and the publication date is the same on both - MCML (1950 if I remember my roman numerals).  It must have been a good seller for them to decide to re-publish it. 

I know I don't have the most extensive collection of vintage books but I have kept my eyes open through the years.  This is the first time I've seen this reworking of a publication although with all the merging, buying out and whatnot that went on with yarn companies in the 30s, 40s and 50s, it's not a complete shock.  Kind of fun to see.

I haven't looked closely enough at the patterns to see if they actually updated any of them but at first glance, it appears they only adapted the list of yarns and needles you can use for each pattern.

I did finally get my new doily ironed out, having decided I didn't really need to pin block it at this point:

Can't wait to start the next one.

I thought it'd never end

Knitting an edging on something round has got to be the most soulless, mind-numbing, feel like it's never, ever, ever going to end task in all the world.  Worse than sitting in a traffic jam going home on Friday night until people start walking from car to car visiting with each other (I've been there.  I know.).  Worse than trying to watch a program that's been shown 42 times a year since 1973 on PBS during a pledge drive weekend because the tv won't turn off and you're tied to a chair with your eyes taped open (OK.  I've never had that happen but there's no saying it couldn't.).

The point is that when you're knitting something in the round which ends up with 576 stitches that have to be knitted off individually, two rows to a stitch, even if those 2 rows are less than 12 stitches each, you're sure that you will never finish.  It will never end and all the other knitting you did simply counts for nothing because you'll be 82 and still knitting off those stitches.  And unless you're 81 when you start the edging and you're birthday is just around the bend, it feels like the ultimate unattainable.

But if you ever reach that pipe dream of having a finished project, I'm here to tell you that you don't wait to work in all the ends.  You don't wait until you've washed it and you certainly don't wait until you block it.  The first thing you do is this:

You lay it out on something it will stick to so it will hold its shape until you've taken the photo.  Pinning out 160 tips of edging can wait.  For now, now is the time for savoring.