« Inner Border Done | Main | Misgivings »
February 13, 2006
Olympic Progress
What is it about an urgent deadline (receiving blanket) that compells me to drop it and go full speed ahead on another not so urgent deadline (Olympic Challenge)? I do this all the time. In every area of my life. Which is why I always have several projects going on at once AND why I get so much done. It's true. I get so much more done doing this little Jacquie dance than if I force myself to start and finish one thing straight through. Granted, it makes for a lot of clutter in my head (and as my beautiful Jim will tell you in my physical space as well) but something about this dance works. At least in my creative world, which I've been hell bent on nurturing since I stopped working. In the world of bills and HGTV it doesn't work so well.
So the blanket is resting again. It's good for projects to rest, especially difficult ones. I started on the Olympic Project. See!
Normally I hate garter but Alison Ellen calls this welting. Despite the fact that progress is agonizingly slow, I love the way the secondary colors peak in between the alternating blues. I like to think that my niece will play peek a boo with her sleeves. That the vibrant colors will be a quiet secret between me and her. Instead of silver hearts, I'm going to use some of those beautiful fired buttons in cranberry reds instead. To give her something to peer into, to wonder, to dream. After all, why can't a child's garment be magical?
I should mention that although I did do a gauge swatch, I'm hearing voices. You know the kind. "The sleeves look awfully wide, are you sure you measured correctly?" "There's no way you have enough yarn, you better go back to The Fold before it disappears." "What is it about garter, um welting, that sucks up yarn and produces so little length?" "Are you sure you're measuring centimeters not inches?"
Other than rechecking the gauge swatch I'm ignoring all voices and focusing on my progress instead. Today is Day Four of the Knitting Olympics and the edge of sleeve to neckline is 30% done!
