November 28, 2012
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pearls of knitting
We have a knitting thing going on now. Spawn is going to knit scarves for the world and LLO is going to make a coaster maybe. Which is fun. So’s the other day, Spawn asked me if I wanted a scarf for Christmas and since I’ve been a mother going on 16 years now I know the right answer to that question. (That would be “yes”, by the way.) So she asked me what color. And I answered, somehow forgetting the code, that I like green and purple and I already have a purple scarf so how about green. Yes, we do answer all questions with long answers in my land. Unless the answer is no. But anyhow. Spawn proceeds to tell me that she thinks she’ll make one out of this cool yarn that she’s seen that is black and red and blue. And hello- I said green, girlfriend. Alas, I know how it is and I will love the black, red, and blue scarf that my girl makes me and that’s that.
LLO has been cracking me up with her knitting talk. Not so much action. Because that girl is a talker not an acter. Well, she is an actor, but that’s a different thing entirely. Anyhow. Been trying to get the LLOster to knit since this summer when her goal was to watch screens 24 hours a day and I thought maybe she could do something else. Naturally, with Spawn knitting around the world, LLO wants in on the action. Yay. The other day she was spouting about how unique she is because she’s knitting instead of ___ (forget what she said) and how many 11 year olds knit instead of (that) and on and on. Of course I agreed. Because the girl is unique, no matter that she’s made it to row 4 of the project. Anyhow, last night, we get home and she’s got all this homework (which is where the actor thing comes in, because holy moly the girl has perfected drama). And I hear Spouseman say to her “do you have knitting homework?”. Which made me laugh because it makes perfect sense to me to knit at 10something at night rather than do the math homework. I get that.
And then there’s me. I gave up knitting when the little people came into my life because it’s hard to get to the end of the row when you have little people with immediate needs and I kept forgetting which way I was going and it just was a frustrating pain in the heiney and that’s that. But I have plenty of yarn from back in the day when I collected. (And I still collect, but it’s for crochet which doesn’t have the end of the line issue and requires less juggling.) I started a sweater quite a long time ago and it’s been there in my basement taunting me. So I looked at it this weekend. And it’s not the color I thought. I thought it was teal and bright and it’s not. But anyhow. I found the receipt in the bag. Seriously. Knitting sweaters is an expensive proposition. The receipt is from 1993. Oh. My. Goodness. I may touch it some more. On principle. It would be a good color for Spawn. Maybe I’ll ask her what color sweater she would like.
Comments (40)
Lol. I like how your family asks questions when it doesn’t really matter the answer.
@Thatslifekid - sigh. it’s true.
My MIL’s family did lots of knitting and similar things, but don’t know the correct word.
They do look nice. My MIL made many sweaters and scarfs.
Kids do that a lot — ask you what you want and then tell you what they’re willing to give you so you’ll know what you should have wanted — very considerate that way.
make her a color she does not ask for. ha.
1993. time sure flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it?
I was at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska, at that time.
you really need to go back and print off all the family-related posts you’ve ever made and begin putting them all in a book. when you’re dead, they will all have a hoot reading them at the viewing.
I’m terrible with crochet. I can’t even make a scarf.
Knitting… yeah, can’t do that at all.
I try to learn to knit every so often and for some reason I always try to do this when there is a young kitten in the house. no bueno.
This all made me smile.
My mom tried to teach me to crochet. No luck. I attribute it to fat fingers. She then tried to teach me to sew, but I sewed my finger. So, yeah; thanks for the painful memories that you’ve conjured….
Can I just say, cute shoes.
i love your family. i realize how easy this is from a distance. still. i think i would, anyway.
oxoooooooooooooooooooo
Hehe! I understand completely! I was looking for a piece of fabric to use as a backdrop for a photo. Rummaging through the closet I found some fabric circa 1991 that I had been holding onto – because it was too expensive to use for just anything. The reciept in the bag showed I paid a whopping $12.00 for 5 yards!! I’m rethinking the “too expensive” thing. You should finish the sweater – it would probably make you feel good (closure is wonderful) and I bet Spawn will look beautiful in it!
I believe that knitting and crocheting can teach patience and focus. Also eye hand coordination. And you get a scarf to boot!!
I saw this Martha Stewart kit that was supposedly going to teach me how to knit and make blankets and scarves and for a brief moment I wanted to knit. I don’t think I’ve done anything like that since 4th grade.
I can’t knit. I’ve tried but never stuck with it long enough to get good. I can crochet decently. You are a nice mother. If I made my mother a scarf she would tell me she doesn’t really wear scarves and she has some nice ones and also that color doesn’t match her coat. But thanks anyway, wait why are you upset I said I liked it?!
@leaflesstree - you don’t have to be good at knitting to make a great scarf. also i just found out how to knit scrubbies and that totally doesn’t matter. nice? i just have no fashion sense whatsoever. at least not standard fashion sense.
@godfatherofgreenbay - martha? golly. she probably tells you how to raise the sheep. knitting is very relaxing. (unless you’re getting interrrupted)
@whyzat - and both of those girlies need a lot of patience and focus. i think it’s all good.
@murisopsis - $12 for 5 yards??? oh. my. goodness. but we’re not going to discuss fabric. i managed a fabric store. i have fabric out the wazoo. the sweater is on my list. and she will look fabulous in it.
@Bels_Kaylar - my family is hilarious. most of the time. as long as you are not expecting obedient, quiet children, we’re good.
@CrappySapmerderChick - thank you.
@Kellsbella - taught myself. motivation is a good thing. and i have sewn my fingers more than once. ouch. but i came from good stock. one grandmother knitted. one crocheted. and mom and aunts sewed.
@anvilsandedelweiss - you’re a busy woman. someday you’ll get it.
@Marica0701 - if you can sew and make jewelry and cards, i’m pretty sure you could crochet or knit with a little patience and cutting yourself some slack.
@plantinthewindow - cannot believe that was nearly 20 years ago. holy crap. when did i get old. i was somewhere in maryland.
@lanney - i know. just tell me what i want and let’s skip this middle step.
@ANVRSADDAY - i like handmade stuff. i used to make lots of christmas gifts. not anymore. (not that anyone is getting gifts this year, unless i get pumped up with holiday spirit really soon.)
I’ve never been much of a knitter, I did one knitted teal blancket for Pedro when he was born (yeh 16 years ago) and that’s it…
I’ve always admired the knitting process, seems so very complex to me and the pretty things you can get, I wish I had the discipline to do it.
Can’t wait to see the scarf :3 Your girls are so creative and artsy
so cool.
@promisesunshine - anytime dear.
I could never knit with needles. My hands are terribly stupid and can’t work the damn things. I’m pretty good with a loom, though.
That being said, I’ve got some green yarn that’s currently not being used. I have no problem making that green scarf for you, if you like.
My client today bought and wrapped her Christmas gift to herself from her daughter. Her daughter is 36.
@lanney - that is pathetic.
@chronic_masticator - thanks.
I am not a knitter but I am semi obserant. imagine if you will lothario thor as blond as vikings can be, judo instruction, diver and thats just the side jobs. professional manager in an engineering firm. avid anything athletic and yet, there he is in a simple word you watch it about my sweater, mom made for me.
Knitting is such a great exercise for patience, and therapeutic for all kinds of stress. Crocheting and embroidery also is in the same level of exercise me thinks.
@ZSA_MD - and yet it’s hard to make these things a priority in times of stress. how silly we are.
i’m very good with tedious and repetitive.
@starmanjones - a mom sweater. special beyond mere words.
@xXxlovelylollipop - you go a hundred miles an hour. i’m sure knitting is too slow.
Tried knitting a scarf once for a college bf; thing took me forever… hang onto these skills… I wish I had learned… you are a woman of many skills…. ^..^
All the females in my family knit. It is a great past time. I also run a knitting group at the middle school for winter recess. It is fun to watch the kids in a knitting circle.
@wickedgood - the art teacher at elementary school taught them both. (i’d forgotten that) it is cute how kids gets focused on a thing like that. she got them hooked on finger knitting too. (pun not intended)
@SheTigerCat - take patience. some people find it very hard to observe slow progress. me too sometimes. but it’s my life (since i have kids)
This is a darling post I bet you will love your scarf wither it is green or not
@SisterMae - i will adore it. as she very well knows.
I agree with John, except the going to die part. You are never going to die. Okay? Okay.
I’ve never knitted. No one in their right mind would trust me with needles. Your kids are cute. As are you. I wish i was better at the raising girls thing.
If that last comment makes it sounds like I believe I am raising you, I do not. Just to be clear.
@distractedbyzombies - i am invincible! on the other hand, no one is good at this raising girls thing. it’s 30 some years of constant whiplash. one minute you are a goddess (or god in your case) with superhuman acuity and the next minute you are a pile of steaming dog doo.
enjoy the moments that are the former.
@promisesunshine - gee, are you really so optimistic about my chances? dog doo. way to give me something to live up to.
@distractedbyzombies - did i say that wrong? because i spend a great deal of time being dog doo. and then there are the moments like now when we’re singing denying gravity and indian love call.
@promisesunshine - I don’t know how to do either of those things. It’s all dog doo for me. As far as the eye can see.
Seriously. I watched The Descendants last night. It led me to believe I might be doing it wrong. I think girls might not be boys. What a revelation.
@distractedbyzombies - i know nothing of boys. they are incomprehensible.
My wife knits every night. Do you need a dish cloth or a scarf? We have hundreds, every color known to man. Knitting makes her happy. A happy wife is a happy life.
@crazyforfsh48 - this is so true.
All I know about knitting is that most people do it sitting and the say something like “knit one, pearl two” and occassionally will add a few nasty words, like shoot and darn. Oh, darn, isn’t that a sewing term?
@vexations - would you like to know that the knitting pearl is “purl”? isn’t that exciting stuff.
purl, WOW Minnie never spelled it that way….@promisesunshine -