Monday, August 4, 2014

Elbow Warmer

If spinning is mixing mud and water with my foot on a warm day for that perfectly voluptuous experience, knitting is building castles with the mixture. In a storm. Possibly in the dark. They make me be in a particular season with no consequences.

August arrived and of course it's warm and spring-like, warm enough we haven't lit the fire in the evening, but some nights we've donned our hats, as much for fun as for warmth.

Last night I remembered I had some yarns leftover from that era, and decided to knit Ben an elbow warmer. His nerves don't slide with the muscles on his left arm and he's been seeing a physio for a while; before that he suffered in silence for a few months. The physio, same Jean as mine, told him to keep it warm, among other things, and I thought this is relatively easy even for a knittingly-challenged.

I had half a dozen false starts because I can never tell how big/long my knitting is going to be until I knit a couple of inches. Then Ben wanted ribbing at the top and bottom; I don't do ribbing but I can accommodate.Then he wanted the middle part wider than top and bottom; I don't do increasing/decreasing, honey! I'm just going to knit very loosely in the middle.

I think I knit much too tightly, and my shoulders and neck get stiff quickly, but I do enjoy it. I design as I go, and I like knitting tubes so dropping or picking up stitches at the sides is not an issue. The leftover yarn has little too much pink and pastels for Ben, but it's only for home use. Now the problem is, shall I keep knitting so I can finish this before I leave for Oz, or do I tie loose ends and knit or weave or work on the design book?

Weave. I have a wee symbolic milestone tomorrow. But you have to wait. 

4 comments:

  1. I'd never have thought of an elbow warmer but then it's colder in Nelson than Wamberal! I just hope we can give you some lovely warm winter days at Lake Macquarie.

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  2. Yes, I noticed Sallianne had put you in charge of warmer weather for moi. :-D

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  3. Ooh, I love the elbow warmer. Although it does look a bit "girly" for Ben. I also knit tightly, apparently. I always have to use needles two sizes larger than a pattern calls for. Although I always do a stitch gauge beforehand. Instead of trying to knit more loosely than what's normal for you, you can also change needle size on those parts you want to be bigger or smaller. Have a great trip! Hope you'll be blogging from the road...or at least Facebooking. xo

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  4. It got worse, Connie. Totally pastel! It looks a little sad but handspun is warm so it does the job well. I hope to load at least pictures, fingers crossed.

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