Rectangles
On Saturday I knocked out one of my Christmas gift items. It was supposed to be a felted book cover called Wanderlust Book Wrap.
It knitted up easily and quickly. By early afternoon I was already finished with the knitting part. I ran it through the washer on hot/cold quick wash cycle and it felted beautifully. I had a puzzle box the correct size, placed the box in a plastic Target bag, then pulled the felted piece over both to block as it dried.
Despite the blocking, the piece is twisted and the flap does not square up with the bag.
Now I know handmade items are supposed to be unique and a bit rustic at times. I get "the nature of the beast" and all that; however, in its present condition, it is not something that I would gift to another.
Because the fabric created by the felting is nice, particulary with the striping I painstakingly added with many ends to weave, I could cut it apart and sew it back together for a slightly smaller version of what I had in mind. I could also fashion a nice little handbag out of it, assuming I could find a nice leather strap to sew onto it.
Notwithstanding all I *could* do with it, it did not turn out as I had originally intended and I find that disappointing.
Fortunately, it was a quick, less than a day, project with minimal effort and expense.
I just really do not deal well with disappointment.
I think that is one of the reasons I do not knit more for myself. I have a vision of exactly how I want/expect something to be. To get the perfect sweater for me, it would be costly in both time and resource, not to mention effort. While I have a cardigan on the needles, I tend to err on the side of roomy comfort than well-fitted for fear something will be too small, especially in the bust area, and I will be cast into the throes a deep depression over my far from perfect self-image.
Instead, I knit socks and wraps for myself, rectangular wraps.
A dear friend of mine is new to knitting and she has made great fun of the garter-stitch rectangles she has been making.
I actually think she is onto something.
Rectangles are seldom disappointing and you have a damned good idea of exactly how it will look well before you are finished.
Yeah, rectangles may well be the way to go. . .
It knitted up easily and quickly. By early afternoon I was already finished with the knitting part. I ran it through the washer on hot/cold quick wash cycle and it felted beautifully. I had a puzzle box the correct size, placed the box in a plastic Target bag, then pulled the felted piece over both to block as it dried.
Despite the blocking, the piece is twisted and the flap does not square up with the bag.
Now I know handmade items are supposed to be unique and a bit rustic at times. I get "the nature of the beast" and all that; however, in its present condition, it is not something that I would gift to another.
Because the fabric created by the felting is nice, particulary with the striping I painstakingly added with many ends to weave, I could cut it apart and sew it back together for a slightly smaller version of what I had in mind. I could also fashion a nice little handbag out of it, assuming I could find a nice leather strap to sew onto it.
Notwithstanding all I *could* do with it, it did not turn out as I had originally intended and I find that disappointing.
Fortunately, it was a quick, less than a day, project with minimal effort and expense.
I just really do not deal well with disappointment.
I think that is one of the reasons I do not knit more for myself. I have a vision of exactly how I want/expect something to be. To get the perfect sweater for me, it would be costly in both time and resource, not to mention effort. While I have a cardigan on the needles, I tend to err on the side of roomy comfort than well-fitted for fear something will be too small, especially in the bust area, and I will be cast into the throes a deep depression over my far from perfect self-image.
Instead, I knit socks and wraps for myself, rectangular wraps.
A dear friend of mine is new to knitting and she has made great fun of the garter-stitch rectangles she has been making.
I actually think she is onto something.
Rectangles are seldom disappointing and you have a damned good idea of exactly how it will look well before you are finished.
Yeah, rectangles may well be the way to go. . .
Comments
Did you run it through your whole wash cycle? I just felted a hat this weekend, but I only let it agitate and then I take it out. Of course, I have a 12 year old top load washer and I can do that.
I am sure it is not as bad as you think.