haekelmonster

„Hey – a blocking board!“ I want you to say, „where did you get that?“ — „Well, that was a Christmas present,“ would be my answer and I would add that it had not been easy to get it. Not easy at all.

Here’s the story: I had wanted a blocking board for a long time. Hence, in April 2017 I sent an eMail to Scheepjes.

That is how I usually do it: I see something, I want it, order it, buy it, own it. And in roughly 33% of all cases things work out just like that.

With 66% it is different. Maybe because the item I want is more expensive than I thought it would be, maybe because I realize I do not want it all that much, maybe because it is hard (too hard) to get and then I let go. In short: in 66% of all cases things do not work out because of me.

1% is complicated. Always. Heaven knows why. Karma, I guess …

In 2017, the blocking board was clearly that one last percent. Scheepjes sent adorable mails but no board. Online ordering seemed impossible just like buying it in Berlin.

No. Board. For. Me.

I would grumble for a while but not for long. After all, I did not want the board all that much (I thought), I did not need it (I thought), and it wasn’t even pretty (I thought).

Thoughts, I must confess, I did not share with my man. He only witnessed my initial grumbling misery.

And because he is a wonderful man – and Christmas was still a long way to go – he started researching, emailing, negotiating. Until he finally had the board in Berlin – just in time for Christmas.

That’s what you call perseverance. Or love. Or both.

Until this day, he did not tell me how a sky-blue blocking board found its way into our living-room. All I know is that – according to him – Santa Claus has to have a secret every now and then.

I did not disagree.

And as there were still some granny squares laying around here, I wet and blocked them last night. I had 12. That’s not much. I might (have to) crochet some more.

Last night, I finally (!) finished the second sleeve of my green Tussah silk cardigan. I really want to finish this project before starting something new.

When almost done – literally one row before binding off – I realized that there were too many decreases. One sleeve 12 stitches smaller than the other.

No one will know? Everybody will. I will.

Hence, I frogged it all the way up to the elbow and went to bed. And yes, I was in a bad mood. Lights off at 9:30pm.

Today, I am awake.

It will be a better day. As long as I do not (yet) look at that cardigan …

The sun was wonderful today, the sky was as blue as a sky can be and all of a sudden the Christmas tree in our living room seems to be out of place. Had I not heard a coverage on the radio this morning about the 12 holy nights between Christmas Eve and January 6 (the so-called Twelfth Day) I would have sworn that Christmas is months ago …

Well, it is not. At least not on my blog. After all, I can show you now what I have been working on all through December. Those rubberduck socks for example. My sister loves rubberducks in all their nature and form of appearance and has quite a collection. Of course, I had to cast on a pair of socks for her, when Sophia discovered the pattern. I did it secretly though.

I started the first sock top-down (left) … only to realize that those ducks looked grumpy with their beaks not being a “v” but upside down. Hence, I frogged them and started over – this time toe-up (as suggested by the designer) and all at once they were much better (right).

Thereafter, I kept knitting happy ducks and in due time a pair of socks was done.

My first pair in a two-colored pattern and I have learned a lot. Not only, that one stitch can change everything. Furthermore, I know now that I need to cast on more stitches when knitting in two colors (60, not 48), that stretched ducks look funny and that even for socks gauge swatches may make sense. Because ducks are ducks and could not care less about foot length. Hence, one can only adapt the length of the sock by modifying the toe section or by changing the number of rows between ducks. And it is easier to calculate before knitting the actual sock than while …

What I really like is the variegated yarn. Regia Denim looks like water to me (hard to see in the picture).

What I do not like: pictures of socks. Whether you take them with or without a foot inside – they hardly ever look nice. Usually the wooden feet work wonder but not this time as they are to small (the heel is wrong placed). Sigh …