Yarns to Love
4 Ways to Crush a Giftalong
It’s like the Jamaican bobsled team: I DID THE IMPOSSIBLE!
I FINISHED A THING FOR THE MDK GIFTALONG 2017!
As I flap this mohair and silk shawl around like the national flag of Jamaica, I’ll share a few secrets to success when participating in a giftalong.
Secret No. 1: Start with a lot of momentum. Namely: be three-quarters done with a thing before you declare it part of the giftalong. This is not cheating. This is pragmatism.
Secret No. 2: Knit a thing on big needles. This is probably obvious but not to me. I’ve underachieved on several knitalongs due to poor strategy. Fair Isle, size 3 needles—think hard before you commit to anything that’s actually hard. Or big. The hat people over in the MDK Giftalong 2017 Lounge conversation are crushing it.
Secret No. 3: Clear the decks. And by “clear the decks” I mean find an excellent binge to supplement your hours of knitting. It is weirdly compelling to complete a giftalong project and a juicy TV series. I found myself binding off Block 9 of the Sommerfeld Shawl—this extremely, delightfully, completely eccentric log cabin project—only midway through season 2 of The Crown. I’d allotted myself a full binge to finish this Ann Weaver confection.
Secret No. 4: Remain objective. When knitting for another person, do not fall in love with your project. This is empathy knitting, an act of pure generosity. Focus completely on the fact that your recipient is someone you love, someone who has expressed a specific interest in the project you are making. Someone who is worthy of a giant rectangle of mohair and silk knitted in watery colors that only a person like Karida Collins at Neighborhood Fiber Co. could dream up, and—
[Sob.]
Secret No. 4 is not working all that well for me at the moment.
Before I bid a tender adieu to this Sommerfeld Shawl, before it finds its destiny, I leave you with tender moments in its young life.
This is Loft. We have kits in four colorways for the Sommerfeld Shawl as well as individual skeins in 16 shades in case you’re wanting to make up your own mohair and silk airy cloud.
This section of feather-and-fan is completely incorrect. I kind of forgot to do the six rows of garter stitch between each row of holes, so yeah. This is my own signature moment in this thing.
I love knitting.
Sending joy to you all. And [sob-I-mean-smile] I really am sending this shawl to its rightful destiny!
Stop! I have other stuff to knit!
Tip: If anyone is looking for a good binge, remember that Season 2 of Victoria starts in January, so it’s time to blast (or re-blast) through Season 1. The ultimate literally-VIctorian costume drama. Rufus Sewell! My local PBS station is relentlessly playing it.
The shawl is exquisite. Feel free to start another, now, for yourself.
I really love the look of the Sommerfeld Shawl but I am afraid of using the Mohair/Silk blend. I bought a bunch of mohair as a newbie knitter at a going out of business sale and i tried hand winding it. It has scarred me for years! But I just love how the shawl looks – I might have to give mohair another chance.
Goodmorning Ann! The shawl is just stunning! I can also see the love, in the many, many stitches! it is such a beautiful pattern, and that yarn, um, um, um. I would feel so special and loved if it was around my shoulders. But as we know, there is more happiness in giving than receiving! You are going to make the person you made it for, very, very happy!!!, dorian
LOL @”This is not cheating. This is pragmatism.”
I love the way you think! At least, I know it works for me…
I have also been knitting to The Crown, and after reading about all of the episodes separately (Google), I am re-reading from the first episode. I can’t seem to get enough of it, and am working on a sweater.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!
Love
Kate Mannjng
That beautiful shawl makes me want to weep. I’m in the middle of it. I love the pattern and I love the yarn, but it’s sort of like knitting with unicorn eyelashes. My feather and fan is wonky, and let’s not talk about the weird spots in the short rows. I keep telling myself it will all block out but I’m not sure I’m buying it..
It will block out! Promise!
That’s a fabulous shawl – signature moment and all! Congratulations on the finish!
just gorgeous pics. thank you
A beautiful shawl in the most intense greens/aquas I’ve ever seen. Joy for the eyes.
Oh. So. Pretty. Here’s hoping that karma works for you, and that a magnificent gift is coming your way!
I also wish I had read Secret No. 2 before I started a hat…on size 3 needles. It is taking for freakin’ ever! It also needs to be a bit longer than a beanie in order to fulfill its hatterly destiny. Oh, and it’s meant to be a Solstice gift, not a Christmas one. Better put down the phone and pick up the needles!
I think that Secret No. 5 should be, “Don’t get sick. Especially not with the flu.”
I love your feather-and-fan variation!
Your shawl is a thing of beauty, truly. LOL “the hat people…are crushing it”. Love you guys, and wishing you happy holidays.
What a beautiful shawl! Your friend is very lucky.
That is drop dead gorgeous. The colors. The airy-fairyness of it all. The beautifully adapted log cabinning. Whoa. I want one.
I could never gift that glorious beauty! Ann you are A good friend!