Letters
Work Ethic
Dear Ann,
According to the United States Department of Labor, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
Appropriately, I am spending the holiday weekend making my contribution to the strength, prosperity and well-being of my Kaffe Fassett Big Flower Jacket. Recently I was kind of down on the project, but like Hercules Mulligan, when you knock me down I get the fluff back up again! (Video link.)
Yesterday I finished the right front. The whole chart, and all the crazy double- and triple-stranded stripes. As I bound off at the shoulder (a temporary bindoff, just to hold the stitches), I had a rush of joy: I’m gonna finish this thing in time for Rhinebeck!
I GOT THIS.
Then I remembered: that’s not how knitting goes. Objects in mirror are larger than they appear.
So, apart from a small celebratory photo shoot, I didn’t break my stride. I jumped onto the back of the jacket. My stamina and concentration held for exactly seven of those long rows, and then I was spent. The back currently stands at 81 of 134 rows completed. (The left front is on stitch holders, at 74 rows of 134 completed.) The struggle continues.
(Don’t look too hard. That’ll block right out.)
One trick I figured out was that it’s ok to use a color from the row below for those single or double background stitches on the flower chart. If the yarn is there, I use it. I don’t tie on a new length of yarn for a single background stitch unless I absolutely can’t help it. (These single stitches form the lines separating the petals of the Big Flower; they are supposed to match the stripes on the side.) This compromise with the rigor of the instructions makes the fabric more stable, because it has fewer unanchored single stitches. I’ll have fewer ends to weave in, and fewer holes to close up. I wish I’d thought of it earlier.
Happy Labor Day, my fellow American workers, and anybody else who has a day off today.
Love,
Kay
I hadn’t planned on attending Rhinebeck this year, but if you finish this jacket I feel I must 🙂
Oh dear, how I wish I hadn’t looked at this post. I fear you’re tempting me into knitting territory that may require abandoning the little housework I currently do. Those colours are so beautiful. I am seriously impressed even if you do cheat! A good lawyer can always defend her actions.
Cheat? For one stitch here and there? No.
Last week there was a comment by Ellen who wrote about having taken the class with Kaffe way back when, and reported that it was not necessary to follow the chart, that a magic ball could even be used. Anyway, it really is so beautiful! Makes me wish I could stay home and knit; but, I’m scheduled to go into work.
gorgeous!
“That’ll block right out.” I can’t tell you how many times a day in a work day I say that. Thankfully, most times it’s true.
I agree. Words to live by. Knitting in cotton always makes me a little nervous because you cannot block things out as easily. I love those forgiving animal fibers (but live in Louisiana where sometimes cotton is the only thing that makes any sense at all)!
It’s “Labour Day” here in Canada….the last day of the CNE, the Canadian National Exhibition, in Toronto, Ontario. It’s always signified the end of summer, the start of school.
Last year was my first Rhinebeck trip….. 9 or 10 hours on a bus. The Saturday was wild..but I’d go back just for that gorgeous Sunday morning. The sun was shining, the leaves were fabulous, no crowd, the pan flute music and the hot chocolate 🙂 …. Sunday was glorious. Then on the bus for the ride back 🙂
There are two events coming up here….the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitters Fair…..a one day extravaganza of all things required by the knitter (and crocheter too)…and Woolfest which is a mini Rhinebeck. I think I will satisfy my wander lust closer to home this year.
What about your sleeves? When you’ve tired of flower intarsia, knit a few rows of striped sleeves…..knit them both at the same time…they will match and you’ll be done…no second sleeve syndrome.
You can do it!
Ooooo Things to look forward to closer to home! I will have to look up the dates for K/W Knitters Fair (in a few weeks I think), and then Woolfest, which I’ve never been to. One day……. Rhinebeck!
OH NO THE SLEEVES
I had forgotten about them.
I think the central section looks really good with the slightly less striped bits. And that one unusual petal! Wow.
GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO !!!!
My goodness you are going to do it! It’s fabulous!
You can do this Kay! I know you can do it! Sadly, I won’t be going to Rhinebeck so I won’t be able to see you in this glorious jacket so I’m looking forward to lots of pictures.
Your epic project inspires me to finish, or at least work on, my epic WIPs. So even if you don’t finish in time for Rhinebeck, your labor is contributing to the strength, prosperity, and well being of other knitters. Thank you! Love the progress shots.
You are so clever to pick up the floater yarn from the previous row for that odd stitch or two. Very clever!
Your perseverance is to be admired! keep creating that work of art … you’ll be so proud of it when it is done, and so happy wearing it …. and everyone at Rhinebeck will be able to ID you!
Work smarter not harder Kay! You can do it!
Happy Labour Day! And it appears you are…what a project.
Some heavy duty Shetland Fair Isle happening today, and daffodil planting (it needs to be done early in these parts). So happy for a day off.
That Kaffe, no denying that guy’s genius. I’ll just knit a giant lunar green chenille-y peony on a giant random striped jacket, single stitches in different colours are fine. It will be great.
I’m in the home stretch of a lace baby blanket for the first grandchild, due in October, of a dear friend. It has taken longer than I ever anticipated – as most knitted-on lace edgings do – but this. This. Is an inspiration!! All I can say is WOW!
You go girl!!!
Absolutely beautiful! I am in awe of your knitting speed. You’re able to finish giant, intricate, intimidating projects in time to actually wear them in your lifetime. Bravo!
Kay, that sweater is ta die!! I hope you get it finished for Rhinebeck!!
I think your technique for those single other-color stitches is brilliant! Especially the part about not just saving yourself loads of unnecessary and nit-pickety work, but also stabilizing the garment. Extra Value!
Cheering you on and admiring your enthusiasm and dedication to this project. I think the farthest I could commit at this moment would be to knitting a Mulligan hat.
Kay? That object in the mirror? Is that a T. Rex?
Damn, wish I could be at Rhinebeck to see the sweater in action. I think they should give you a special award.
Just returned from a one week visit to my 78 year old mom, who was supposed to be finished with a slow-progressing baby blanket for her brother’s first grandbaby, but it was only half way done. Of course the baby proceeded to come early, as well. I thought of you and the Big Flower Jacket, and I finished that blanket before I left. You have inspired us all!
I deem your deviation from the pattern an “artistic interpretation” which should not be confused with cheating. Sometimes done is better than perfect, especially if ‘done’ is going to be stunning anyway.
Our first child was born on Labour Day; there were many very bad jokes in that delivery room. Your KF sweater is right up there for a Labour Day project, in my books. I have never finished a KF project but went on to produce three more children, so consider myself ok in the ‘project’ department. PS: my last KF attempt had so many beautiful colours that I arranged the yarn in a basket and used it for decoration, until the Labour Day baby, by then 6 or 7 years old, said there were things flying around the yarn! That project went straight to the freezer in plastic bags, then to Goodwill many months later.
Surely one of the few tasks at least as attention demanding as following a pattern with mixed yarn rows is writing a pattern with mixed yarn rows. Oh, golly – how to resist the urge to just ad lib! All good speed to you.
“compromise with the rigor of the instructions” – so useful in cooking, too!
Labour Day is a celebration of the work ethic here in Canada as well. It is the only holiday we share!
Well besides religious holidays etc. But our countries have different birthdays and so on…
Love what is becoming a historic sweater…a “labour of love”….
I have spent the weekend knitting the tubes of my Stopover while watching US Open tennis. I hope to join it altogether this week for my first ever Icelandic style sweater. I’ll have it at Rhinebeck so I hope it is a cool weekend for all of our sweater’s sake. Go Kay!
Gorgeous! And what a feat! Amazing on evety level.