“‘If you’re not in Gryffindor, we’ll disinherit you,’ said Ron,”

“But no pressure.”

When I haven’t been knitting mittens, I have managed to find time to knit other things. And other mittens. Ahem.

So my studious Ravenclaw friend will get these snuggly blue mittens:

Yes it’s an owl rather than a raven, but I honestly don’t care.

And my adventurous Gryffindor friend will get this:

It’s a bookmark. It is a bit thick, as I used Aran wool and because I knit it flat and seamed (as I really hate magic loop and DPNs) but I figure that’s okay as Gryffindors aren’t known for their copious reading!

Hahahahaha!

I can say that as I’m a Ravenclaw.


Ravenclaws rule.



*Quote from J.K. Rowling

“Even damnation…”

“…is poisoned with rainbows”

You might be aware that it’s Christmas very soon. You will have planned who you want to buy presents for, how much you want to spend, and thought about what you might get them. Actually, by this point you’ve undoubtedly bought the presents and wrapped them.

Some of you may have remained blissfully unaware of the slow approach of Christmas and left all your gift planning, buying and wrapping to the last minute. This was unwise.

Wherever you are on the Christmas planning spectrum, please heed my advice – don’t decide to give several friends knitted items only a week before you see them. You will not want to knit the same pair of mittens again and again, every day for two weeks. You will not like feeling unable to take day off from knitting knowing the deadline is looming over you in an ominously jolly way.

It was rather worth it though:

The worst part is that you’ll like the mittens so much you will want a pair of your own, but won’t be able to facing YET ANOTHER pair!


*Quote from Leonard Cohen

“Wise man looking in a blade of grass…”

“…Young man looking in the shadows that pass.”

As you know I’ve finished quite a few little bits and pieces for various babies over the past couple of months. Now not all of those things have been given (two are waiting for December birthdays) but the majority have. And the responses I have received in return have been…mixed.

Now I realise this is a bit of a touchy subject. One gives gifts freely, with no expectations on the recipient and no strings attached. I believe this, I honestly do. If someone didn’t like something I had given – even if I made it – I would hope they could quietly re-gift, recycle or (in a pinch) chuck whatever it was. I don’t want to foist unwanted goods onto people and guilt them into keeping them. It really is the thought that counts.

HOWEVER

When someone has spent a considerable number of hours crafting a present for someone, picking the right pattern, the right yarn, the right colours, then painstakingly hand knitting the piece, customising it to fit body shapes and personalities…well…it feels thoroughly rotten to never hear back about it.
To be fair, I am being overly sensitive. I have technically received thanks for all gifts.

HOWEVER

Some thanks were… belated. And some have been more effusive than others.

I really don’t want to be someone that expects grovelling thanks in return for knitted items, but it would be nice if my efforts (read, considerable efforts) were acknowledged. I suppose it’s about respect rather than reverence.

I think the crux of my problem is that some people on my recipient list do not understand the effort and time and love that is involved in hand knitting clothes - even baby clothes. And so they don’t place any value on those items. This breaks my heart a little.

I don’t want to stop knitting for those people. I love those people, this is a way I express that love. But maybe I should lower my expectation levels and knit for them less.

Some people in receipt of my hand knits have used them in gorgeous arty Instagram posts, or have said it’s their favourite outfit for their child. I know it probably doesn’t count, but CB wears his knits to bits!

That is the greatest compliment; use. But when in doubt, thanks and picture of the item in use never goes amiss. 

*Quote from Bob Dylan

"If you're going to try, go all the way…”

“…Otherwise, don't even start."

Oh Philly Fans. You find me in a knitting funk. The worst kind of funk. Worse than reading funks. I don’t know why, it just is. Probably because it’s what I’m currently feeling.

I decided that I would use up some of my stash before buying lovely new yarn for lovely new things. And foolishly I began with the wool I most dislike.

This stuff:

It is nylon. It is a stupid pastel that doesn’t lend itself to anything apart from really girly things (and I don’t know anyone really girly). It is quite thin, so you have to do more stitches and knit with it for longer to actually produce anything of any size. Plus it feels yucky in my hands when I work with it.

“Throw it away then!” I hear you say.

Well I can’t. I’m too reticent to throw anything away that could still be useful. And it’s wool, of course it’s useful!

So I don’t want to knit with it, but I have to use it up before I can knit things I actually want to. Hence the funk.

Maybe I should have started by using up some of the nicer wool. Well maybe I should have, but I’m a couple of inches into a stranded chequerboard pattern (which will eventually become a horrific Battenberg hot water bottle cover) and I don’t want to frog it.

Will I even use this when I’m done? Probably but I doubt I’ll like it.

This is a feat of endurance. I might take breaks and knit some other things in between, but I feel like I have to complete this. Just to prove I can. I told myself I would so I will.

Except…I still don’t want to. And so it just sits there and makes me feel bad for procrastinating.

Sigh! What a lot of fuss over nothing.

*Quote from Charles Bukowski

“So comes snow after fire…”

“…and even dragons have their endings.” 

I mean he’s no Smaug, but my dragon is finished:

This is Griff the Dragon (Ravelry link to pattern here) by Amanda Berry. Admittedly her version looks cuter and less…creepy than mine, but at least he is recognisably a dragon.

I’m not sure why mine looks so dodgy. I (mostly) used the recommended yarn (Hayfield Bonus DK) in the recommended shades (Green and Light Green – very imaginative names). I did deviate with the white as you need so little of it and I have a couple of balls of cheap acrylic lying around. But that can’t be the only reason. I guess I’m not great at the finessing and finishing, but honestly I tried really hard on this!

At least he’s not a weird little worm anymore:

I really like Amanda Berry’s patterns. She writes them out line by line, which makes for a really long pack of instructions, but is pretty foolproof. I was sensible enough to read them through before beginning this time, and as her short rows are different to those of my Carnaby skirt (blogged about here) as you don’t wrap and turn, you just turn. The short rows are on the toes and fingers, and you sew up the other side anyway so I guess it doesn’t need to be wrapped.

I’m not sure what to do with him now. There are a few babies in my life he could go to, but I don’t know if he’s nice enough to be a present. Poor thing. But I really don’t need another toy in my home. I never could bring myself to give Parsnip away so he’s still with us!

If anyone knows of anyone who needs a creepy yet well-meaning dragon, please let me know.

*Quote from J.R.R. Tolkien