Here we craft again

My friend Vanessa and I were in Montreal for a conference in early December 2023 and wondered around a craft Christmas market on one evening. Of course someone was selling hats and she tried a few on, but didn't purchase, potentially helped by my assurance that I will make her one. So here we are, October of 2024 and I am determined to finish her hat for Christmas.  Vanessa has a fantastic sense of style. She has a knack for finding these vintage outfits that are classy and fashionable but also fun and eye-catching. I figured black yarn with sparkly thread would be just the thing.  I wanted a pattern with texture, so I searched for cables and settled on  Norway Pine Hat . I got two different types of black sparkly yarn, and having thrown out the labels, it is now mystery yarn. I know I case on some number, knit a bit, decided it was too big and re-cast on 88 stitches. This seemed the right size so I went through it all. I finished, I talked myself into believing it wasn't...

Banana socks . I always figure they will be the first footwear I'd ever try. Amanda mentioned she would love some comfy socks, yellow is her favourite and I had just the yarn for the job -- yellow banana socks, what more can you ask for.  The yarn I had was fingering, so I coupled it with a cream fingering yarn for the DK-ish weight. I took my 2.5mm flexi needles and figured I'll see later if I like the knit density. I cast on 48 stitches, joined in the round and did 12 rows of 2 by 2 ribbing. Then the pattern splits into two parts (you continue in the round): on half the stitches you do horizontal knit-purls stripes and on the other half the stitches you do vertical ribbing for the back of the sock.  Since I had 48 stitches total, each half would be 24 and I faced one small issue. For my 2 by 2 back-ribbing, being 24 it meant that starting with a column of 2 knits, I'd end with a column of 2 purls and I wasn't a fan of this asymmetry. So I figured I will do 3 knits, (2...

We do crafts for the process, not the end result. The end result matters (if for no other reason than the testament to your efforts), but it's the journey that is enjoyable, educational, frustrating.   I'm pretty crafty. I do knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, sewing, watercolours, I've done embroidery and macrame. I've done things I don't remember anymore. Some crafts (like fiber-related ones) are clearly stuck with me for good, while others are a more transitory adventure. I first learned to knit as a kid. Both my grandmothers were fantastic knitters and I learned to knit before I knew it was hard. Then I haven't touched knitting for years. But apparently it's like riding a bike. When I picked up knitting again in my 20s, I knew how to do basic stitches and I didn't have issues learning more complicated ones or learning new techniques. What I mildly resent though is the categorical decisiveness of the patterns and their ultimate precision. It seems I ...