Posted on by Cathy

🧶Stranded…..

I am now officially finished with knitting for ‘friends’!
I should’ve known better but this one wanted to give her grandson something to wear this winter that was entirely different to anything else he had.
To begin with she wanted a fair isle jumper – as In the whole of the garment completely covered in bands of colour.
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It’ll be too busy for a two year old I said, too heavy as well. It’s almost like two layers of knitting and where we live our winters don’t warrant that, also his mother won’t thank you when it comes to washing/drying.
Maybe something simpler like half and half would be be the thing – plain sleeves with front and back having small bands of stranded patterns below the armholes. He’ll have ease of movement at the top as well as interest at the bottom.

This is what she chose from my pile of patterns – ‘love the red, he’ll look good in that’.
‘ It doesn’t have to be red’ I said.
She dropped off a bag of red 8ply (acrylic mill ends manufacturer unknown) a couple of days later!.
That was much earlier in the year.

It was returned – unworn – three weeks ago.
‘My daughter doesn’t like it, it’s too bright. She says to put it in your charity box’

I don’t mind too much, someone will benefit from it and I definitely enjoyed knitting it (even if the wool was a bit rough in texture). Making it gave me the idea on how to use up some of the left overs as well as looking at a different way to reduce the large amount of yarn I have waiting to be used …..the supply of knitting material I have gathered.

So the idea at the moment is – I want to make more of these –
What do I have I can use?
Original Sirdar pattern for sizing – library and online resources for band (peeries) patterns. Various colours for the body plus white/cream for contrast.

Never one to let an idea pass here’s the nearly finished back of my next one

And….I have enough cream to use as a contrast with this denim blue as well the tweedy brown. And….look what I found on the library shelf

The very easy guide to Fair Isle Knitting – Lynne Watterson

It’s all out there just waiting to be discovered!.
(As was the last of this year’s Roses and the first Camellia)

Thank heavens for plain knitting The Golfer said when I reached the end of the last pattern row. I was driving him batty with my mutterings of 1 2 3 – 1
as I counted the colours along the rows

Just wait until he finds out I have more in mind 🧶😊
*****

Joining in with Kat and others at Unraveled Wednesday 
Lots of knitting and reading and general chit chat going on
Why don’t you pop over – you never know who you might see there

31 Replies to “🧶Stranded…..”

    1. There wasn’t much I could do about it – it hadn’t cost me anything and the time spent making the little jumper would have been taken no matter who the recipient was. I’d have been ropeable If I wasn’t involved with the charity though and had to find some other way to ‘rehome’ it

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      1. Well that does make a difference, having a preferred charity lined up. And I suppose makes more sense of why someone would hand it back to you, knowing that you had a good way of passing it along.

        ‘Ropable’ is a new one to me, very descriptive!

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  6. 1. Your friend is a fool not to have bought decent yarn from a yarn shop.
    2. Your friend’s daughter is a spoiled, snotty brat who should have thanked you for your time and courtesy in making a sweater for her daughter and put it on her.
    3. Your knitting expertise is beyond question; your generosity in making this for a friend’s daughter is past generous.
    4. Your “charity box” will benefit by what you have learned from this sweater.
    5. Keep on knitting, as long as you can. Your work is beautiful, even given sub standard yarn to work with.

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    1. lol Joanne, I might of thought ‘some’ of your points (inwardly – silently) 😊
      And yes, I’ll keep on keeping on to the best of my ability.

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  8. Honestly? A friend? She should have just said a big thanks to you and put it in the charity box herself. She has obviously no idea of knitting or knitted garments.
    Personally I love the red and the colour work on the jersey and the hats. You ve scored again!

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    1. I didn’t realise it was going to be a surprise for mother as well as child. I need to relearn the way to say No and mean it – I definitely let my guard down when she suggested it

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    1. Haha it’s been a while since I sat pondering over a piece of Aida cloth. There are several unfinished pieces that have been languishing in a bag for far too long so methinks I need to find my bright light and stronger glasses and finish them. Thanks for the reminder!

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  11. F has discovered that most FairIsle is clever use of two colours at a time and narrow stripes. She finally realized that because she knits both stitch throwing and stitch picking that she can knit fair isle with a colour on each hand and it has revolutionized her approach to that style. Much quicker and easier. That sample at the top is truly magnificent. The red jumper is an absolute delight – what is wrong with people these days, accept the gift with a generosity to match the spirit with which it was given. We saw some labels the other day to put in handknits which reminded the recipient how much hard work and devotion had gone into making it, and htey had better appreciate it. You need some of those.

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    1. I agree on the richness of the sample, the various colours play a big part also the look and feel of the wool/yarn used.
      I was happy to direct and pleased my thoughts were well received by the grandmother but a little vexed when it was returned. Still you can’t please them all – I think my ‘friend’ came out worst in the emotional stakes where this was concerned.

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    1. It does have a bright cheerful northern hemisphere christmassy look doesn’t it Charlotte. Christmas in July functions (during our winter) would be a great time for it to be worn.
      I’m sure the charity will find a home for it.

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  13. You have such a good heart. Good grief – to ask for a hand knitted item and then return it seems like bad manners. It’s a darling sweater and someone will love it. I like the contrasts between the bright colors and the cream. They are perfect for a little one.

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    1. Thank you Jane. My friend was having to deal with her daughter’s actions as well as confront me when she made the return. Even though I am able to ‘pass it on’ I wonder if it would have been better if they’d regifted it to someone else….I wouldn’t have known about it but then I wouldn’t have had my follow up idea.

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  14. I worry about a mother who thinks red is too bright for her little boy. I hope she doesn’t continue to try to dampen the exuberance that any two year old is supposed to have. My daughter loved her rainbow sweater and bright red head to pieces(literally.)

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    1. There’s none so daft as folks…or so the old saying goes.
      Now you’ve made a good point there Elizabeth. There needs to be a study made into if the colour (not the brand..that’s a whole different kettle of fish) of children’s clothing affects their behaviour or outlook on life. This little one is just two but it could be true for older children.

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    1. Yes, some mothers do have them Cathy.
      I think the grandmother was a little embarrassed at having to return the jumper- no mention of her daughter apart from ‘she felt it was too bright’. Unfortunately it was the grandmother who chose the colour!

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