Friday, April 9, 2010

The Illusive FO

FO's are very rare creatures in this part of the knitosphere. They can be quite illusive and may be difficult to spot. This particular specimen is quite intriguing, as it took a ridiculous amount of time to emerge from it's natural habitat (the knitting bag). Some in this region even speculated that it had curled up and died inside its bag, but, alas, it has emerged!

Moving very cautiously, my team and I were able to get close enough to actually take a photo of this rare find.




















You can see how the stripes on this magnificent creature do not match bilaterally. This asymmetrical display may be related to some mating ritual, although we cannot be certain without further study.

Here are some additional observations we were able to make:

Name: Granville Mitts (So named for Granville Island, Vancouver, British Columbia - where the wool was originally found)
Pattern: Kid Merino Fingerless Gloves by Cathy Campbell

Yarn: Maiwa (hand spun)
Needles: 1.5 DPN
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I'm pretty happy with the way these turned out. The stripes are meant to be random and mismatched. I am quite certain they will improve my performance at work next winter (since it is very difficult to play a guitar with fingers that are frozen stiff!) The only problem I have to solve is the scratchiness. Yes, it's wool, and sometimes wool is scratchy. But, ya'll, I have to tell you these things could be used as a means of torture at Guantanamo. It's like wearing a hair shirt from the middle ages. It's like wearing a pair of porcupines... inside out! I'm thinking a good washing & a dip in some Soak might help. If that doesn't work I will attempt to line them with some soft, stretchy fabric.

I am so happy to finally have these off the needles! I finished them just in time for 80 degree temps! I started them in December... just before I lost my knitting mojo. Well, it was partly a missing mojo, and partly because the Bible in 90 Days started January 1. The challenge involves a lot of reading, which meant cutting back on a few other activities... activities like reading other books, watching TV, knitting and showering. (I'm kidding about that last one!) Despite giving up so many other activities, I am actually on day 97, and I'm still in the book of Mark. But I'm still trucking along.

And, since the reading is so much quicker and easier now, I went ahead and cast on for a baby knit. (No, I'm not having a baby.) It's for a friend who is expecting her first. I'll post some pictures of it soon.