Logged Off

Four of five years ago, I bought three or four white sweatshirts so I could make new Christmas sweaters to wear to work. At the time, at least one was going to be a new Christmas tree shirt. I'd grown bored with the old ones, one of which is more than 20 years old, and many of the charm ornaments have fallen apart or simply come off the second one.

My granddaughter had fallen in love with the purple one (her favorite color) the first time she saw it, and she asked if I would make one for her. I did. That's when I bought the sweatshirts. I decided it was time to make a new one for me, and maybe I could even sell a couple.

I'm glad I never got them done because not only has my taste changed, but I got a new wild idea when my internet and my computer recently decided they wanted long-term vacations. To say I was frustrated doesn't really cover it.

Sometimes I just like to play with leftover jelly roll strips, with nothing planned. Just sew and see what happens.

I pulled out my scrap boxes (one for each color group, two full of blue) and threw together the ocean-themed log cabin at the top of this post, just to keep my fingers busy while I waited for my slow computer to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 (THREE TIMES!!!). The last thing I need is another WIP, but the stitching was fun and relaxing, and it really did take my mind off technology for a short while. I'm sure I have enough scraps in the other boxes to make at least five more log cabins each in a single color, and maybe I could use the assembled blocks as backing for an existing WIP. I tried not to feel guilty for starting something new.

The all-blue log cabin gave me a great idea. It ties in perfectly with unexpectedly having to have my house rewired for wireless and then losing access to programs such as Photoshop (the most important program on my computer) because my computer is so old. I decided to dig out one of those old but new sweatshirts and quilt-as-I-go a snowflake log cabin onto the front, then figure out a way to incorporate text on one of the sleeves. I'm going to write, either with more blue snowflake scraps or with fabric markers (already in my stash, so no new purchases required!!!), "Logged Out." Because I am!!! I am so done with computer problems!!!

So, not entirely done yet, and not straight, but then again, I was feeling off-kilter for the last couple of technology nightmare weeks, and maybe being crooked better reflects the way I felt when I put the front of this shirt together. I eyeballed the placement after realizing for the first time the old new sweatshirts did not have side seams, which I had planned to rip out and then redo after quilting my designs onto the flattened shirt. The sleeves DO have seams, so I haven't decided yet whether I should cut them open to make log cabin alphabet quilting easier or to just freehand draw log-shaped letters with my markers. It would be fun to use up more scraps, but that also might take me longer than the 46 or so days remaining until Christmas, and I do want to wear this sweatshirt this Christmas season. I may be practicing my extremely rusty calligraphy skills in the next couple of days! And perhaps I will have yet another WIP finish for Devoted Quilter's 100-day WIP challenge.

Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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Aerial Unwind — Times Two

I was within two rows of the knitted rib of my second Ravellenic sock Friday night when I realized I'd made a booboo. I had to unravel all but eight rows. (Can you hear me wail?) This yarn is SO difficult to work with and almost impossible to unravel. I tried to humor myself by imagining buying another skein of yarn just so I wouldn't have to fight the stupid knots anymore!

It took two hours to unravel this thing!

I was so discouraged. I thought this would mean the end of two of the Ravellenic projects I'd hoped to complete this week. I thought I was doomed to finishing just the sock, nothing else, and with yarn I'm beginning to fondly hate.

So I got online to look at some of the projects my fellow Ravelers are doing. What could be better for a sour mood than cheering on fellow Ravelathletes? I discovered an awesome event called Aerial Unwind. You unravel something that's been around way too long, and use the yarn for something useful.

Yes, I'd just spent a good portion of time unraveling, and I wasn't looking forward to another session anytime soon. But the first thing that came to my mind was a project I began for the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. Way before Ravelry existed.

I was so infatuated with the Salt Lake logos (snowflakes, of course), I wanted to design a sweater based on the jackets issued to the volunteers. (I have the coat, but I did not volunteer, unfortunately.) I picked out the perfect yarn. I cast on. I knit during my public transportation commutes every day I could. But I did not finish.

A series of tragic events led me to stash the project in the deepest, darkest recesses of my storage bins. The painful memories I associated with this sweater were more than I could bear. I didn't ever want to see the sweater again.

After learning about the Aerial Unwind, I decided it's high time I make use of that yarn. I went to the basement and dug it out.

Then another dilemma erupted. I remembered working on the front and back of the sweater. I did not remember actually finishing both sleeve. This sweater was about two hours from being complete. If I could just stomach working on it that long.

Could I really unravel it?

It took me a few minutes of staring at it, alone, in the dimly lit basement, to realize the memories were all still there, and they were not something I wanted to revisit. I'm happy now. I'm alive. And I want it to stay that way.

So the unraveling began. Funny, it took as long to unravel and wind the mess into balls as it would have taken to finish the shoulders and neckline. But I would not have been able to wear the sweater, as cute as the design would have been.

After photographing the evidence of my unwinding, I searched the internet for a flaphat pattern. I couldn't find anything even close to what I could see in my head. So while it snowed Sunday morning, I picked up a crochet hook and just started stitching, trying out the cap on my own head as I went to make sure it would fit.

I went to choir practice. I went to church. And then I came home and finished the hat. My dear, sweet Lizard held the yarn for me as I braided. Initially I thought I'd embellish the earflaps with snowflakes (made of the white yarn, of course), but after I finished attaching the braids, I decided this hat doesn't need anything more. It's perfect just the way it is.

I have enough yarn left to make at least four more hats. I hope to make another one in the reverse color pattern. I also hope to knit one. But not until after the Ravellenics. I've got more stuff on the back burner. Including that stubborn sock...

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