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Sunday, July 23, 2017

Make haste slowly


In my childhood I distilled that often heard phrase to being deliberate in jobs that parents thought could be done quickly and efficiently. Walking home from school, for example. Stopping to look, play, visit could be fit in easily. Finishing reading, another one. What’s one more chapter.

My sock yarn, scrappy sweater has been on display a couple of times. It is now the epitome of slow haste. Haste in that I once was a speedy knitter. Even when my interest diminished, my fingers remembered, and I could always turn out a pair of socks for someone for Christmas.



Before the brain whack last spring, the sweater was finished, except one sleeve. However, when I showed it off to my knitting group, last meeting before I took granddaughters to DC, I was very unhappy with the ribbing I’d used to finish the neck, bottom and one sleeve. I used a double strand there, too, and it was just too bulky. The “haste” of making haste slowly.

At that meeting I said the ribbing needed done in a single strand, and I occupied myself unraveling the cuff and picking up the working row. But, worse luck, I dropped several stitches at the beginning of knitting, on size 3 needles. Too small and obscure to pick up in the dim light of the restaurant. “Well ladies,” I announced, “I need to go home and find these stitches under good light. See you in two weeks.” I haven't seen them since.



I picked up the sweater, and the stitches, a month ago. Home and Garden TV must be my background entertainment, and the reruns are getting old. Drew and Jonathon are still OK, and so are Chip and Joanna. Tiny homes is still new to me (like I don’t live in a tiny home!), and most of the ribbing has been replaced.

After Laura was roused from bed to model the sweater, I took the last sleeve stitches off the string and put it on a circular needle. I still need to redo the neck, but there is a hope before this winter of someone wearing the sweater.



I know some of you knit this raglan sleeve pullover. Until this sweater, I knit the sleeves when I reached that point in the sweater. I didn’t know what I would do for sleeves on this sweater, and certainly don’t have stitch holders that might work, so I pioneered and found the turkey string to hold the stitches.

Last fall, I think, I was talking sweaters with Ruth, my daughter’s mother-in-law. Ruth gave me some red wool, partially knit into a sweater. Beautiful red red. Serendipity came with it; I looked at a site that has hundreds and hundreds of old patterns. Not cataloged, just a link. Periodically I open a few more links, in my search for an old pullover pattern, with short row shaping. With the red yarn in sight, it was my first hit. I printed it and will make it next.

35 comments:

  1. Beautiful sweater. I love how the colors blend from one to the next.

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  2. Hari om
    Despite recent challenges, the creative thrives! This is gorgeous and am sure the red will be also. Good hand-eye coord/therapy. No haste req'd. YAM xx

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  3. It is beautiful Joanne, you of the golden thimble. I did knit long ago, but can't remember how to now. I made hats and a sweater, but never gloves or socks. I think your brain is great.

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    1. When we closed down housekeeping, my sister took my thimble collection, which was ok; I don't know what I would do with it. But, I wonder if she knows which one was our grandmother's, and which one our great grandmother's, that thumped our mom's head when her quilting stitches were too long. I wonder if I remember.

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  4. What a lovely outcome regardless, well done. Warm greetings!

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  5. Knitting is excellent exercise for both eye-hand and mental coordination.

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  6. It looks lovely. Really, really lovely. And would have defeated my brain, my eyes and my hands.

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  7. Love the colors of it, your brain must be working well to have done this. I can crochet, but my brain balks at the idea of two needles.

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  8. i admire this and you, Joanne. And your lovely grandchildren. I wish I had your strength to carry on. Your life is one for us all to emulate.
    Cheers,
    Mike

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  9. oh my word I love the colors of this sweater and I actually like the double strand at the collar and elsewhere because it actually frames the detail and work of the rest of the garment

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    1. The ribbing is one strand of green now. The double strand folded back on the body; I couldn't make it lie flat. Strange. I must redo the collar because I drew it up too much; it should be wider. I'll do it single, too, because I double over the collars and tack them down. It's almost like making it up as I go.

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  10. The sweater is looking very good!

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  11. You have done a great job, Joanne. It's going to be beautiful.

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  12. Don't know spit about knitting, but that is a very nice sweater, and I love the phrase, "Make haste slowly!?"

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  13. I like it, and I like the idea of making something so beautiful from "scraps" of yarn. I have a small afghan given to me by my aunt, made with a row of this colour and a row of that colour; it has personality along with warmth. Nothing wrong with your creative brain, that's for sure.

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  14. My goodness Joanne, I think we all have a project like that in our knitting bag somewhere! I have a couple of similar sweaters in various stages of completion. These darn grandchildren keep growing out of them before I get them finished though!

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    1. Years ago I resolved to start no new sweater while an old sweater languished. But, that never stopped me from spinning yarn or collecting patterns, so I guess it's all the same.

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  15. You're keeping yourself busy and productive. I don't know how you do it.

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  16. I admire your persistence in sticking with it.

    betty

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  17. It's looking very nice, I do hope it is soon finished and keeping someone warm. I really do admire your tenacity and determination.
    I don't knit anything at all now, not even scarfs (scarves?), I get a few rows done and my eyes begin to hurt just above the brows, so I stop and pick it up later. I finished a scarf three years ago and that was the end of it. I gave away all left over yarn and an unfinished jumper with the pattern, needles and yarn to finish it.

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  18. Hi Joanne...I am so happy to discover your blog, and that we live in the same general. I live in Portage co. Deerfield to be exact and have visited your beautiful area. So long ago I knitted a shawl in the popcorn stitch to wear to an event at E.J. Thomas hall when they first opened. So very concerned to look like I belonged only to find out they were wearing jeans! I do love your blog and am having fun reading your archive.

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    1. Great story, Carol. Welcome aboard. We're from all over the country and the world, here.

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  19. I know nothing about knitting so I imagine I understand about as much as you understand when I talk shop. that's a gorgeous sweater though and I would wear it if it ever got cold enough down here to wear a sweater like that.

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  20. I love the colors. Laura looks happy and i love that too.

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  21. I always knit raglan sleeved sweaters for my great grandchild - it makes sure that they are easy to put on.

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  22. I love the sweater. Perhaps Laura would like to wear it when winter arrives.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. She picked the colors and is waiting for it to be done.

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  23. I tried to follow along but it doesn't matter. It was nice to see the main focus on knitting sweaters and not injury related stuff. I assume it is a good sign.

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  24. I've never learn to knit and such pretty color...Coffee is on

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  25. I know nothing about knitting so I imagine I understand about as much as you understand when I talk shop. that's a gorgeous sweater though and I would wear it if it ever got cold enough down here to wear a sweater like that.

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  26. I love watching people's hands as they knit. I have tried, but I just can't get the rhythm for it.

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  27. I don't knit at all, but do admire your effort and accomplishments.

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  28. Make haste slowly definition. The quickest way to accomplish something is to proceed deliberately.
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