Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Everything Zen


Remember how I was going to work on something really easy after finishing my Disasterous July sweaters? Remember how, in a fit of rage and disgust, I decided to knit something made entirely of stockinette? And it was going to be Coachella? And it was going to take me approximately four days? Yeah, so that didn't work out too well. There's nothing to show for it, because I frogged it. Too slippery, too open, too much of my back showing. I'd wanted to have at least one top done this summer, one little top that I could wear proudly while exclaiming, "I made this!" That dream was fading fast.

"Hey, I remember the last little summer top I made, and it was pretty easy! I could make another one of those. I've even got the recommended yarn for it!"

Look what I've gotten myself into now. What I hadn't accounted for was the differences between yarns. The first one I made was knit in a wool/silk blend. This yarn, Berroco Zen, is not so smooth and luxurious on the hands. It is horrible to work with. I'm lucky to get one cable repeat done every two days, because I get tired from working with it and give up. I don't mean that I get bored or frustrated. My hands literally lose strength after seven or eight rounds, and I have to put the project down. Maybe it'll get easier after the separation for the front and back. I'm halfway there.

It's going to be pretty when it's done, which is the only reason that I keep working on it. I'm trying to get it done by Saturday, the last day of summer.

4 comments:

knottygnome said...

ooh, those are pretty colors.

i too fell for the zen. i made knitty's x-back which stretched out and looked horrible. i was thinking about ripping it out and making the skirt from knitting nature that calls for it. if i ever get the motivation, that is.

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

if it's any consolation it's very pretty :)

Penny Karma, aka the F-Bomb Mom said...

Is it tough to cable with a ribbon yarn? I've never tried that. It looks cool.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I've ever used any of Berroco's yarns. I think some of them are beautiful, though. This looks luscious, but from your closeup pic it does look like it'd be tiring to work with. Yarns that don't give much are a bitch.