Thursday, July 20, 2006

of Brioche stitch and the love of knitting

I bought a skein of Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool last week. I was not strong, I have wanted it for years, but always resisted. I should have bought it last year when it was cheaper! The skein is huge, 227 gm! It wants to be a Brioche stitch poncho for my SIL for a holiday gift. Brioche stitch instructions are easy. I CO and gleefully knit 108 stitches for about 3 inches when it was apparent the Brioche stitch I was knitting wasn't going to have that lovely rib. What did I do wrong? Should I stick with my created stitch or visit the frog (rippit, rippit) pond? Late in the evening, I ripped. I CO for test swatches, varying the slipped stitch, purlwise, knitwise, varied the decrease, K2togTBL, K2tog. Nothing produced the beautiful stitch. I am back to the needles today, though I have the Take-off on Tempting 2 still on the needles, a pair of socks that I'm on the leg portion of (toe up) and even CO for a lacy scarf yesterday, but this stitch if luring me like those sailors who shouldn't listen to the sirens, but do.
While searching for a knitting video (it's probably because I knit left-handed that this stitch isn't working, maybe I should switch the instructions? I'm desperate) I found this lovely piece of prose.

Companionable knitting work! When gayer friends depart
Thou hold’st thy busy station even very near my heart;
And when no social living tones to sympathy appeal,
I hear a gentle accent from thy softly clashing steel
My knitting work! My knitting work! Thou interruptest not
My reveries and pleasant thoughts, forgetting and forgot!
I take thee up, and lay thee down and use thee as I may,
And not a contradicting word thy burnish’d lips will say.
- Southern Rose, February 3, 1838

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