this week, I’m knitting a sweater completely out of order
Each Wednesday, I post little snippets about what’s happening, and what I’m working on.
This week I focused my knitting time on my super simple raglan pullover. And what should have been a straightforward sweater, turned into a not-so-straightforward project.
Because, I’m knitting this thing completely out of order.
I started at the neck, planning a basic top down raglan sweater.
I knit the neckline, the yoke, the waist decreases and got to the waist.
Then I tried it on, and hated how the neckline looked.
So I put the sweater on hold until I decided what to do.
Eventually, I decided to cut the entire yoke off.
So I cut off the yoke, and wound that yarn back into a ball.
I put those stitches on waste yarn, and worked through the hip increases.
The body was done. (Maybe. I might decide it’s not actually done.)
Then I put the body of the sweater, (without it’s yoke), aside.
Using a provisional cast on, I cast on for the bicep circumference of the first sleeve, and knit three inches. Then I did the same for the second sleeve.
I put the lives stitches for both sleeve stumps on extra circular needles,
then picked out both provisional cast ons and put those on 2 more needles.
I picked the torso of the sweater back up,
removed the waste yarn that I inserted after cutting off the yoke,
slipped the underarm stitches onto (yet more) waste yarn,
and knit the sleeves to the sweater body.
Now I’m knitting the yoke. Again.
Then the plan is to knit the rest of the sleeves, and maybe add length to the body.
Because why should a straightforward sweater be straightforward.
Finding Colors that Sing
Finding colors that sing.
Many color combinations work well together.
They’re beautiful, and full, and play off of each other.
Coexisting to make the world a more beautiful place.
Some color combinations sing.
They hum, and vibrate, and resonate.
They wibble, and warble, and trill.
They make your eyes light up and dance.
These are the combinations that are kinda-weird, but totally amazing.
Unexpected.
In the best possible way.
The combinations that transcend “that works.”
The combinations that wander into “that’s amazing” territory.
And set up camp.
What if, we take two steps past “it works?”
Two steps towards finding colors that sing.
some thoughts on selfies and self portraits
People have been turning the camera on themselves since the 1800s (Robert Cornelius took possibly the first photographic self-portrait in 1838).
And before that, there were self portraits made of charcoal and oil paints.
Selfies and self portraits certainly aren’t new.
I don’t know what the definitive difference between the two is.
(I don’t think anyone knows.)
And there’s certainly a lot of middle ground between, a selfie taken in the bathroom mirror, and a self portrait of/by Frida Kahlo.
But here are some off-the-cuff thoughts from someone who is
a) terrified to cameras & having her picture taken,
b) has taken a picture of herself every day for 45 days and plans to continue for another 320 days,
and c) still can’t decide if she’s taking selfies or self portraits.
Thought 1: A selfie says “look at me, look at what I’m doing/where I am/who I’m with.” A self portrait says “this is who I am.”
Thought 2: A selfie is a picture designed for other people to see. No one takes a selfie for themselves. A self portrait is you creating an image of yourself for yourself. The process of creating the image is part of the point.
Thought 3: A selfie tries to erase or minimize “flaws.” Some self portraits try to minimize or erase flaws, but some don’t, and some embrace them.
Thought 4: A selfie is disposable, it gains no depth from a second viewing. A self portrait (at least a good one) has layers that can be explored and uncovered, through multiple viewings.
Thought 5: You “take” selfies. You “create” self portraits.
But can a selfie become a self portrait?
And when is a self portrait really a selfie?
