Sunday, October 27, 2013

Yes, Susanne Can Knit

This has been one of those weekends when I did close to absolutely nothing. If anyone asked me what I got accomplished I would have to say, "Not much." Saturday was sunny but cold and windy. There is plenty to do outside but I didn't feel like being out there in the cold. I did go over to Fremont and visited with a friend. Before I went there I made a few errand stops and then picked up a couple of Subway subs, my lunch treat for her and me. We ate, chatted and then played a couple hands of cards. She was going later that afternoon to her grandson's birthday party. When I left I did a bit of shopping. I am filling a couple of shoebox gifts for children's Christmas charity and needed to get a few more things to complete my boxes. After that I headed home. I spent the rest of my evening doing a marathon watching of the program Law & Order which I had DVR'd. I love the characters in that show, I hate when they switch around Benson and Stabler. I worked on a new project, nothing much to show you yet, but it is crochet, a baby blanket and done in a pink bobble stitch. I have all the bobble squares made (18) but debating how I can change this pattern up to make it different. I am only doing this because my Fremont friend wants me to make her another one like I did for her a couple of years ago. I get easily bored doing the same pattern over and over, so, hopefully, she will like what I do, that is, if I ever can decide what that will be. She also surprised me with wanting a matching sweater and bonnet....well, well, this blanket doesn't have a matching sweater set, so once again I am left to my own devices.

In the meantime, I won't make you wait for a new post. I am still working on my closets on and off, cleaning and organizing, yes, I'm still doing that, on and off. In my quest to get things organized I ran across this sweater I knitted years ago......


I recall purchasing the yarn from my friend Jean's Yarn Shop and tucking it away in a box. It was on sale and I had no plans for it.


Then one day I ran across a pattern that I thought was pretty and charged ahead with knitting needles in hand. I had finally found a pattern for my red yarn. Now the yarn is like a cotton blend, I believe it was a Patton yarn. Now mind you, I have always professed to be a better crocheter than knitter, but I did learn to knit before I learned to crochet. People can tell I guess because I hold my crochet hook like a knitting needle.


I was leery of doing anything with a lacy pattern. I kept my knitting dictionaries close at hand so I could figure out the stitches. I pretty much sucked at knitting.


Only a novice knitter would know the absolute joy I felt when the lacy pattern took shape and it really looked like something. Hey, I could do this after all! Happy, happy, joy, joy,! I can knit a sweater, and it actually looks like a sweater too, how about that! Yes, I was being a bit smug back then.


And to boot, I am a continental knitter. Once I got my needles clicking and the sweater growing I realized it was going to have to be sewn together......ugh!


But, persistence and determination got me through it. I was hell-bent to do this thing. I wanted to be able to tell people I made this myself. The sad thing is I have never worn it, and you ask why, well I'm too fat to wear it, so until the day comes when I can get into it, my dress form Ella will have to enjoy wearing it. Now isn't that just down right pitiful.


I didn't stop there. I made my hubby a sweater vest too. I believe he wore it once. He claimed he was burning up in it, it was just too darn hot. Well, imagine that, a sweater that will actually keep ya warm. Now who would have thought, lol.


And that is the tale of my 2 attempts at knitting a wearable piece of adult clothing. Since then I have knitted dish cloths and doll sweaters, a few baby toys and that is about the extent of it. I would rather crochet. My main reason for that is because it is a control thing, there is 1 hook and 1 stitch compared to knitting where there is 2, 3 or 4 needles and a whole ton of stitches to pray you don't drop.



And so I leave you with a picture of my German maternal Grandfather Bruno and Grandmother Ella. The baby in the photo is my mother Rose Marie. The picture is actually a postcard. They did photos like that back in the early 30's. My grandfather died in a concentration camp in Russia. He was not Jewish but a German businessman, they owned a restaurant and at another time a grocery store. My grandmother died back in the 80's when I was in nursing school. She passed away in Idaho. I named my dress form Ella, after her because when my grandmother was a young married woman she had all her dresses made by a seamstress. She was a knitter and did embroidery. I do have a photo of her embroidering a table cloth when she was quite elderly. This picture would look better had I taken it out of the frame, there is a glare. They were good, hard-working people, well liked. I never knew my grandfather. My mother was a young teenager when the Russians came and took her father. I was fortunate to know my grandmother, but not as well as I would have wanted to. I only saw her about 4 times in my adult lifetime ♥

8 comments:

  1. Look at you and your fantastic knitting! that red sweater is so beautiful and a nice lace pattern too. Love the picture of your family, so sad he dies in a concentration camp, how horrible. Ella is a perfect name for the dress form. Caroline my dress form is named after my sister Claudia Caroline and my Grandmother Caroline.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  2. I'm so impressed! You can knit and do it rather well from the looks of those sweaters! Looks like you did a great job on them. Way to go! Glad you had a nice and quiet week. We all need those sometimes...and I need them more than most. ha-ha

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  3. I'm glad you had a nice easy weekend.. we are home from the beach all safe and sound. I love the two sweaters.. would one of your sons like his dad's vest? You're lucky to have that photo.. a sad story about your grandfather. My parents moved us from OK to OR when I was 4 and one of my greatest regrets is that I only saw my grandparents a handful of times after.
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  4. Hi Susanne..So much to say here. First, your two knitted sweaters are fantastic! I am sure wanting to learn more about knitting. I am only confident in washcloths, and slippers.
    Your photo of your grandparents, and the story about them was fascinating. How appropriate to call your dress form Ella. I had an Auntie Ella too. And one of my chickens is named after her!!!
    I wanted to thank you for your nice comments on my blog. Your words are so touching. I know you have to struggle with missing your dear husband every single day. I cannot even begin to imagine what that is like.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  5. I'm impressed by your wonderful knitting, it's in your genes. I love the colour of the red sweater, it's such a bright shade of red.

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  6. You're really fantastic in knitting and crocheting. I admire your wonderful works. The photo is precious, lots of great and sad memories. Ella is a beautiful name to remember a close family member.

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  7. Hi Susanne! I really loved this post, even though I was so saddened to read about what happened to your grandfather. Such a terrible time in our history that was...I love your knitting! That red lacy sweater is just beautiful! I wish I could knit like that. I'm so spastic with a needle in each hand. I'm much better at crochet. I hope you have a fun weekend sweetie pie! xo

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