Tuesday 2 October 2007

A Handmade Swift

Mr. Needles is a very handy sort of man. I dream up things, and he makes them happen. He is forced on occasion to make me aware that my dreams are foolish and that wood can't do what I'd like, but more often than not, he does amazing things. I saw a swift and instructions on the Internet (please respect copyright), made a request, and voila, this wonderfully handy man, made one for me. He had to make a few small adaptations to fit what we had on hand, and what I had picked up to talk him into the project, but it works wonderfully.

Or it will, once the needleperson understands a few more things about yarn and how sellers wind it into skeins.

I wound about 4 feet into a ball before bad things started happening. I persevered, thinking it would be fine. I finally realized it was getting worse, that yarn should not be coming from the center of the skein, and that if I did not stop, I might spoil my lovely, lovely yarn.

I was about to panic, so I called Mr. Needles and begged him to hold the yarn while I unwound it into balls. He asked how much this yarn was worth, and I truthfully answered it was irreplaceable. He did not say another word, he just held the yarn. This is almost the most romantic thing he has ever done for me. It ranks right up there with 'Instant Romance' and wildflowers.

We spent 4 hours on Saturday winding yarn, we spent 2 hours last evening. We should be able to finish tonight with another hour of work, or less.

Some where along the way, by slowly unwinding the tangles (no knots thankfully) we are creating worse tangles, and each round, each inch is new territory. I'm sure there has to be some basic principle I missed, some simple thing everyone else knows, that I was not bright enough to have seen about skeined yarn. Could someone please tell me, even if it's so simple, I don't deserve to be put out of my misery? Mr. Needles surely does.

In truth, he deserves a medal. He deserves a sweater, properly knitted, from a superior pattern, in superior yarn. Suggenstions are now being accepted.

1 comment:

Gina said...

I have so been there with the yarn. I actually have a hank all twisted in a pile in my yarn basket. I thought I knew what I was doing....but obviously I did not.