There is a thread on the Edmonton Knitters Board called Blockapalooza. Our founding moderator started it because she had things from December that remained unblocked. I feel mildly shamed by this. Most of the things on my blocking pile are older than that. My excuse is that blocking things takes a lot of room.
Yeah that is it. I don't have enough room. You know that this is an outright fib, right? I usually block on a pool table. Plenty of room.
It is much more that blocking just isn't something I enjoy a whole bunch and once there is one thing that needs blocking, a bunch pile up. It is also a function of last falls finishing spree. I liked the finishing, but just never got these big shawls pinned out. Lets see if I can sort out the real reasons my blocking pile remains. (Gee whiz, I hope it isn't the same reasons as why my dishes aren't done. That would be a real tragedy.)
Shawl one - The Icelandic Lilia Hyrna shawl. I love this shawl. I am wearing it right now to fend off the early morning chill. Shawls are so handy in these waking with the birds hours. I love this shawl, but it is big. Really big. I knit it slightly larger to compensate for my error placing the colour change. It looks lovely but it is big. Everything I have ever read about Einband says 'grows a lot on blocking' so this is only going to get bigger. I am chicken. That is what comes to mind when I think of why this lovely shawl has not been blocked yet.
The other large shawl waiting is the spectacular River Valley shawl. It will remain a something special because the desinger doesn't want to release the pattern. It is one of my first big lace projects and will forever be the greatest learning experience of my life. I did not knit on it because it has a magnificent edge. I worried about knitting it. I don't feel 100 % confident that I can block it as it deserves.
Then there was a little experimental piece, on which I worked out the complex challenge that was knitting the border of the River Valley Shawl. It is going to be a challenge to block because there is a lot of border somehow for how much shawl there is. After the last time I fondled and refolded all the shawls on the blocking pile, I think I realize that this is unique to it but is not the case with the River Valley Shawl. This one could be the source of my worry about blocking the big one.
Mizzle Me was almost blocked three times, but I wanted to get the scale of the half round better. It stretches more one way than the other and it just didn't look right when I did it freehand. I just needed to get a good piece of string or a ruler or yardstick. It just needed 10 minutes, a walk down the hall to get the ruler, and some water. Schmuck. No excuse for still having this one undone. Shame on me.
Clapotis. OK, that isn't really on the blocking pile. That one needs the end re-knit. I might do that today. Maybe.
OK. No real reason for not getting to these things other than fear and doubt. I hate that. I think it is time to get past that. Today is blocking day.
I will probably finish up the last stitches on another shawl today too. Its is a pretty summery thing that I am calling Sweet Peas. Its soft blend of pastel goodness reminds me of the wash of colours in the flowers of my mother in laws favourite flower. It would be nice to wear something new with my desperately plain summer wardrobe.
If I can block these things, then I can put away the blocking stuff, and move on to the quilting...which is also piling up round these parts and which I have to finish so my tuches is cozy when it is cold. That has been waiting long enough too.
Get it done. That is my motto today. But first I need coffee. Lots of coffee.
PS. In case you don't go back, Brenda commented ' i don't find it funny at all. I think of it as being bilingual. I do it all the time.'
Brilliant Brenda! I am so going to use that.
PS. In case you don't go back, Brenda commented ' i don't find it funny at all. I think of it as being bilingual. I do it all the time.'
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