reclamation

Many moons ago, I bought a whole whack of Lion Brand Wool Ease. I was in my final year of grad school, had just learned to knit, and lived a block away from Michael's. I needed a sweater's worth of yarn, and there's no way I would have been able to afford that much pure wool.

I embarked on a sweater for my then betrothed, using a stranded pattern of my own design. I liked the fabric, and was pleased to have managed purling in two colors. The sweater approached vest status last millennium. The bottom edge flips up, though, due to a bad match between the cast on edge and the corrugated ribbing, and the collar contrasts too starkly with the body. I could rework the edging and collar, finish the armholes, and produce a fully fledged vest. Even if I choose this path, I will still end up with rather a lot of Wool Ease.

Predictably, I wrestled with this for some time. In the past couple of years, I've given a good amount of beautiful stuff to friends and even a few strangers, realizing that it would mean more to me in other people's hands. I am not so inclined to give the Wool Ease away, though. I feel a little sentimental about it. When I began to knit, I was almost fully insulated from the knitting world, as I was taught knitting by one close friend. Between her advice and Elizabeth Zimmerman's, my fiber world was for a time as broad as it needed to be. The internet provides a wealth of information and ideas, but at least as often draws energy away from the creative process.

In addition to this Wool Ease reflecting the beginning of my knitting life, it is a practical yarn with a practical palette. Having been fascinated by quilting in college, my inclination is to take the Wool Ease and make something of it, rather than abandon it for dreamier colors and higher-minded fibers. My plan is to make about 120 of these squares:

Even though to some it would seem like an exercise in tedium, I like the idea of making square after square after square. I keep gravitating toward scarves for mindless knitting, but their bulk is not too practical for toting around in the summer. I worked out a simple square recipe, and really enjoy varying the pairings of the smaller band and larger band. Seed stitch gives the fabric loft, and I really enjoy it. My plan is to assemble the squares into a blanket by picking up stitches in black and closing the seams with a three-needle bind-off.

Mailbag

• See seventh and last for responses to Liz, Mishka, Katy Cassidy, Airing, Elk, Dorothy, Liz, Ariel, Claudia, Heather, Jenn C, and Bethe
  
• See overshot for responses to the AntiToast, Rebecca, and Colleen
  

Comments

[Rebecca H.]

OH! You must go look at these afghans. Now. http://www.woollythoughts.com/afghans/index.html

[diana]

Those squares look gorgeous! I like that you're hanging on to the Wool-Ease (though I had a traumatic experience with it and a Wonderful Wallaby many years ago).

That was an interesting comment about the Internet and the creative process. I feel like I'm walking that tightrope now with Ravelry. It's a double-edged sword.

Anyway, that'll be a beautiful blanket and you'll have done justice to your Wool-Ease.

[Rebecca H.]

I enjoyed the story Behind the Yarn (coming soon to VH1!). And I like what you are making with it, plus it will make an excellent summer project for the reasons you stated.

[Claudia Dunitz]

Wow. You are woman of ways and means. Unlike our committee who can't manage to straighten things out,you have made clever use of a laundry basket full of Wool Ease - no simple feat. So the afghan is the way, and the means? The emotional wherewithal to knit 120 squares in SEED STITCH. I could never do it. But they are gorgeous. I love the geometric abstraction - very Mondrian/Albers!

[The Feminist Mafia]

Oh I like that design. Very clever. not that i'm surprised or anything...

[Danielle]

Good plan ... that will be a nice blanket, and last longer than a sweater.

[Dorothy]

Squares and dishcloths do make the best portable knitting.

Your squares look like they'll make the kind of blanket you can't wait to cuddle under because you know it will be warm.