Last night we had the first thunderstorm of the season. I didn’t realize how much I missed thunderstorms until the first rumble of thunder. One of my greatest pleasures is standing by the window waiting for the lightning to hit the Meadowlands and breathing deep the smell of rain right before it falls. Spring really is here.
My forays to the window were respite from my new project. I haven’t strayed far from my roots though. You know how sometimes you get a knit in your hands that’s a winner from the start? And some, well, some that aren’t? I’m decidedly in the latter category with my new project.
Before the miters took over and I blinked and a month and a half of my life had passed, there were other projects – being knit and being planned. This weekend I’ll be attending my cousin’s bridal shower and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to try some new things. My plan was to be wearing a gorgeous completed Katharine Hepburn Caridgan, carrying four gorgeous linen handtowels as my gift. Two of which were monogrammed.
It TOTALLY could have happened. Dudes. You know it’s true.
But, alas, we all know what really did happen. When the end was drawing nigh on the knitting of the miters, I knew I’d have to have something new to throw myself into – sort of trade one obsession with a slightly less obsessive obsession to wean myself off. The ever present in my life Kay (which is a GREAT thing) talks about linen yarn almost as much as she talks about cotton, and I never really believed her about the cotton, and do we really have to talk about what happened with that? Time to try the linen! Euroflax, to be precise. Sportweight variety.
I started off with 80 stitches, a seed stitch border and plans for a monogram. I found these letter charts and mapped them out on my knitty graph paper (which I made in Excel) and set to work. I’m knitting knitting knitting away on US Size #4 addis and I don’t know – the stitches seem kind of lose. But I don’t think that I can go down to size 3s and Kay has assured me that the fabric will look great once it’s been through the washer and dryer. So I knit knit knit and I finish the letters. I’m unsure. Sometimes, if I hold it in the right light, you can tell what it’s supposed to be. But most times? Not. G comes home. I ask him to look at it. He’s tired – it’s been a long day – he’s not feeling well – and he says, “You know I’m not good at this stuff, but um, I can’t tell at all.” Can you?
It’s supposed to be a J, a K, and an M.
The shower is on Saturday – and don’t you worry. I’m not planning on cranking four of these out. If it all works out, I will take one finished one and tell her others are coming. But I not convinced it’s working out. I could finish off the handtowel – wash it, dry it – see what it’s like and call it an experiment – I did want to knit with the Linen. Or I could rip it and maybe try to knit the letters a different way. I thought maybe if I made a square of reverse stockinette and knit the letters in stockinette against the rs square? Margene wanted me to use seed stitch, which was my first choice too, but then I have to rechart everything. Which I don’t feel like doing. What would you do, if you were me? I don’t have to worry about a gift so this handtowel can disappear with none the wiser. Would you finish it or rip it and go on to something else?
I’ll tell you – what I really want to do is cast on a sock in the gorgeous new yarn I bought. Sort of an “I’m finished knitting cotton let’s go back to super soft super fabulous merino for a while because you deserve it damnit” kind of gift to myself.
Artyarns Ultramerino 4, #227
Thanks again for all your comments on the miters. I really do appreciate it.
I think it looks good and that you should persevere. thanks.
Hi,
I’ve knit quite a few projects in Linen & Hemp. They always look loose & icky prior to a good wash and dry. Transformation that occurs during this project is almost akin to blocking lace. Everything plumps, tightens, neatens, softens… and comes out fabulous. I totally think you should persevere! At least so you can witness the transformation.
I also think it looks good – I’d finish it and do the laundry thing, and then, if I didn’t like it very much, I’d still give it to the recipient, but not as a shower gift – I’d go for something else (purchased?) for the shower. You do such excellent work – it’s good for me to see that sometimes things don’t work out for you just the way you envisioned them. (happens to me ALL the time)
Not to rain on the party but I’m not feeling the love on the monogram. The letters look a bit cartoony. I think you should steam-block it and see what happens. Then again, you probably should see what it looks like washed, because who in the world actually irons their handtowels? (Besides my mother. Well, maybe ironing linen towels is what people do, I’ve no idea!)
I can see the monogram clearly enough. You should go forward and see what happens during washing.
I can see the letters, but I think doing a reverse stockinette background with the letters in stockinette would make them easier to see. Why not try putting the live stitches on a string and washing what you’ve got to see what happens?
I can see the letters fine as is, but do wash and block, I find they pop out much, much more clearly after that.
Girl, I’m a big fan of the “knit what you wanna” school of thinkin’. I say screw the towel and cast on the socks. If you really want to see what happens with the linen, make a little something for yourself and see how it goes. But only if you wanna. By the way, your blanket is scrumptious. 🙂
I could read it. Give it a wash and see!
I’m with you– I was so excited when the thunderstorm started last night 🙂
I see them. I would keep going. It is a lovely, thoughtful gift. In fact, I am inspired to make one for a good friend who would go crazy for something like this.
I can totally see the monogram. I think you should go ahead and finish it, then wash and block and see what happens. Even if it isn’t perfect, I am sure the recipient will like it. I would have been so excited to get a monogrammed, handmade gift for my wedding (except for the fact that I didn’t change my last name, so maybe it would have been a little weird?).
I SO know what you mean about thunderstorms. Having moved to the West Coast from Massachusetts I really miss summer thunderstorms. I tried explaining thunderstorms to a friend from Los Angeles once – the heat and the cool, the smell of the freshly wet pavement, etc. – and he just looked at me like I was crazy!
I’m with Margene. I’ve knit a few baby blanket squares with monograms and the seed stitch ones always look better for me. Recharting wouldn’t be that bad, would it? Reverse stockinette with stockinette letters would be my second choice. I LOVE linen towels–it’s a great gift!
Aren’t you the one who was just telling me that you only knit for yourself? My world is in disarray. I’m confused.
I can totally read that monogram. I think you should go for it. And I love that thunderstorm thing, too. Used to live on top of hill in Arlington, Virginia, and would sit on the balcony off our bedroom (wind direction permitting) and watch those storms. I miss that.
Hi Cara,
I’m delurking to suggest that you do the letters in garter stitch. I find they pop up better that way. I’ve used these charts: http://www.knittingknonsense.com/ALPHA_TABLE.htm
(too big for your towels, but good for seeing how the garter stitch works out…)
Andrea
Ultramerino. Le rowr rowr.
i love thunderstorms too! but i have to say that last night’s t-storm was not the first of the season. there was one last week, albeit at 4AM. i should know, i was feeding the peanut, of course! 😉
i loved all of the miters! i’m looking forward to your next obsession.
I’d knit it plain, then embroider the monogram in the corner (just the last initial!) in a contrasting color of linen.
I’m probably gonna get punched for this. In fact, I may punch myself for mentioning it, but what about doing the letters in a slightly different color like a paler or darker green, or possibly in cream and maybe adding a stripe of the same color at the opposite end for balance? I actually think it looks fine as it is, but I also know that when you’re giving someone something handmade and luxurious, you want it to look PERFECT, not fine. You want it to look like a pottery barn photo shoot, or at least I do. So I only mention it as an alternative so maybe you could find the love you lack. FWIW, I hate intarsia the way you hate ribbing so it’s a bit hypocritical for me to even bring it up.
I like the one where you used the bright blue marker. (kidding) But it makes me wonder if you could somehow highlight the letters with embroidery — maybe a simple running stitch to outline them? — if you don’t like it once washed.
I dunno. The linen is crisp. And what, about sport weight? Is that a small enough pixel for the detail of a monogram?
What about making an UN-monogrammed one for the shower, which leaves you with more time to work the kinks out later?
The monogram is clear in the second picture, taken closer. My thought? Finish and wash and dry it, or stop now and wash and dry it. I have a towel languishing and I should probably do the same. It would be nice if I could go up a needle size, but pre-washing, seems loose.
Maybe I should wash my own, hmm?
Blanket lay out is gorgeous, especially the distribution of the darker squares. Happy finishing!
I saw the letters right away (although for full disclosure’s sake, I thought the K was an H.) I think it’s a very nice gesture – but if you want to make changes, go nuts…it’ll still be a wonderful gift.
(LOVE the miters and the final layout. Surprised to find that I’m really going to miss them. *sniff*)
I would take the pressure off and tell yourself you’re screwing it. Then I’d run a lifeline through the linen and wash and block it to see what it looks like. Linen changes considerably with blocking. I’m not sure whether your current monogram will work with linen or not. The “K” may be stretching its capabilities. Only blocking will tell. While you’re waiting for it to dry you can happily knit on your sock!
xox, J
I could tell right away what the letters are. Men are no good for this sort of thing. Their brains tend a little more towards the literal. That colour is divine.
P.S. In case you were wondering. I don’t spell badly — re: all the “U”s added into words — I am just Canadian, and we like our words with extra letters.
I could see the letters but having never done linen myself I think I’d go with the finish it (an afternoon maybe??) and block it – it would be nice to have a finished monogrammed one for the shower.
I think it looks good enough to keep going. I’d be curious to see it after it’s washed.
I absolutely knew what the letters were. I think they’re perfectly clear. I’ve had this problem myself: knit on purl or purl on knit doesn’t stand out the way you want it to, because the horizontal and vertical edges do different things. I’m with everyone who says persevere, block, and see what you have.
That’s not what I would do, though. I’ll tell you what I would do, but you have to promise not to murder me. I’d do the monogram in cables on a reverse st st background. Yes, that would involve both recharting and reknitting.
Well, I have to admit that I first misread the K as an H, but now that you mention it, it totally looks like a K. I really like the look, although they’ll probably look better with a blocking. Did your gauge change between the letters, or is the different look just because of the curling?
I did a purl initial on a stockinette background once, and it buckled awfully. It was an H. In the future I’m going to choose seed stitch.
I’m currently working on the Manos del Uruguay Block of the Month afghan, and am finishing an afghan square with a basketweave pattern. Interestingly, the pattern consists of stockinette and garterstitch! The garterstitched squares are plump and raised nicely and give the block dimension and texture; much more so than an average stockinette/reverse stockinette could. I am in love. (I haven’t updated my blog since the beginning of the semester from hell, so there are no pictures to be seen, unfortunately.) It may be worth swatching to see if it works as well in for your towel as it does for my block.
I wouldn’t waste time working on it unless you’re completely happy with it. There’s no feeling more uncomfortable than the one that accompanies giving a handmade creation that you think could use some tweeking.
Oh, also, I was really uncertain when you began your mitered afghan, but I am completely blown away. I love it. Covet it. Last night I dreamed about the deconstruction of color.
Good luck!
I can read it, but I don’t think they are the most elegant letterforms. The M seems bulky in the center and the J on the curve.
Might be worth finishing to see how it reacts after washing. I would also try another stitch style, you could absolutely have a beautiful end result.
p.s. I think you have tons of talent, you’ll figure out a way to make it work.
Cara, I’m delurking after admiring greatly your descent into miters. I love the linen handtowels, and I can see the monograms. And, let me add, that I completely trust your judgment on this one.
But, for the interest of getting another possibility swirling around in your brain, what about embroidering/embellishing your monogram on the handtowels rather than knitting.
I think that the stickiness of wool probably makes for the best embellishments, but it wouldn’t take long to experiment on linen.
If you’re looking for inspiration on this, you could google Kristin Nicholas. She does beautiful things! And she’s into color!
Thanks for letting all of us into your knitting world. I enjoy it greatly.
If it were me… well, if it were me, I wouldn’t be able to knit the towel at all, and I would certainly not have gotten through six weeks of cotton miters… but I’m cursed with achy arms and repetitive stress stuff. 🙁
I have seen linen that behaves quite nicely after washing. And if not (whispering furtively): maybe duplicate stitch?
No one else has commented on that Artyarns? I heart that color! What are you going to do with it (besides admire)?
Kepp it. I see the letters and everyone says they will stand out after the wash so, . . . . . .wash it already and see what you get!
De-lurking to say that I knit 2 Euroflax hand towels as a house warming gift – I picked 2 lovely lace-y (but not too lace-y) patterns from Barbara Walker. Then I went to a really fancy linen shop (Pierre Doux, if I’ve got it right) and bought a beautiful (woven) linen hand towel with the family’s initial. I boxed it all up and wow – it looked great.
how about the one with the monograms and the rest plain… that way there is the pure display one (with the monogram) and the use ones….
I am a ways out from you but did you get any of that thunder that went on and on for about a full minute…. we had a few of them here.
I could totally read the monograms on your towels. I’ve done both the towel patterns from MDK, and the moss stitch does kinda “bounce” a bit more after washing, but in my experience, washing isn’t a miracle like blocking a lace shawl is (might just be my washing machine). If it were me, I’d try washing what you’ve already got, and only revising if you still don’t like it.
It’s not working. The row gauge of the garter stitch is off too much from the stockinette. I’d either switch to seed stitch, which has almost the same row gauge, or I’d just embroider the letters onto a plain towel.
The color is very pretty. 🙂
I could read all three letters, albeit not at first glance — I had to study it for a second. My advice is to finish one, throw it in the washer and dryer, and see what happens. If it doesn’t work out the way you want, Georgie has a new cloth with which to wipe the sweat from his tennis-labored brow. Note what one of the first commenters said about the transformation that linen goes through when washed and dried. Good luck!
I can see the monograms (although I too read H but it’s late and I’m tired and squinty). If you faniced an alternative have you thought of doing eyelet letters – I’m doing a baby blanket at the moment from Debbie Bliss’s Baby Knits book with the alphabet made with yarn oves and the letters stand out crystal clear.
Whatever you decide the gift will be made and given with love and treasured because of it so go with your gut instinct and what you enjoy knitting!
I would finish it, including the wash – it looks promising, and I could see the monogram fine. Subtle, but there. If it works, promise the remainder to come and if nothing else, you’ll have one way that doesn’t work crossed off your list (as Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”) Your mitres are divine, BTW!
tonya
You want to knit some lovely merino socks? That’s what you should do! Life is too short to knit something you are not wild about. Um…could you tell me this the next time I start knitting something that I’m not wild about, too?
Yes, it’s scary how time can get away from you, isnt it? I can see the Monogram by the way, but you’re right that it’s not very neat. Still, blocking should help.
I can see them. I’d keep going and concider this one a trial. After you’ve washed it see if you like the way it looks.
I know how you feel about wanting to cast on. I have four projects I want to start but can’t until I finish up at least one or two projects I’m currently working on.
I’m a green-type of person, so I love that color! But the monograms aren’t leaping off the screen at me. The J and M are clear, but I had trouble seeing the K at first glance … I’d give it a test ash/dry/block and see if you’re happy with the end result, especially if you’re itching to start on something else. There’s nothing worse than perservering with something you’re not really happy with!
If I were you, I’d just knit up the pieces without the charts, then have them embroidered at a shop, or experiment with some embroidery thread. The letters would be easier to see, and I think the linen would look really pretty with a coordinating fancy thread. And if all else fails, gift certificate to Bed, Bath and Beyond 🙂
Scrap it and knit yourself yummy robin’s eggs blue socks.
I can see the monogram really easily. No, I didn’t have to look at your coaching, I can see the letters in the top picture. Additionally, I think a good steam blocking will really help them stand out.
As always, beautiful work. Not my initials, but I would be delighted with a gift like that.
Mitres. Are. Awesome. Inspiring.
Hey – I LOVE thunderstorms! I’m kind of a weather freak. I wanted to be a meteorologist until a bad, evil high school physics teacher came into my life. I want to go on one of those storm chaser trips in the midwest to see a tornado (no disrespect for anyone reading who deals with the fear and devastation these storms cause). I have weather “journals” from my youth that recorded the weather every day. . . . I’m so jealous you got a storm. I love that smell. . . .
I’m a frogger. But I’m also a bit of a perfectionist (only with my own stuff, promise!). I’d probably just do a normal towel and then duplicate stitch their initials. Love the color! Of the towel and the sock yarn.
I can see the monogram and I’m getting older plus I’m tired. I think just trust Kay, finish this one and maybe a plain one and promise more if the showeree likes them. JMHO
I want to see how this works, as I love the monogrammed letters and am hoping they block smooth for you… gee, you would have been stunning in the KH cardigan.
I had never thought about linen handtowels, so thanks for the idea. I think after washing it should be fine, and others above are giving you good ideas to fool around with too. Linen turns silky after some washes, so I bet it will be lovely. will must add to the 100+ comments re your miters: I for one loved them (geometics whoo whoo) and thank you for sharing your project! Maryjo
Go with 1 finished towel and the note! I can see the letters just fine, they’re perfect.
I could see the initials just fine. I’d be happy to receive it as a gift! (Do you want me to tell you my initials, just in case?:)
I know nothing about linen or cotton or such things.
All I know is that blue merino is gorgeous and I’m dying to know what you’re gonna do with it!
I think it looks good. I could see the letters even. As the others have said give it a wash and dry and it should come out just fine.