January One

Remember I showed you this photograph from the NYT on Monday?

Remember how freaky it was that the Sol LeWitt painting they showed with the announcement of his death pretty much EXACTLY matched the square I had started the night before?

Square #17

I showed G the picture and my square and he said that I must have seen the painting somewhere somehow and I said no. I can’t remember the last time I was at the Whitney (which is where the picture seems to hang) – sadly, it’s got to be AT LEAST 18 years ago. I told him that I had never even HEARD of Sol LeWitt. Not once. The only possible explanation is that on his way to heaven, good old Sol whispered into my ear, “The yellow will look great with some light turquoise, some forest green and some rusty brown red thrown in for the accent.” Really. That’s the only thing that could’ve happened.

Any other dead or dying artists (or even living ones) that would like to whisper some color combinations into my ears – bring it on. I’m starting to struggle.

In fact, when I was putting the photographs of #17 into the gallery – I caught a glimpse of #14 and panicked for a second that they were so close – but I think it’s okay. The yellows are different and the greens are different and the blues are different and there’s rust instead of wine. So, similar, but not the same.

When I first started this project I thought I needed to be really inventive about my color choices – be BOLD and DIFFERENT! Now I’m just happy to find inspiration anywhere I can get it. I find myself putting together these great combinations only to realize that I’ve already done it with maybe a touch lighter shade of purple or a darker shade of blue. As frustrated as I’m feeling – this is the time to persevere. Many times the moment of exhaustion – the moment where everything blurs together – directly precedes the times of utmost clarity. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself.

I slowed down a little yesterday. I don’t have a finished miter to show you – I think I took a bit of a break because I knew that I had something a little bit better to show. You’ll have to wait a few minutes though. I’m now more than halfway through the KNITTING portion of this project (not counting the border – which is already giving me fits.) Whether I make 25 or 30 squares – I’ve got 66 miters completed. One on the needles. 16.5 squares.

Things are changing for me in this project. First of all – I’m retiring colors.

I have knit five miters out of each of these individual skeins – four main color miters (so they start the miter and therefore use the most yarn) and one background miter. There’s about 8g or less left over and I can’t get a really accurate read as to whether or not I’ll be able to make another miter – I think I use about 8g but I’m not positive – so I’m letting these colors go. Which is kind of sad because I really love these colors. Why don’t I buy more? A couple of reasons. 1) I currently have 56 untapped colors. 56. And I’ve only exhauted 9 colors. That’s a lot of unused color and I’m actually feeling a bit gluttonous so I’m not buying any more yarn. If I can’t get 8 or 13 squares out of what I have, then I should just give up this project. 2) I have no idea what the colors are. I may be all OCD about some things, but I’m clearly lacking in many other OCD departments. (I like to think that if there was an OCD club, I’d be kicked out on my ass – just for the sheer number of germs taking up residence in my home.) I have kept a running list of all the colors I have in my “collection” but I haven’t recorded which colors I’ve used for which squares AT ALL. I have no freaking clue. (So please don’t ask which colors I used for square # this or square # that. I already feel bad about it.) I think those are two excellent reasons NOT to duplicate yarn colors. Don’t you?

Another interesting fact is that I’ve now knit an entire square (or two) using yarn already used before. I don’t know why this is important to me, but it is – am I copying myself? I don’t think any of the squares are so similar. But still, it’s in my mind crowding around with all the other thoughts about this project.

One of the reasons I knit like a maniac this weekend was because I wanted to get to the magic number 16 so I could lay out what I have and see it taking shape. 8 was too few, if you remember, and this time I did it right. (Forgive the really crappy photograph!)

Laying out all the squares, I was VERY pleasantly suprised! I LOVE IT! (And I’ve still got 8 or 13 more to add to the mix! I can’t wait to see how it changes.) In real life, I’m happy with every square. Fortunately or unfortunately, picture-wise, there’s really only one square giving me fits.

One of the things I LOVE about the red square is that the orange and red values are very similar – especially give the contrast of the blue and green. BUT, red is awful to photograph (contrast and saturation are a BITCH to control) and as I was taking the picture I could see through the camera that the red and orange were blending together. There is much more of a difference to the naked eye – but this square worries me – and it’s one of my favorites. Here’s where I was killing myself about not recording the colors – because if I could I would re-do this square with a more contrasty orange. Of course – the red, blue, AND green have all been exhausted and I know I will have a terrible time trying to figure out exactly which red and which blue and which green they are. I’m not going to worry about it until the end. I can always try to back track my way out and re-do the square if need be.

Needless to say, this layout is not the end result. I love the squares where the values are similar and blend a bit in contrast to the color combinations where the values are in stark contrast and when I do lay out the final blanket I will have to pay particular attention to those “lighter” miters. But the blanket is pleasing to me nonetheless and I have added encouragement to continue. Rest assured, there will be a new square to show you tomorrow. For now, here are 80 million pictures of what I’ve accomplished so far. Enjoy!

I’m not sure if that title is talking to you, my dear wonderful crazy-as-I-am readers, or I’m talking to me. I’m not sure it matters. To clarify a few things: I am smart enough to know that if people are talking about you, in whatever venue, that’s a GOOD thing. They may be hating on you or loving on you or whatever – they have an opinion. The worst thing for an artist, or writer, or blogger, or person in general is INDIFFERENCE. It’s when people AREN’T talking that I’m really going to worry. Also, I don’t feel guilty about the squares or blogging about the squares, I feel guilty that they’ve truly taken over my life. My husband is a GENEROUS soul and he gets some kind of thrill out of seeing me in the middle of an all consuming project. He’s seen that look in my eye whether I’m writing or shooting or knitting – he gives me glorious space to do my thing. But sometimes I feel guilty. He goes to work every single day so that I can have this joyful life and while I know that I take care of him well, sometimes I don’t feel like I take care of the house well. And I feel some kind of Ozzie and Harriet guilt about that. Like I’m not pulling my weight. Although back a million years ago when we were dating I did tell him I was crazy and he should get out while he can – and he decided to stay – so really. It’s his own fault. 😉 And my last point for now is that I blogged about boring you all because it was something I started to worry about all on my own – before I read about it. I worry about you. I know there are a lot of you and I’m so grateful to you all and the truth is, is that I do feel an obligation to you all. To keep you entertained. It’s not something that really affects what I have to say or knit or write – but it is there. I’d like to think you influence me way more than I influence you. If not – I don’t think I would’ve kept up with the blog or love it as much as I do.

Enough with the metablabber. Eh.

Square #13

Square #14

Square #15

Square #16

I was in sort of a blue mood this weekend. I hadn’t used much blue at all. Oh and as much I still enjoying knitting the squares, photographing them is getting really tedious. The colors are hit or miss and I just don’t care anymore. Even the focus is off on some of the above pictures.

I started a new square last night and in the THERE ARE NO NEW IDEAS department, I was shocked to see it in the New York Times this morning. (No. I haven’t started hallucinating.) A little background. I need to use some yellow – real yellow in the blanket and generally I’m a few squares ahead of the knitting. I keep little groupings of color out and most of them are ready to go but sometimes I throw them aside. So yesterday I had a group of purples and greens with a yellow background and it was all Eastery and I didn’t really love it. I was finishing up square 16 and all of my TCC was laid out on the floor grouped by color and there were some greens close to the oranges and also a turquoise pretty close by and I figured out the new yellow square:

This morning, while I was scanning the front page I saw this picture:

Sorry for the photograph of the paper.
I couldn’t find the painting online and my scanner won’t work.

It accompanied the announcement of the death of Sol Le Witt, an important Modern American artist (who, incidentally, I’ve never heard of – I’m more a Renaissance kind of girl.) How crazy is that? Guess I’m doing something right.

Tomorrow – squares, again, but in a whole new light. 😉
Thank you all so much.
L, C

So I’ve changed the category name for the mitered blanket from Stripes (WAY pedestrian) to MADNESS because, honestly, it’s much more accurate. If you would like to link to the category, all of the posts can be found here.

The dictionary defines MADNESS as the “quality or state of being mad.” MAD is defined as:

Main Entry: mad
Pronunciation: ‘mad
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): mad·der; mad·dest
Etymology: Middle English medd, madd, from Old English gem[AE]d, past participle of *gem[AE]dan to madden, from gemAd silly, mad; akin to Old High German gimeit foolish, crazy
1 : disordered in mind : INSANE
2 a : completely unrestrained by reason and judgment [driven mad by the pain MITERS] b : incapable of being explained or accounted for [a mad decision MITER]
3 : carried away by intense anger : FURIOUS [mad about the delay the fact that there’s not enough hours in the day to knit MITERS]
4 : carried away by enthusiasm or desire [mad about horses MITERS]
5 : affected with rabies MITERS: RABID
6 : marked by wild gaiety and merriment : HILARIOUS
7 : intensely excited : FRANTIC [WHERE’S THE FUCHSIA!?!?]
8 : marked by intense and often chaotic activity : WILD [a mad scramble to knit a MITER in under an hour!]
– mad·dish /’ma-dish/ adjective
– like mad : to an extreme degree [spending MITERING like mad]

See? I’ve got it all! MITER MADNESS to the extreme. I know a lot of you have been inspired by this project and that makes my heart swell, but consider this a WARNING!! I will not be held responsible if your kids go hungry, your dog shits in the front hall by the door, your spouse/partner/significant other has no clean underwear, your dustbunnies have great-great-great-grand dustbunnies. I spoke with a lawyer about this and you can’t blame me. I’ve warned you. That said, if you’re still willing to take this crazy crazy crazy ride with me, here’s more information than you ever wanted to know about this project so far. I figure I’m just about halfway through (maybe) so we’ll update all this information at the end of the project. Like next Tuesday at the rate I’m going.

First up:

Square #12

Here we’ve got Square #12, an autumnal grouping with the rare four background change. There’s only one other square like this, but when I was messing around I found another one. This project is going to kill me for sure.

— So far I’ve knit 12 squares which equals 48 miters. My plan, RIGHT NOW, is to knit 25 squares for a pretty squarish blanket. The squares are measuring (lightly blocked) around 11/5″ x11/5″. I have no idea how big the final blanket will be. I’d like it to rest upon the top of my king size bed – so we’ll see how big it needs to go.

— I’m using Tahki Cotton Classic on Size 6 Addi Turbos (knit flat – I only use circular needles.) The project was inspired by Mason Dixon Knitting and the formula for the miters can be found in the book on page 108. Suffice it to say I’m doing a 72 stitch miter.

— At this point, I think I’ve used somewhere around 44 colors. I currently have 94 unique colors in my stash. There are colors out there I don’t have and that makes me NUTS. So far I’ve been able to get five miters (a quarter of a square) out of one skein of TCC. I’ve purchased the yarn from WEBS, Flying Fingers and through the TCC Shopatron site. It seems to retail for around $5.50 a skein (sometimes more, sometimes less) and I’ve heard that Elann’s Sonata is very similar (and much cheaper.) I’ve never knit with it though so I can’t tell you anything about it.

— I can knit one miter in about 1.5 hours – depending on whether or not I fuck it up. And even though I’ve now knit 48 of these suckers, I still fuck them up. I can’t count for shit.

— I am NOT using Kay‘s patented no-sew method. And I haven’t sewn any of the squares together. That means I have 48, which is only HALF, that will need putting together. (Now do you see why this project has been renamed madness?!) YES, I will be sewing up 25 squares and YES I will be sewing those squares into a blanket and YES I will be weaving in all of the ends. I will not be cheating at this endeavor. Ends do not scare me in the least. Seaming does not scare me in the least. (See Short Rows and Verde Verde Verde.) This blanket will be sewn up and ends will be woven in and it will be finished. It may be a long while after I finish the squares, but it will be done. I promise you that.

— I didn’t use the no-sew method because I conceived this blanket in squares – squares that go together. My only rules are that there is a dominant color for each square. It’s hard to plan that all out if you’re knitting four opposite corners together.

— I can’t knit anything else. I don’t sleep. When I can sleep, I don’t dream anything else. I don’t eat. I’ve stopped washing altogether (which really wasn’t a stretch, by the way. I’m a dirty girl.) I basically can’t DO anything else but knit these miters and it may actually be intruding on my life. It’s MADNESS I tell you. MADNESS.

Have a great weekend! See you next week with GUESS WHAT?! MORE MITERS!

Square #10

Square #11

When I was choosing colors to take to my sister’s I was immediately drawn to the pinks in square #11. After I had pulled together the colors I wanted for the square, I noticed a sock on the floor right near where I was sorting through the cottons for miters.

Hot Flash!

I had inadvertently chosen square colors just like my Hot Flash socks! I’ve always said Tina is a color genius, and her color sense translates well to my miter project. So well, in fact, I did it again….

Pebble Beach!

I was putting browns and blues together and realized I had come up with another sock. I talked to Tina and she was very happy to inspire! I love that my good friend is now a part of this project. Onto the next square!

(And Career Day! I’ve got to leave very soon to talk to high school kids about my career choices, so a short post today. Tomorrow a long post on my miter project. Everything you ever wanted to know about this thing that has taken over my life!)

I did it! I made my goal of two squares over the weekend. Well, technically I finished miter #7 on the train and #8 on my couch, but they’re done. And the next square has been cast on as per the law. I had a great weekend – lots of sibling bonding time and much of it sans kids. The house was awfully quiet but my sister and I laughed until we peed in our pants, which according to some people is the true test of a good time.

Details on the squares tomorrow. Stay tuned.

You didn’t think I’d give up that easily did you?

Square #9

All I needed was a little RED! When I posted yesterday I already had this square on the needles. So I posted, and then I went and knit for the rest of the day. Thank you all so much for your encouragement (like I need any!) and support with this project. Blogless Betty left a comment this morning saying,

“I know that feeling. You put a finish line in front of you by putting them together. Not a time line but a what it will look like line. Half the fun of knitting them is the anticipation of putting them together later and all the random possibilities. Kind of something to knit towards um like not knowing if it’s a boy or a girl kind of thing.”

That’s EXACTLY how I felt yesterday – sort of like a premature birth. I still LOVE the squares. I still LOVE my rules. I’m not changing any of that up. In fact, the more I came back and looked at the montage, the more it grew on me. The pictures absolutely do not capture the richness of the colors in the squares.

Today’s square has lots of red!

It’s funny – from what I’ve seen, the Tahki Cotton Classic has a million shades of pinks and purples and greens but not a lot of shades of red. Maybe I’m not looking in the right place? I don’t know. But finally some reds have come in. What I love about this square is that the blue and orange and green look okay together – but when I add the red all of the colors come alive. Margene and I had a very long talk yesterday about color theory. She tauted the amazingness of Deb Menz’s book Color Works. (I actually don’t have this one, Margene – I have the other one – Color In Spinning. Will be ordering this one ASAP.)

Margene was educating me on Value – or lightness – in color and how a successful square will need to have all the value ranges within it. So far she thinks I’ve been pretty successful. The discussion came out of the lighter yellow square I posted yesterday – she said that yellow is tough because if it’s too light it will look like a big hole in the blanket because the eye will immediately be drawn there. You need enough dark to offset the light for BALANCE. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for in life? Balance? Balance leads to contentment. Contentment leads to peace of mind and I have ALWAYS said that we should strive for peace of mind. Happiness is so overrated.

Anyway – from now on I’m going to lightly block the squares, take a picture of them, show them here, then put the pieces in the large pile forming in my bedroom on top of a stack of knitting books on the yarn dresser. I love to look at the pile with all the different colors poking through and maybe when I’ve got sixteen squares done I’ll morph all the square pictures together again. Until then, I’m going to bask in the glory of each individual square.

I’ve had a few questions as to the size of the squares – I’m estimating they’re about 11″x11″. I would like the blanket to rest on my king size bed – almost like a coverlet as opposed to an actual sleeping blanket. I might go with 25 squares. We shall see.

Believe it or not, I’m off to Philly again this weekend. I’ve got a family Bar Mitzvah tomorrow, which will mean lots of hang time with my siblings. And then Passover starts Monday night. (Happy Passover!) I’ll be back sometime on Tuesday and will try to post then. Then Wednesday is a crazy day. I’ve been asked to speak at Career Day at a local high school and I have to be there really early in the morning. I also have to come up with a career. 😉

Have a great weekend! My goal is two more squares to show you when I get back. Thank you all!
L, C