The Knit-O-Matic is on the blink. It seems to be knitting just fine, but it's finishing mechanism is a bit wonky. Thankfully it hasn't stopped working completely, but it does seem to be turning out finished goods at a glacial pace. If this were a production machine and not a hobbyist's toy the poor thing would be made redundant.
I'm sure it just needs a tune up or an attitude adjustment, but my mechanical abilities have never been strong. I'd have Gromit look at it, but he's busy at the moment serving his higher calling as a plush toy -- cuddling with Emily while she sleeps.
It is amazing though how much has piled up due to this small mechanical malfunction. See there, that rust chenille cardigan? I finished the knitting and the seaming last winter. It's been waiting something like eight months for its ends to be darned and for me to get a zipper. Last week those pesky bits of yarn were tidied and a zipper ordered. I've never done a zipper before. I certainly hope the Knit-O-Matic came with a zipper installation attachment and user's guide.
And poor Banded Stripes, it too is waiting for ends to be darned and seaming to be done. After many protestations, the Knit-O-Matic was cajoled into working through most of the ends today. Seaming is on tomorrow evening's production plan.
Finally, the much heralded Corset is the newest addition to the finishing queue. Really, all it would take is a bit of crochet edging, some buttons and sewing the front bands together. Test fittings have show this to be, ahem, quite form fitting. Forgetting to secure the bands will result in dreaded gaps in all the wrong places.
Mrs. Weasley, she doesn't have these problems. No. She gets to use magic to knit. I bet she uses magic to do her finishing as well. I'd make all sorts of nasty noises about how this is cheating, but we all know it would just be envy rearing its ugly head.
If you can't beat them, join 'em. Em will be eleven in six months. I'm hoping that her birthday will bring tidings of her acceptance to Hogwarts. A trained witch in the family would be such an advantage.
In my optimism I've started a school sweater for her, in Gryffindor colors naturally. It will be a zip raglan hoodie to keep her warm in our underheated house this winter and imbue her with school spirit at the same time.
The yarn is Wool-Pak 14-ply and I'm knitting it on size #9 needles, so it's going fast. I'm making it up as I go -- it's been great fun playing with the stripe sequence. In my mind I have all sorts of pesky details planned -- pockets, an attached i-cord edging for the zip front and for the hood base. These may slow me down a bit, but there's a deadline here. It has to be ready for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on November 18th.
Hmm, maybe I'd better go wake Gromit after all.
Maybe you could train Em and Liz to finish stuff and pay them per task. I like the idea of a witch better but it is extremely hard to get into Hogwarts if you haven't already manefested magical powers. Have you been keeping something from me?
Love,
Mother
Posted by: Nancy Budner | October 24, 2005 at 10:29 AM
Wake Gromit he won't mind. Just make sure you have some cheese for him as a treat.
Posted by: Rebekah | October 24, 2005 at 12:04 PM
That's so funny! My finishing mechanism seems to be a bit wonky too...
Good luck with the knit/purl counting on the school sweater, it looks great!
Posted by: Liisa | October 24, 2005 at 04:34 PM