Monday, April 6, 2009

Annoying Designers!!

I was looking on Ravelry for tea cozy patterns, because I wanted a tea cozy that I could use from now until I make a red/white/blue one for Memorial Day til July 4th. I love my march cozy, but am kinda over the shamrocks until next year. So I found a really pretty pleated cozy in dark and light pinks. I did not want pink, but the beauty of knitting is you can make a pattern any color you want, if you can find the color - I guess dyers have a slight advantage here. I wanted yellow and green with some white. Kind of inspired by :

dafs mar09

When I went to click on the free pattern I discovered that the picture in the pattern is a cozy the designer made from an old vintage pattern. The pattern she had available was her "version" of the cozy. IT REALLY WASN'T CLOSE!! It had a checkerboard bottom, then the pleats, then instead of a nice round top the top looks loke a paper bag tied shut with string. Not saying it wasn't a perfectly nice cozy. But that if you see the picture of one cozy, that same cozy is on the top of the pattern page - you do not expect to scroll down to find a completely different looking cozy and the pattern for that second cozy!!

I started using the pattern figuring I could just skip the checkerboard and shape the top when I got there. Well I obviously can't count while watching a race because I cast on 2 few stitches. And knew the number I cast on - maybe it's reading not counting that is my issue. So when I got to the striped pleats I didn't have enough stitches. Frog. Take two - correct number of stitches, but using three colors was becoming a tangle in back and the strands were too loose on the bottom. Frog. Now anyone who knows me knows that after 2 trips to the frog pond it's a 50/50 proposition as to whether it gets frogged or trashed. But I want this cozy. So I cast on for a third time. This time I tossed the pattern and grudgingly realized if I wanted to have the tea cozy in my head I would have to do it myself. I would like to say here that I am not a designer. I have no desire to ever be a designer. I do not have the insight/creativity ot be a designer. I get really irritated if I feel pressured to do something I don't want to do ( not just crafting - life in general)

So I started with a ribbed bottom- why? because that way I wouldn't have to worry about the cozy fitting the bottom and still getting over the belly of the pot. I then started the vertical stripes. Realized then that my white is completely a different size yarn than the yellow. Realized after I did a few rows - frogging is not happening here folks! So after growling a bit, I decided that I liked it. The yellow stripes are a really pinched pleat while the white is just barely pleated. The yellow literally pops. I like it. Then I started getting bored - short attention span remember? So I started a cable in the center white stripe. I love cables. Cables make me happy. I now realize it will not fit my teapot. Too small. But that's ok. I have a smaller tea pot. Here's what I have so far:

DSCF2548

Now, before anyone comments ( yes I am still grouchy) I am not going to frog again!! I am not currently mentally stable enough to frog this project again. So - no suggestions!! If you don't like it ok, you can say that. If you like it ok you can say that. But no comments along the lines of - maybe if you used less white stitches more yellow stitches or maybe you should try garter stitch etc etc.

tomorrow, hopefully I will be less grouchy and I will be taking a road trip with a knitting friend. Don't know if we are going to Montclair or Martinsville or just to lunch yet. The store in Montclair will be closing. The sale starts on 4.20. So I may want to go before everyting is picked through. And they have a really cool t-shirt I want. The store in Martinsville gets some really good comments from people on Ravelry, and would have different yarn and hopefully stuff I haven't seen/pet before. Ok - if you want to leave a suggestion when you comment - here would be something I need help deciding. New store or closing store before stuff goes on sale?

6 comments:

  1. It must be Monday Grouch day cuz I am a B!TCH today too. My coworker says she is grouchy today too.

    I think the yellow, white and green are very pretty together. I like the texture too. I can't wait to see it finished and on the smaller pot! To celebrate I am going to make a pot of tea tonight in your honor.

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  2. I think you have a great design going there and I can't wait to see more I understand how frustrating this will be until you are done and then if you don't like it what next? Been there!!!

    Like you said I kinda want a stab at Modern before everything is picked thru, I am fine with either though and when would you like to leave???

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  3. I think what you've done on the new cozy is quite pretty.

    And I'm not fearing for my life or anything like that.

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  4. New store. Then go to the sale on the 20th. If they are closing they won't have the new spring colors. Just decide on some sort of scale how much you want the T-shirt. That may be the stronger pull.

    The tea cozy will be fabulous!

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  5. I like it quite a bit!!!

    Keep track of the pattern and write it up when you're done, eh?

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  6. Ohhh--that looks very nice--can't wait until its finished--and I don't think that was right to put a different picture on the first page either.

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I've gotten rid of the word verification for posting comments. To tell the truth, I have trouble reading the new stuff they are using. Feel free to disagree, but spammy or obnoxious comments will not go up.