UFO alarm in the knitting basket

Since our last article about the somewhat own logic of knitting mathematics has apparently spoken quite from the soul, today we will stay right with the things that are somehow completely normal in knitting and yet very difficult to explain.

This time it is about a phenomenon that probably lies somewhere in almost every knitting household: a UFO.

No, we have not now gone among the conspiracy theorists. UFO in our case, of course, stands for “Unfinished Object” and describes all those knitting projects that are waiting somewhere for better times.

But let's explain that exactly. There are knitting projects that are started, finished knitted and then worn happily. And then there are the others. The ones where something tragic happened somewhere between mesh stop and chain. And it is precisely these tragedies that we want to track down today.

The Sleeve Tragedy For example, there would be such an absolute classic. The body is finished, the fit is right and we may have even tried on the project. Then come the sleeves. All two pieces of it.

A sleeve is usually still quite good, but at the second one then at some point the legitimate question arises, why a person needs two arms at all. After all, we have just proven that we can knit sleeves. So why should we do this again now? And so the sweater lies in the basket with a finished sleeve and a non-existent sleeve. Don't give up, of course. Just paused briefly. Since February.

The Single Sock Tragedy It is also likely to happen in many knitting households. The first sock is finished, beautiful and fits perfectly. Actually, a complete success. Were it not for the fact that feet, just like hands, usually occur in pairs.

So after knitting a complete sock including fret, shaft, heel and tip, should we do the exact same again? Maybe even with the same wool, the same pattern and the same heel, even though we have just got all this behind us?

Suddenly, every other project seems surprisingly interesting. The sock waits patiently for her partner. Some will actually get them at some point. Others lead long, lonely lives.

The Thread Tragedy It's actually the most ridiculous of all. The knitted piece is completely finished, we have invested hours, days or weeks and now really only have to sew the threads. Only the threads!

And yet the good piece ends up in the knitting box, because we do it “later quickly”. From later next week, from next week sometime and suddenly there has been a finished sweater for months, which can not be worn only because of six non-sewn threads.

In the meantime, of course, we are starting three new projects without any problems. But those six threads? No chance.

Very devious is The Error Tragedy. Everything went really well. Until this one moment. A mesh is missing, the pattern suddenly no longer works, somewhere we have gained weight wrong or we look more closely three rows later and realize: This should definitely look different.

Now, of course, there would be several reasonable options. We could knit back, disconnect, search for the error, re-read the guide, or ask someone who has more clue. Or we choose the much more pleasant variant and put the project aside first, because today we really have no nerve for it.

Then it moves into a project bag, the project bag into a closet and at some point enough time has passed that we have successfully displaced why we actually stopped. Until months later we find it again, look at the mistake, immediately remember everything and put it back.

When knitting projects have paused for so long that their complete history has been lost, one speaks of the Gedächtnislücken-Tragödie.

You open a bag at some point and find half a knit piece, several balls and a circular knit needle in it. What size did we knit? Where is the guidance? What was it supposed to be? You look at the knit for a while and hope that the brain releases some memory. Don't do it.

Especially helpful in such situations are handwritten notes from the past with the information “still 4 x”. Viermal was? I don't know! But apparently this information was completely sufficient for us at that time.

And if you are now wondering how many UFOs are still considered normal, we would rather not commit ourselves at this point. We would have to count our own first.

Well, in that sense: Let’s start with this week’s knitting inspiration. Just so much in advance: Of course, we do not take responsibility if the current knitting project suddenly falls into oblivion due to renewed euphoria about an even more beautiful project.

Continue reading at your own risk.

Anne Ventzel has once again put the full throttle and designed two new models for us. One of them is the sweater „Winter Wind“, in which we find the red variant almost even more beautiful than the actual title picture. So you have to take a look.

And then there's the „Bias Blocks“-Schal, for which Anne knitted and photographed a lot of color combinations.

We are very curious to see which shawlcombs and sweater colors you choose.

For the next project, we would almost have left everything standing and lying down again and immediately struck. The talk is of „Mysa Shawl“ by Aegyoknit, who by the way also makes the rounds with you right now.

The guide is beginner-friendly and free of charge. The temptation, of course, is already very great. We also find the multi-colored variant particularly beautiful.

Also of Aegyoknit is the „Ulalume Blouse“. The manual has been around for some time, but somehow we had the sweater on the screen so far. Well, better late than never: We have now created it for you as a knitting kit so you can get started right away. Provided, of course, you are not just about to start your second sock.

Continue with a project where you don’t have to worry that you’ll hit it quickly in between. The talk is of the super-noble „Quill Blouse“ by Odd Row. The materials alone ensure that this project is approached with a little more peace and patience. Mulberry Silk and Silk Mohair from Isager also give the blouse an incredibly beautiful, soft case.

Two models from the current Sandnes-Kollektion They have clearly been your favorites in the last few days. Both of them surprised us a bit, because they are much more playful than we are used to from Sandnes:

And of course, we have this Highlight of the day lifted to the very end. All those who always read our contributions diligently until the end are now rewarded: We have a new yarn!

We know this information is particularly vulgar right now that you have all been trying so hard not to cause a new UFO tragedy. But we just can't keep it to ourselves any longer.

There is talk of „Elements DK“ by Èriu. The yarn consists of 100% pure Irish wool and comes directly from our own farm and from a selected Fair Trade network of Irish farmers. The mixture of Romney lamb wool and Bluefaced Leicester makes the yarn particularly soft, but at the same time durable and provides a beautiful shine and fall.

The colours also tell their own story: The Elements collection is divided into four pallets: air, water, fire and earth. Each of them is inspired by a specific place in Irand where the element is particularly noticeable. Even the colour names take up Irish mythology and make the entire collection a bit more special.

In short: a lot of Ireland in very nice balls.

That's it for us today. We will send you to the knitting weekend and perhaps one or the other has awakened a guilty conscience. Who knows, maybe at the weekend a UFO will actually be brought out of the damnation and finally completed. If yes, please tell us.

We will read each other again in two weeks and wish you good success in your old, new and perhaps still ready knitting projects until then.