Wednesday, August 15, 2007

a great big pain in the...hand

Have you ever worked on something for what seems like ages, and then all of a sudden you come to an awful realization, say like you made a mistake near the beginning of a loong scarf or something and didn't notice until you were almost finished? In my case, I worked over a third of a graph afghan and realized that it was going to be waaaay too big....

I should preface this by saying that my wonderful friend Pammy asked me a couple of months ago to make a graph pattern for her first grandbaby due in the Fall, to which I of course agreed. I started it and then promptly left it for a month or so few weeks to finish a few other things and such, thinking, as all procrastinators do: "Well I have until October, LOTS of time!!!" Then a couple weeks ago I realized my lots of time had ticked away, as time will do, and decided to hunker down and start seriously working on this thing....and so I did...and I worked very hard, trying to bang away 10-15 rows a night...and so my hand began to hurt--a lot--and this weekend I decided to take a day or two off from the marathon of evening crochet...and it was at this point that Cee made this innocent comment: "Gee, that's turning out to be a really big blanket...." To which I replied, "Oh.. no...wait, do you think so??" Heartsick, I tried to float down the river of denial for as long as I could, but once the idea was in my head it wouldn't get out, don't you just hate that? And after I measured and did some arithmetic (never my strong point) I figured that by the time this baby blanket was finished it was going to be over 5 feet in length without the border...I just knew I'd have to frog all 23 inches of my graph ghan in progress. Honestly it's not my fault....the pattern I have was meant for filet thread crochet, so I was kind of winging it for baby yarn, having to guess hook size and which stitch to use....Sure, I could have left it, and then maybe when it was complete, they could have used it for a hallway runner...nothing would appease me, not even Cee saying "Well, just keep this one and start them another one", to which I replied, "But then I'd have to buy more yarn..." At this point he made a noise sounding suspiciously like a scoff and said "You'd do that anyway..." Humph! No, I made the decision, took a deep breath, and started ripping. It took me most of Sunday afternoon and evening just to rip the dang thing out. I was actually nauseous, thinking about all that hard work, all those yarn strands I had to keep untwisting while I worked, and then had to do the same thing when I ripped it back out....live and learn, what can you do? And so now, a few days later, the ghan has been restarted with a smaller hook and in single crochet.....and when it is done I will be very glad to see the back of it....my hand still hurts, and time, she is not on my side...but it WILL get finished!

I harvested the first 3 tomatoes yesterday and took a picture, here it isn't:

Two of my maters were only the size of raspberries, but one was your typical cherry tomato size....they tasted pretty good, and I felt very fulfilled, maybe the way a farmer would when he had sown his seeds and tended and then harvested his crop, well okay maybe not, but you get the idea, I started singing "The Circle of Life" and danced around my kitchen, eating my cherry tomatoes....not really, but I guess this sort of proves that my thumb is a little bit green after all.

7 comments:

LadyLinoleum said...

All I can say is I've been there! Take care of your hand. I suffer when I'm working on a deadline. It sucks. Stop and stretch regularly. It helps. Also, if you can get a hand massage, that will help too.

flutter said...

definitely go for the massage and see if you can get to a chiro, and YAY for the tomatoes!

Sharon said...

Sorry you had to frog something you worked so hard at! I'm with Flutter, massage would be great. Also one of those squeezy hand exercisers might help keep your muscles and tendons flexible--that is, if it isn't too painful. I hope it's not serious. And I celebrate with you about the 'maters! It's satisfying to harvest and enjoy something you've spent all season growing.

Wanda Kay said...

I've made some mistakes while counting a graph and it just stinks having to rip all the work out. I feel so bad for you, but now that it is restarted it won't take you long and it will be beautiful.

Kiki said...

You guys are all so cool, commiserating with me and giving me great suggestions like massage, etc. Thanks!!

Pam's Corner; said...

Ohhh Kiki, I feel so badly for you, your poor hand! I give you thumbs up though, you didn't give up even though 99% of us would have... LOL I am so sorry I sent this pattern to you, I thought for sure you'd have no probems with it... Kayla owes you big time! LOL

Kiki said...

Aw Pammy don't feel bad! It's just bad luck that the stitch and the hook weren't right, that's all, the pattern isn't hard at all, just tedious with all the colour changes.