(k)not Having Fun

[funkyreporter]

Okay. So I'm making this Dusty Breezer or Breezy Duster, whatever it's called from the 99 cent pattern site

http://www.e-patternscentral.com/

and I'm using Microspun which I really like working with (though I have heard others comment about it's tendency to split and such) and I got a knot last night. It was late so I figured that was my cue to put the crochet down for the night and watch stupid TV, deal with it in the morning.

 

So I take my crochet to work with me to my assignment at Downtown Criminal Court on the 9th Floor (the murder floor 'cause that floor is designated for high-profile murder cases) and I get there early, nothing started so I take out my knot pile.

 

First off, it definitely GREW overnight. I know it did, because it was just a small tangle, not really a knot at all last night, and I took it out of the bag this morning and the ENTIRE SKEIN HAD SCRUNCHED INTO A KNOT!!!! (maybe it was the negative atmosphere of my work assignment - I don't know.) So turns out crime must be down 'cause there was only an itty bit of work to do in the courtroom and then sit and wait for the deputies to bring us a murderer... but all's he did was sharpen pencils for two hours.... while I tried to untangle my knot FOR TWO HOURS!!!!!!

 

I got it down to a small inpenatrable nappy little section at which point I requested scissors from the bailiff. You cannot bring scissors into murder court - not through the first floor weapons screening and definitely not through the 9th floor weapons screening - so I solved my problem *snip* and then *snip*... and tied the two ends back together...

 

which got me to thinking: was this really worth it? how much could I have accomplished on my breezy duster or dusty breezer in those two hours if I'd just snipped in the first ten minutes and went onto the next skein? I'm usually the knot queen, or the queen of getting out knots, with my motto of NEVER PULL IT TIGHT... I thought I could do it... I really did... and I gave it my very best, but in the end, the knot won.

 

And now it's sitting in a county trash can on the 9th floor downtown in murder court, and I'm happily crocheting along on my sweater in my cozy cottage! (So whose having fun now you *bleeping* knot?)

[dazy]

i'll tell you why you didn't just snip and go on. because to do so would be to admit defeat. and you can't let the knot win. you may have had to cut it in the end, but you fought the good fight. after all, it's not the loss of yarn or time. it's the principle of the thing.

[Shelleden]

well put, Dazy!!

[faedragon]

I view it just the opposite from Dazy, I would have snipped that knot after the first 5 minutes: To snip is not to admit defeat, it is showing that rebellious yarn , the yarn that refuses t obehave and go gently ito a beautifully crafted,lovingly made item, that you are indeed in charge! You are the boss and it will end up either in a wonderful crocheted item or useless in the trash. So next time, just snip,with the certain knowledge that rebellious yarn will not win!!

[funkyreporter]

I view it just the opposite from Dazy, I would have snipped that knot after the first 5 minutes: To snip is not to admit defeat, it is showing that rebellious yarn , the yarn that refuses t obehave and go gently ito a beautifully crafted,lovingly made item, that you are indeed in charge! You are the boss and it will end up either in a wonderful crocheted item or useless in the trash. So next time, just snip,with the certain knowledge that rebellious yarn will not win!!

 

Ya know, I would have accomplished a LOT more had I been crocheting for two hours instead of being yarn-challenged...

 

Ah, but you shoulda seen the size of the scissors I snipped it with! I had to borrow them from the bailiff, and I tell you, it was a tough decision: Can I borrow your scissors? or Toss me your side-arm, would ya?...

[Niccers]

LOL.

 

Sounds like you took that knot to court, tried and convicted it, and sentenced it to death.

 

I love that pattern. Im going to get it myself today I think.

 

I try to unknot it myself. I have a 20 month old that thinks Mom's yarn is the greatest toy ever. She loves to unravel a skein by just grabbing ahold of it anywhere and pull, pull, pull until Mom's skein is a huge tangle. She got ahold of my cotton yarn box one day and made a huge huge mess. It took me two days to detangle and rewind all that yarn back into balls.

[fuzzy ferret]

Oooooh I bought this pattern about a month ago or so. I am soo wanting to start on this thing, but I dont know if I'm gonna have the patience to get with it. I'm gonna need some serious motivation!! Cant wait to see your finished duster Paulette!!!

 

Krystal

[Deb]

I pride myself on being a master *knot untier*... but this has got me wondering... How much happier would I be.. if I would just snip and continue?

 

But then I think of all those yarn bits lying in a landfill... and I get all upset. That would NOT do at all.

[funkyreporter]

Oooooh I bought this pattern about a month ago or so. I am soo wanting to start on this thing, but I dont know if I'm gonna have the patience to get with it. I'm gonna need some serious motivation!! Cant wait to see your finished duster Paulette!!!

 

Krystal

 

Krystal, don't be intimidted - this thing is stitching up really quickly AND it is fun! It's not exactly doing the same thing over and over, but it's doing the same four things over and over, so that's kinda cool. You work it up from the bottom, to the armpits, so that's just a nice repetative back and forth kinda thing... I'll let you know when I have to put arms on and shape the neck and stuff if I'm still having such a rip-roaring fun time! And maybe Ah Leah will help me post a picture of it... she helped me once before....

[theworm]

sometimes the yarn has to be put in its place. If I get a small knot, I'll lovingly try to work it out, but if the yarn behaves beligerantly and the knot grows, I find that I have to use punishment tactics. There is no such thing as bad yarn, but there are yarn behaviors that just can not be tollerated!

[funkyreporter]

sometimes the yarn has to be put in its place. If I get a small knot, I'll lovingly try to work it out, but if the yarn behaves beligerantly and the knot grows, I find that I have to use punishment tactics. There is no such thing as bad yarn, but there are yarn behaviors that just can not be tollerated!

 

Oh, you are SO right. I let this yarn act up for WAY TOO LONG!

 

And I think this was BAD yarn. It tied it's whole skein into a knot overnight - the entire thing! It was unbelievable... I'd never seen anything like it!

 

But I will NOT fall into that trap again. 15 minutes, tops, and out come the scissors... I'll sneak up on it if it tries to run... and as far as the yarn going in a landfill - I'll just toss it on the lawn and maybe some bird will want to ues it in their nest!

[eyenowhour]

Sometimes knots drive me crazy and I just have to cut them out. Other times I fight the knot and decide it's worth trying to get out. True, if I just cut the knot out in the first place, I could spend more time crocheting. I'd never really thought of that in the first place. Then again, I feel bad throwing out leftover strands of yarn. I try to cut long ends for sewing, so I usually have some yarn left over. I don't want to throw out that leftover yarn. I don't know why. I guess I feel that I can use it to put eyes or something on another project. It actually just ends up sitting on my table, gathering dust.

[theworm]

Actually, I don't have tons of patience with knots, but when I get one, my first attack is generally "Honey". For some reason, my hubby has patience and will actually try to defeat the knots for me. He is a saint! I've only have him resort to the scissor once. I cut much faster than he.