Thursday, March 31, 2011

Where Are They Now?


Back when I was first learning to knit and still using Kniffy Knitter Looms, I made lost of people scarves with . . . novelty yarn (le gasp!). Yes I was one of those crazies buying Fun Fur and other outrageously colored eyelash yarn and knitting tube scarfs on my loom. When I jumped into the craft, that was what was the rage, and like everyone that wore a chopped up sweatshirts and a side ponytail in the 80's, I outgrew it.

My favorite was an excellent scarf with 3 or 4 different yarns (I did make sure the colors were complementary) that ended up being I think 8 feet long in the end. The recipient, bless her heart, adored it and threw it in great artistic loops around her neck upon opening it up. No clue if she still wears it (wouldn't blame her if she doesn't) but at least I knew that she loved the thought and the effort I had put in.

The scarf was so well recieved that I set out to knit everyone one! Well, not everyone, but do recall making at least one neighbor a scarf, and one for my piano teacher, and my piano teacher's daughter. My piano teacher always held awesome holiday parties, including a Valentine's Mother/Daughter Tea, so both she and her daughter got red and pink feathery scarves. Those I know were put to good use for the holiday, then packed away with the Valentine decorations (which is probably the best thing to do with such outrageous scarves).

I also made my mom a scarf, which she doesn't wear because 1) it's a bit itchy, which is unfortunate but can't be helped and 2) she says she "doesn't know how to wear scarves" despite me giving her several pointers (my mom is sweetly a little fashion oblivious, but then again has so many other important things in her mind that it's totally excusable). I think I might ask her permission to frog the scarf and turn it into something else, maybe a lacy table runner, something that doesn't itch.

So when my then-boyfriend's mother's birthday was coming up, I thought a scarf would be perfect! She's a hard person to shop for, "stuff" usually just ends up being clutter around the house. I knew she liked clothes but didn't have a lot of pretty things since she felt self-conscious about her weight, so a lovely scarf in her favorite color seemed just the thing. I found a soft eyelash in a rich shade of purple, and when I showed it to the boyfriend, he was very surprised! That was her EXACT favorite shade! Yay! So I got to work and quickly had the scarf completed and wrapped up. I presented it to her, and she ooohed and ahhhed and put it on right away. Sadly, that was the last time I saw her wear it. In fact, the only other time I saw it, it was on the floor sticking out from under a stack of boxes with all sorts of dust bunnies and shredded newspaper stuck to it. Thankfully, it was only some cheap eyelash, and I quietly added his mom to my "Never again shall I knit for" list. Sad, but also kind of not unexpected. I just really hope the rest of my scarves did not end up this way, or if they did, that I never hear of it and can hang onto the happier memories of muti-colored fluff.

3 comments:

  1. When we put our hearts into the things we knit, it's hard to not care what happens to the scarves, etc. It's the effort and thought that count.

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  2. My second ever scarf was eyelash yarn (on teeny needles - took forever!) and was made with a lot of love. My mum assures me she adores it, but I've never seen her wear it *sigh*

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