Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Overload

Today I'm going to attempt to convince myself you that knitting does not, in fact, suck arse and that I don't have the most boringest knitting blog in the history of knitting blogs (why no, the green scarf isn't done yet. How'd you guess?) by releasing a deluge of cuteness upon you. Even with my sanity hanging by a mere thread (or, in this case, a light fingering weight dark green 50% angora, 50% merino), I'm hoping that I'll you'll read this post and remember that, yes, knitting (and anything knit-related, really) is indeed wonderful and totally worth losing your mind knitting the same f***ing 8 rows from a bottomless wee skein that never gets any smaller, all in the hopes of making a scarf that will probably make me cringe whenever I look at it it.


A while back I experienced one of those classic "Tara's gone and had a great heaping slice of crazy pie"TM moments. I was meeting up with my friend Caroline at her LYS when it *suddenly* dawned on me that she was pregnant - despite knowing about her condition for about 8 months (my ability to ignore the obvious is legendary). She was VERY pregnant, which was a total miracle because for the longest time she didn't think she could get pregnant, and I wouldn't be seeing her again before the baby came, and I totally needed to get her a gift. Wait, I needed to knit her a gift.


Nothing out of the ordinary, right? Except that I had this epiphany on a Thursday, and I was meeting her that Sunday. That right there would be the crazy-pie part.


Booties! I thought. Booties don't take too much time, I can totally crank out a pair of booties in 3 evenings, right? Off to Ravelry I went, but nothing was really standing out to me. These seemed too girly, these were adorable but I didn't have anything suitable in the stash, these were OK I guess but sort of... meh. Click, click, click... and then I found them. The perfect ones. They had just the right balance of cuteness and knitterly-ness.


Pattern: Duck, from the 2010 Spring + Summer Knitty
Yarn: String Theory Caper Sock in Bee's Knees
Needles: 2.5 mm
Modifications: none

I admit, I got a bit scared when the "Essentials Only" version still printed out eleven pages of bootie pattern. I worried when I read a few people's comments on Ravelry about the knitted-on i-cord being an incredible time-suck (this was before the green scarf. I mock you, i-cord weanies). But once I cast on, I was completely charmed. I kept forcing Phil and the children to admire admiring them, cooing over them as I would a real baby.


So charmed was I that I immediately cast on for a second pair (using some DIC smooshy in the Strange Harvest colourway), this time for my good friend Robyn's charming baby Quentin. He'd already arrived, but heck, a late duck bootie is better than none at all, right?


See? Cute, non-sucking-my-will-to-live-and-breathe-endless-green-scarf-of-doom knitting. I can do it.

11 comments:

Knit and Purl Mama said...

Thank you again soooo very much for taking the time to knit a pair of duck socks for Quentin from a 12 page pattern! I would have looked at the pattern and said... "Uh- forgetaboutit".

They're adorable. I've been showing them off to everyone. He loves them. Thank you!

I can't wait to see Caro's baby in his too. I'm seeing her on Thurs, so I'll have Quentin wear his and we'll take a picture of the 2 of them wearing them together. PROMISE!

Thanks again!

Celia said...

Awww look! It's baby Q. It's such a small bloggy world.

Quit showing me cute stuff to knit on cutie babies! My queue is plum full!

Laurie said...

Ok...I was really psyched to knit those duck booties till I read...12 page pattern...eek. Yours looks wonderful, though. I might reconsider...

I have only one word for you - EVENSTAR (13 months of agony and counting)!!!! Evil cackle....

Alrischa said...

I wish that I had duck feet
and I can tell you why...

Sigh. You're right. I need to make some. lol. My friend's unborn baby already has an Elijah, but it will need duck feet, absolutely. Plus, I'm so curious about what could fill 11 pages.

Alrischa said...

P.S. Project monogamy? You just have to find the right excuse, hey? hehehe

Maryse said...

It is really cute! Great choice! I did read that this pattern required many techniques, but as I can see, after, THE scarf, anything is possible! PS Still waiting for spring!!!

Cynthia F said...

Aww very cute!!

Caroline said...

Julien wore his duck booties yesterday and he loved them (he has big feet so they are perfect for him). I'll post a pic on my blog as soon as I have a minute (hopefully before 2012).

Sandra said...

Hey lady - forgot this pattern - did them- very cute
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-moc-a-soc

cauchy09 said...

aw, those are the cutest booties ever!

Sinéad said...

Aw, widdle duck feet! I adore these. And EVERYONE I know here seems to be preggo, so I can make loads!