I'd bought the kit (kit = pattern + 1 skein of yarn) from Morehouse Farms and the project went very well! It was an easy knit. But I did get help from one of the experienced ladies at KAB, who helped me make "crochet puff" eyeballs, and I just threaded some black yarn in for the center portion. I absolutely love it. So you can get the baby gator kit, or the adult sized one. Folks on Ravelry said the adult scarf came out a bit short, and they added extra rows of bumps on the gator's back.
I found this to be the case with the baby alligator pattern, as well - so I added 2 extra rows. It's still short, but I have a feeling that this scarf is just as much of a toy/novelty as it is a functional scarf - I could see a little one just dragging it around with him, or playing with it, rather than wearing it, which would give me just as much enjoyment anyway, so I didn't worry too much about lengthening it any more. But there was enough yarn left on the skein that it could have been longer if you wanted it to be. As for the texture of the yarn - it's merino yarn (sportweight), which many people commented on, saying that this Morehouse type is quite rough and scratchy.
It is, and you can find softer yarn out there, but others said that too soft of a yarn, and the bumps will collapse too easily. I though the yarn was just fine. It'll probably soften after use and washings anyway. I did purchase a new pair of bamboo needles to knit this project on - I'd tried to use the $2 plastic ones in my collection, but with all of the M1 stitches in the pattern, the plastic ones just bent to easily and my fingers ached when I repeatedly had to manually pull open the M1 stitch to complete it. Everyone knocks my cheap (frugal), day-glow neon colored (brightly colored), straight needle collection, but hey, they're fine for many projects. Just not this one. Some people just use circular needles all the time, in place of straight and DPN needles. And I think at some point in the future, I'll break down and get the Addi-Turbo interchangeable set, but that's an expensive set and I'm holding off. For what, I don't know. Probably until I have the feeling that I'm an experienced enough knitter to warrant the investment. I think the fact that they're metal puts me off, as I've had horrible experiences using metal DPNs before (where my stitches has slipped off the practically frictionless needles)... but... I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I cave and succumb to modern technology.Speaking of technology - I never seem to be on the cutting edge, or even the dull butter knife edge, for that matter. I'm probably the only person on earth to not have a facebook page (although that's largely by personal choice, not technology limitations). And I prefer hand-written thank you notes to e-mails, and scrap-books to Shutterfly photo books. But - I do think I am a cutting edge technology theorist: I did tell Jason a year or so ago "hey they should make 'portable Internet' at some point", to which I received a hearty laugh, an eyeball roll, and a "Cindy-Lou Who" pat on the head followed by the "silly wife..." comment. And wouldn't you know it - now they have Mi-Fi (which I may be getting along with an iTouch). I would like that eyeball roll stricken from the record, please, since this is proof that I'm a technology VISIONARY. (Just not someone good at actually using it.)
4 comments:
To set the record straight, I'd like to add that your original idea was a device that could "charge up" internet usage like a battery, not one that accesses the internet via cell phone signals. Regardless, I do think you will enjoy the Mi-Fi.
The alligator is too cute -- I could totally see a baby/toddler having a hoot with it.
As to knitting technology, I hear it moves pretty fast, so watch out about getting the Addi-Turbo too soon. Before you know it there'll be some metal-polymer hybrid needles that'll provide the strength you want with just the right amount of resistance. Keep an eye out!!
Hello Amar!!! You're so kind!
Hi Jason!!! OK, that was Ilissa's mom who made the comment about charging up the internet. I didn't say that. But I do respect Ilissa's mom for being a visionary as well.
I like the plan we laid out of getting the iTouch with the Mi-Fi. No Droid for me. Maybe they can put the "get one Droid free" credit to your account somehow....
That alligator is amazing. Now the cool mom would knit a second alligator so that the toddler can get the alligators to fight against each other.
As for your technology vision, you sound a bit like Al Gore when he said he invented the internet. Besides, as the best scrapper that I know, why do you want to fool around with all this silly technology anyway.
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