It's Called "Luck," Mon Frere

I suppose if the Pillsbury Doughboy loses a lot of weight in his head he might like this. I think I'll just call this one "the anti-beret" and go hit the liquor cabinet.

What's up with this knitting thing? How is it that there's always a little bit of somethin' somethin' that's missing? Either it's too big or it's too small. Other times, it doesn't hang right and has enough errors to draw a crowd, or smacks you right across the face with HOMEMADE  instead of handmade. Plus, I can just hear someone whisper there, behind me, to her crony: "she didn't get gauuuuge...." But you know what? I did. I did get gauge. I got gauge I got gauge, I got it got it got it! I did.

Trust me on this one friends: Gauge has only a little bit to do with true Knitting Success. I have to say, however; this Malabrigo in Velvet Grape didn't hurt it a bit. The hurting part? That was all up to me.

Let's just hope my sister's head is as small as I think it is.

And let's also hope these fingerless gloves aren't too small for Girlfriend's kindergarten teacher. They're a little tight on me and try as I might get her to shake my hand this morning so I could gauge her size, she just kept backing away, probably thinking I was going to test out some sort of new, secret handshake or that I wanted to hold her hand. Poor Girlfriend.

Comments

[karen]

is that the midnight knitter's potluck fingerless pattern? i love that one! most of my gifts this year look eerily similar to that there pair of mittens! :)

[sara l]

ahhh.
Made mittens for the oldest son's aide at school. Now i find myself trying to judge if her hands are close to my size.
i might be drawing too much attention.
good thing the jaywalkers i just knit her "fit like a glove", i'm not so sure of my success with the mittens.
such is life.

[Lizbon]

Oh I just love the image of you trying like heck to get her to hold your hand so you can guess her mitten size. It's so very Agent 86, somehow.

Also, I know that Velvet Grapes of old. It is the kitten's grape juice - or some similarly nonsensical form of hyperbole.

[Carson]

Oh my, she does have a small head doesn't she?
And you're knitting for Girlfriend's teacher? You are unstoppable! :)

[Lesley]

I really shouldn't be laughing but I got such a picture of you trying to shake hands - fab!!
At least your sister's beret won't blow away in a strong gust of wind :)

[john]

you are too funny.

i love the hat though. funky, whimsical, and....

wait. did i just say whimsical???!?! speaking of liquor......

[gay]

love the hat and from what i've seen of your sister she can pull it off, if not there is always girlfriend. she's probably goood for a few hand me downs or is she already at the i'm so cool and picky age? the gloves looks super and the teacher is sooo lucky. even if she didn't want to shake hands which during flu season in a school is probably a particularly wish idea!

[gay]

a wise idea i meant to say!

[Rhonda the Stitchingnut]

You made me laugh. "Hello, I'm girlfriend's Mommy and I want to hold your hand." Snicker.

[robinv]

I love this...."smacks you right across the face with HOMEMADE instead of handmade." You nailed it! I wish I had your courage to gift with handmades.

[valena]

gay: i actually like the phrase "wish idea". sounds dreamy; christmas-y. :)

[Gina]

A teacher who wouldn't shake your hand? That is bizarre. But then again, I don't know how madly you were pursuing her. Good luck with the fit on your knitted gifts. This is why I'm a selfish knitter.

[Wendy]

I talk to her everyday, so the idea that I was trying to shake her hand when I already did that the day we met must have seemed strange, I think.

[becky]

For the record, I think the anti-beret is exactly the knit the husband wants when he's been asking me for a "turkish" hat.

[Tracey]

Kindergarten teacher? She was probably trying to be polite and not share ten million kindergarten germs. Kindergartener's are always the sickest group of kids. Their little bodies just can't stand up to all those school germs yet. I'm sure they will fit fine though.

[Lindsey]

Hahaha, gift knitting always makes for good story time.

[gina L]

Hey, if it doesn't fit your sister it could look grand on Girlfriend. You are just too funny lady! Merry Christmas!

[technikat]

I knit a hat out of Malabrigo. It's a lovely yarn but my hat stretched out a lot and the ribbed edge doesn't pull in at all anymore.
So maybe this chic beret
will stretch a bit too.

[Renee]

I'm in the middle of a Knitty Tam pattern, and worrying that it will look a lot like your photo. Prayers are definitely needed!

[darlene]

got gauge...haha!! i laugh at the face of gauge! i am a true rogue knitter....i hate swatching, so i just use the needles the yarn suggests and hope (ok pray) that i got the gauge....so far its worked out. but if it doesnt, it goes into my pile o xmas/bday gifts for lil baby, toddler and kids. my mom requests knitted things at times. then it becomes a task to get gauge but i do get it! i got it i got it i got it...i got it too... (shakes and does gauge dance)

[Jeanette]

The idea that gauge has very little to do with knitting success is terrifying for a new pattern-knitter like me. Sure, I've knit stuff on the fly without swatching... but it's usually stuff I created myself and can try on as I go. I'm just now starting to knit other peoples' patterns... and gauge is the only thing I have to make me feel secure... to silence that tiny voice in the back of my head "THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE/TINY".

So, seasoned pattern knitters/inventors, if gauge isn't the key to true knitted success, what is?

[Wendy]

It's called "luck."

[Knitting Nettie]

Gauge is over-rated, I hate it and I hate swatching. I just knit and then check my gauge at some point. Foolish I know, but even when I do check it can come out wrong...and either way I am frogging. I just roll the dice, I'm crazy like that!

[mari]

If only I was as lucky to have a student's mom knit me a gift. What a great gift for a teacher. They will be perfect for chilly mornings at recess.

[Jayme]

When trying to covertly look/touch someone's hand for glove/mitten sizing I have been known to admire their ring, if they are wearing one. It's a good excuse to grab their hand and get a good look.