As you’ve probably spotted, I do love making up my own patterns. But that does take a lot of thinking – so I also love to knit someone else’s pattern and not having to think about shaping and positioning of patterns. I was in just such a mood when I headed into the Woolly Beader a few months ago looking to knit a baby gift.
Having riffled through the baby patterns, I chose one in Debbie Bliss’s Baby Cashmerino 5.
‘That’s what I want,’ I said to Donna, ‘A nice quick easy knit.’
Donna wisely observed that I was slowing myself down with the fair isle.
‘That’s fine, ‘ said I, ‘It’s only a baby cardigan and the fair isle is very simple.’
How wrong I was. But it wasn’t the fair isle that slowed me down. I finished the knitting months ago. But as most knitters, I hate sewing up and sewing threads in.
I know it won’t take that long, but it’s a lesson I need to remind myself of in future: Life’s too short for sewing multiple ends in. (Oh yes, I know I knew that already.) In future please pick me up and give me a good shake if you see me working on any colour work that I’m not totally in love with, or not knitting for someone I really love.
Fortunately the cardigan above is for someone I really love, so I’m off to sew those ends in with a smile on may face 🙂
Dartmoor Creative 
Now that is something I do love, I just sit infront of the telly or with a nice audiobook and sew in those ends, very satisfying. I do it for one of my friends who knits preemie hats ( I do that too) in return I borrow her wool winder from time to time…a bit silly becuase we are very good friends who would do favors for each other anyway! And this is a pretty cardigan!!! xo Johanna
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Yet another reason you should move the UK. I have a wool winder 🙂 xx
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Would love too!!!!
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🙂
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that is going to be lovely when you finish that chore. Don’t feel badly – I ave a vest I knit – all ends are woven in (I work hard to reconfigure pattern to minimize sewing and weaving) but it needs a zipper. I have the zipper. I just haven’t gotten around to sewing it in. In years. 🙂 Maybe next week when I am on vacation. But probably not. 🙂
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Crikey, even I don’t leave sewing ends in for years! Ha ha! Yes, maybe next week when you are on vacation 🙂
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It will be well worth it when it’s done, the colours are lovely! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Totally with you – one colour does me! 🙂
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🙂
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Hmmm… I haven’t done a lot of color work so maybe this is why I think weaving in the ends is rather soothing. I’m sure I’m not the only one – there has to be someone close by into dealing with all your ends and then you can trade tasks, or a couple of pints 🙂
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At first I was drawn to the idea of swapping end sewing, but then I felt all territorial – if I did that, it wouldn’t be all my own work 😦
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I get that feeling but I disagree. If some one helped you, say chop onions or offers to watch you pot of stew while you get to something else, the stew is no less delicious or any less your recipe. You still put in all the creative effort and the hours of knitting, so it’s still all your own work 🙂
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I think we’ll have to agree to disagree. To me, once someone else gets involved it’s a team effort.
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I don’t mind the ends either, just need a good film on the telly.
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Good for you. I never expected to find so many people happy to sew in ends – every conversation I’ve had in the past on the subject has been with people who hate it.
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Lol. I am not friends with ends. When that needs to happen, I need a long while, somewhere quiet and secluded, until they are all done. 🙂
I am sure the cardigan is stunning, and worth all the ends. Well done on such a gorgeous project. 🙂
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Thank you. I knew I wasn’t alone – although I am impressed that quite a few people enjoy doing it – I must work on making it more enjoyable. Will post it finished once it’s been gifted 🙂
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Please share the tucked in and finished cardigan, I’m sure it will be wonderful! And, I have difficulties with the finishing up, too, with sewing. Why is that? Very mysterious…..
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You and I do seem to have the same like/dislikes – shame you don’t live round the corner 😦 Will show cardigan, but in a couple of weeks once I’ve gifted it.
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I know! (I will be around the corner – sort of – next week!)
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Lovely. Off on hols?
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Visiting family in Brecon. 😀
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Have fun! 🙂
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I missed this post – now I see what you mean about procrastinating! Looks lovely from the back. When will we see it from the front?
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I honestly am still sewing it up despite working on it every day – the collar took a lot more knitting than I thought too after this post. Hopefully finished soon, but I won’t post until I’ve gifted it next week, just in case she spots it – although I’m sure she’s way too busy with the new baby to be reading my blog posts.
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