Saturday, September 4, 2010

31 Days

It started at 31 days. My Birthday is on the 31st. On the 30th, I got wonderful gifts from my friends. In particular, a skein of beautiful wool LACE-weight from Amanda. Really, honey-it's not sock weight. And, looking at it, it shouldn't be made into socks. It should be made into something eye-catching, something not hidden in shoes.

The following day, my birthday, it occurred to be that it would be about 31 days until I met my boyfriend's parents for the first time. We will be going up to New York to visit. Then it really hit me. I need a Hostess Gift! For people I have never met. I am not new to the giving of hostess gifts, but normally I know the person before hand. On this one, I am flying blind.

I start trying to pry more information from my boyfriend. Ever the good secret agent, his lips are sealed. His mother likes crosswords and knitting, his father reads. Great. At least I have somethings in common with them. Like breathing air and drinking tea.

Okay, sarcasm aside, I've got an in with the knitting thing. I don't know her to get her yarn. You definitely need to know a person to buy that kind of a gift. I don't know her knitting style or what she prefers to knit with or make? Cotton, wool, silk or (gasp) acrylic? Scarves, doilies, afghans, pot holder or sweaters? Large projects or small?

Then I saw the yarn from my birthday and it spun out in my mind and imagination into a gorgeous light lacy scarf. Simple and elegant and a perfect gift. And I had 31 days to make it. I've been at it for less than a week and I've hit that point.

That point is why I don't make scarves. I am at the point where the scarf has stop growing. I still am working on it. Row after row. I took today and tonight off from doing anything just to knit and lay on an heating pad. And the scarf has stopped growing. I have just spent 2 solid hours knitting and watching TV and I swear it is the same size as when I started.

I don't know if I can go on. I don't know if physics will continue to defy me and keep the scarf from growing into the ultimate gift. But if it does finish, it will not go alone. I have tea coming in from Europe and some homemade jelly (the way to any man's good graces is through his tummy), and I am complimenting other small possibilities.

But 31 days will be the kicker. And If I'm putting all of my nervous energy into the scarf, I can't really get nervous about meeting the folks for the first time, right?

Right?




1 comment:

  1. It will grow. It's like a magic trick, some strange yarny illusion that escapes knowing and understanding. Like a pot that never boils while you watch it, thus scarves never grow while you measure them. Throw away the tape measure and knit and suddenly it will be the right length.
    Good luck with the visit.

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