Over the edge

Last night I got home late (there were switching problems on the T), fed the cat and then pulled out my copy of Knitting Over the Edge.  Out came a skein of classic sportweight Red Heart.  I swatched a number edgings (notably the holed ruffle and some of the flowers).  I was on a quest of sorts for a good base for a wreath.  I like the braided wreaths I've been making, but they are time consuming and aren't as much fun to embellish.  There is no point in doing this unless it is fun.  The holiday bazaar doesn't really make me money as much as it helps even out the cost of my hobby.

I loved making the holed ruffle (I like making ruffles a lot more than I like wearing ruffles).  I made a large one and tried to bend it into a wreath.  It was then I remembered that taking a flat or mostly flat thing, like knitting, doesn't necessarily yield a flat thing when met on end.  I had the worlds twee-est wrist cuff or the world's briefest knit miniskirt.  It wasn't a completely useless endeavor.  The ruffle when twisted together (or spiraled) makes a pretty nifty looking flower.  It just wasn't quite what I was looking for.

Some of my experiments were useful.  Nothing gave me a wreath, but folding and twisting pieces of knitting made it clear that I could use some of these shapes as a base for a bell.  I have jingle bells, so it would not be difficult to make and embellish.  And it is fun, cute, and doesn't take 5-6 hours.  Score!

Of course, this morning when I woke up hours before dawn I decided to try it.  A cute little fluted bell shape (which I didn't have the brains to photograph) and a game plan for doing the ornaments and my small amount of holiday knitting and my slightly larger amount of charity knitting.

As for charity knitting.  I started squares for Oliver's Blanket.  I also decided to finally frog the Bakerloo socks.  I don't think I can use the yarn from them for anything terribly nice (I still need to see if a bath can save the frogged yarn), but this frees up the wonderful remaining half skeins for the squares.  A good use of a terribly early morning.