It happened without warning. One minute I was happily knitting on The Great American Afghan. I had turned the pages often enough to know every square. I'd read and re-read the various directions and had developed an easy familiarity with the patterns. In short, we were growing comfortable with each other.
It was a chance encounter. I was lingering near the book rack at Janna's Needle Arts when I spotted it. Another afghan book with a similar name. Intrigued, I casually picked it up and gave it a quick once-over. There, under the heading of "pattern 5" was this....this square. It was designed by Jacqueline Jewett. There were no words to describe it. The directions stated it was knit on two straight needles --- yet the pattern looked as though it was knit in the round. In short, it was unlike anything my other book brought into our relationship. Well, there was no harm in purchasing The Great American Afghan, was there? Maybe I could knit a few pillow covers later on.
Dan saw my purchase and raised an eyebrow. Wisely, he said nothing. I figured I could put the book in my bookshelf and take it out occasionally. No such luck. This new book wanted attention! Then, in a moment of weakness, I rethought my idea of knitting two sets of squares from The Great American Aran Afghan. Without carefully considering the long-term consequences, I decided that my 40 squares would all be different. 
Little did I know that this new square had sadistic qualities cleverly masquerading as bobbles. And not just any bobbles either. These bobbles required lots of turns to be satisfied. And the pattern was greedy. It seemed that no sooner had I completed one bobble that the pattern called for another!
Little did I know that this new square had sadistic qualities cleverly masquerading as bobbles. And not just any bobbles either. These bobbles required lots of turns to be satisfied. And the pattern was greedy. It seemed that no sooner had I completed one bobble that the pattern called for another!The square knitted up slowly, openly defying me as I pushed toward my goal of completion by Mother's Day. I refused to let this bit of fluff get the best of me and was finally able to join the completed edge late Sunday evening. I was too tired to block it until Monday.
I'm back with The Great American Aran Afghan. Only time will tell if it has forgiven me.
7 comments:
Ooooh--I did a sweater with bobbles recently. It was my first experience with those little bits of hell. My bobbles took nine rows each. Your square looks absolutely beautiful, so you must have done them right! Oh, and I think 40 different squares is a great idea. How bored would you get repeating squares? I'd have "second-square syndrome" in no time.
That is beautiful!
Thanks for visiting! I have been coveting that sweater pattern since my very first visit to a yarn shop when I was a very new knitter. When I mastered fair isle I just had to buy it.
That square is seriously gorgeous! I really love those bobbles, though they can be a little piece of hell to get through! I recently found out that something simmilar to bobbles in lace are often called 'nupps.' Sounds really cute and innocent, doesn't it?! ha! P5tbl indeed! And they always travel in packs....
Oh, and by the way, you've been tagged! :) Check my blog.
Isn't there a similar square in the aran afghan?
Btw: I actually take the bobbles out of some of the squares. You will see what I mean if I can ever get the next square going.
The square looks great. I, too, like the idea of knitting no two alike. (I thought that was what you were doing, already. I guess I didn't pay enough attention, eh?) =)
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