Saturday, January 09, 2010

Chasing the Frog

This week I picked up a tiny deep water frog for our dining room tank. Now when you research this breed there are oodles of things you're supposed to do to ensure their health and safety. So I came home and promptly set about performing all of them; nevermind the logic that points out that frogs live without this stuff in the wild and also that when the government intervenes in health and safety guidelines it's usually impracticable..

I built a little habitat within the larger tank which the frog steadfastly refuses to live in. And spent a fair amount of time dip netting and chasing, trying to corral him toward it. A few days later I shifted it to the area he seemed to prefer...he promptly moved to the corner it had previously been placed in. All in all he seems more content to burrow his head into the rocks and moon us. I finally decided to let him be, if he dies, well, he dies. At the same time, I wonder if my recent struggles have been someone dip netting my personal aquarium, trying to guide me in a certain direction, while I just burrow in and moon the universe.



This is the Rib Yoke Cardigan from Summertime Knits by Classic Elite. Knit in New Tweed by Takhi and since I've previously shown my gorgeous seaming I won't show it again. My modifications were few, I changed the buttons to accomodate 3 bigger buttons on top. In the Stash and Burn group on Ravelry there is a thread about 3 button cardis. And it is true that certain cardigans lend themselves well to this treatment, keeping your clavicles warm while letting out that "over a certain age" heatwave. At the same time, there are those occasions when I want full torso warmth. So I put three eyecatching buttons at the top, then used buttons that blend in completely for the rest. Voila...I can wear it either way.

This project was also an object lesson in why you should swatch, wash & dry swatch, then measure. My washed gauge achieved I set off on the project. And spent the whole time thinking...this is too small, this will never fit, I will have to lose my twinkie arms to wear this, etc. Finished it, blocked it, and it fits great!

Hope I remember that lesson.

3 comments:

ChelleC said...

Beautiful. I love that sweater. Perfect fit. This is a project that turned out wonderfully.

And your analogy about the frog/toad refusing to be directed and mooning you - gosh you may be right. That's an analogy for not only your situation, but the one with my daughter too. Time to put the net away.

tina said...

I love the sweater! It looks really great on you------- of a certain age or not!!!

ChelleC said...

I also love your idea of having the 3 buttons at the top being more decorative - and then the button on bottom to blend in. I agree it's MUCH more flattering for those of us of a certain age.