10 January 2008

Freedom!

I now understand why knitters revere Elizabeth Zimmerman.

After reading The Opinionated Knitter and Knitting Without Tears while working on this Icelandic Yoke Sweater, I feel like I have been set free from my knitting, if that makes any sense. A more accurate statement is that I have been set free from some of my former knitting habits that were a bit constraining without me realizing it.

Knitting a sweater body in the round? Oh yeah! I'm already done the body and am ready to start chugging away on the sleeves -- and this is just knitting in the time between dinner and sleep (about 10:00-11:30/12 recently).

I don't know if it's related, but I got a haircut today. A serious haircut. I donated 14" of ponytail to Locks of Love (it was the weirdest feeling to see my stylist standing there, holding my ponytail in her hand). I wish I could show you a picture. It's a reverse bob (aka inverted bob) that in the front comes down to just below my chin, and angles up to a point, like an inverted V, at the back. Suffice to say that I went into the salon with waist-length hair. My hair in back, on the very bottom layer of the cut, at the nape of my neck, is 1/2" long. HALF AN INCH. When my stylist turned on the electric clippers, she said, "DON'T WORRY," which was much-needed. Electric clippers are for men's haircuts; they're what I use to trim my horses. They've never been anywhere near the back of my head.... until today. I feel about 20 pounds lighter. And, let's face it, I look like a model. ::grin::

On a reflective note, this [general nonspecific time period] is a time of intense change for me, and of exciting possibilities. Don't know where all these things are leading, but I'm eager to find out!

Oh, and GOOD NEWS! Internet at home on Tuesday, which means that soon I will be able to upload and share pictures of the Icelandic Yoke Sweater and the haircut and all sorts of things!

1 comment:

Meredith said...

Elizabeth Zimmerman is fantastic - she's the perfect antidote to any possible knitting fear and to a great many knitting prejudices. Except swatches. I don't quite understand her devotion to swatches.

I'm glad to hear you like your new haircut. The first time I cut my hair for Locks of Love, I took off between 12 and 14 inches and my hair was still longer than shoulder length. For me, the worst part was after the first wash, when my hair curled (it had been just wavy before) and I had no idea what to do with it. :P

And yay for the internet! I'm looking forward to seeing sweater pictures. :)