For reasons only partially clear to me the sons of a friend of mine had Christmas Stockings with the same name and date knitted on them, only they are not twins and don't have the same name. I think they may have been using them just like that for a while, but through Facebook my friend saw that I have a little bit of knitting experience and asked if I could do anything for them. The stockings were knitted with love by a family member and while they were willing to have me knit an entire stocking for them I was happy to be able to save as much of the original knitting as possible and just re-knit the name section.
Surgery begins. Scalpel Scissors...
The stocking was originally knitted flat from the top down. I removed the section with the name, but left the rib at the top and the stocking itself intact and then picked up stitches and re-worked the name section in the round (even purling one stitch to make a 'fake seam' to line up with the original seam).
Then I Kitchener grafted the top of the stocking to the main body.
I had plenty of white yarn from the pulled out section, but the change from knitting flat to carrying the yarn in the round ate up the green and I ran out on the last round after the name and before the date. Seriously. These things always happen when I am working on something.
Those who know me might well imagine the angst this caused. I had choices! I obviously needed to obtain more yarn, but what would I do after that? Would the perfectionist in me pull out the entire work just so there was no discernable difference in yarn and dye lot? Or would the practical mind win out (STOP LAUGHING!!!! I do have a practical side....)? I mean (the practical mind kept saying) it will be on the back of the stocking. Where nobody will see it when it is hung by the chimney with care. And it is doubtful that Reid will ever notice as he digs in to find what Santa filled it with. And there is that part of me that loses all forward momentum when faced with these little setbacks. WHAT should I DO?!
2012. In a huge moment of growth and maturity I did the thing most everybody would do. I knitted that one line of knitting, on the back, with a different yarn!!!!! And then I got it into the mail and on its way back to the owner before I could change my mind. We all know it would only whisper to me as long as it was here......
Beautiful Terry. You saved a family heirloom. They'll always remember that. Very sweet of you. Jane
Posted by: Jane Fryburg | December 12, 2012 at 08:38 PM
I am so proud of you!
Posted by: Cookie | December 12, 2012 at 10:24 PM
Oh thank goodness you went with the practical way. Hooray for you! Great job on that fix, it looks perfect.
Posted by: Carole | December 13, 2012 at 05:53 AM
I completely love that you did this. Creative solution, and I know your friends will appreciate it.
Posted by: Ruth | December 13, 2012 at 07:01 AM
Good job! You did something special for a friend. No one will know and the stocking will be well loved and used for years!
Posted by: margene | December 13, 2012 at 08:35 AM
Yay, Terry! That was a perfectly acceptable - and sane - decision!
Posted by: CyndiG | December 13, 2012 at 05:39 PM
Terry, thank you so much! My mother always knit each family member a stocking when they were born or married into our family. My mom died 16.5 years ago. The stocking you changed for us was knit by my sister who also made one for our third son, Bryce, when he was born. She didn't realize that our mother had made one for Graham who was only a year old when Mom died. Doug's mom, Charlotte, made one for our next son, Cole, when he was born, but it was very painful for her hands. So when Reid came along and both of the knitters in our family were unable to make one last stocking we used Graham's "extra" stocking and pinned Reid's name to it. A couple of years ago we decided we needed to come up with a solution. When Doug saw what an avid knitter you were he thought he might be able to convince you to give it a try. We truly appreciate your willingness and amazing skill! Reid will be so surprised and excited when he sees it! My sister used larger gauge needles and yarn than my mom so Bryce and Reid have bigger stockings...looks like they will get an extra pair of socks or tube of toothpaste! Thank you again for your help.
Posted by: Beth T | December 14, 2012 at 02:22 AM