Sunday, April 24, 2022

While Miz Kittling Knits: Traces

 


For the past three months, I've had a lot on my mind, and a lot of it is excess baggage. Knitting while watching television serves many purposes for me. One, I'm making something useful and pretty. Two, I'm staying out of trouble. Three, rheumatoid arthritis has reared its ugly head in my family from time to time, and I've learned that knitting helps keep my fingers limber. In fact, if I don't knit for a day or two, my hands begin to hurt. And four, watching television while knitting occupies enough of my brain so that I'm not picking and choosing which tidbits to worry about-- in other words, there's no choosing the juiciest peaches from the mental fruit stand while my needles are clicking and my brain is trying to solve a mystery.

What's the latest project to come off my needles? I thought you'd never ask! I subscribe to Mama in a Stitch's blog, and I couldn't resist her pattern called Knit Squares Blanket Seamless Quilt. I used two strands of Lion Brand Homespun yarn in "Candy Apple" on my size 15 circular needles. This pattern is all kinds of wonderful to me because it's knit all in one piece so I avoid the dreaded sewing pieces together, and I love quilts. Since sewing figuratively ties me up in knots, this knit pattern is the closest I will ever come to making a quilt for myself.

Knitting this was exactly the sort of relaxation that I needed, and I now have two of my three planned Christmas afghans complete. Let me show you the finished afghan...


Here is a photo of the entire afghan with its garter stitch border on all four sides.


Here is a closeup so you can see the stockinette, reverse stockinette, and seed stitch squares. I love the sheen of this "candy apple" red yarn.

I love this pattern so much that I bought yarn in a different color to make another one. This afghan is lovely, soft as a cloud, and deliciously warm. All I have to do is look at it and I find myself smiling!
 
 

 
Now... what was I watching while I was knitting away on this afghan? I watched the first two seasons (all that are available) of an ITV crime drama called Traces. The series is based on an original idea by Val McDermid and co-written by McDermid and Amelia Bullmore. Set in Dundee, Scotland, Traces focuses on two female forensic professionals, Sarah Gordon and Kathy Torrance, who work together at the fictitious Scottish Institute of Forensic Science and Anatomy (SIFA). Season one's story arc features a SIFA student who wants to reopen a cold case to discover who killed her mother, while season two shines the spotlight on the search for a bomber.

This series is packed with talent, and I do enjoy it even though it seems to waffle sometimes. Does it want to focus on the drama, or does it want to focus on the forensics? The episodes are better when they focus on the characters and the drama.

I've already began stitching on my third Christmas afghan, and hopefully I'll be able to show it to you all soon.

10 comments:

  1. That afghan is beautiful, both the color and the pattern.

    Is it wool?

    Hope you get to keep this one for you and Denis.

    Glad you found another show to watch while knitting. Is it on ITV only or Brit Box or another streaming service.

    I won't even embarrass myself with my sewing or knitting disasters decades ago. I was a lot better making a lamp in a shop class and making certamics in college. I have to laugh thinking of my sewing and knitting experiences.

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    1. No, it is not wool. I don't like using wool for afghans. The three Christmas afghans I've referred to (this red one is the second one) are staying here and being used by Denis and me.

      I think Traces is on BritBox or Acorn, I can't remember which.

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  2. I love that rich, deep red, Cathy! It's gorgeous! And I've been wanting to try Traces (haven't gotten there yet). I'm glad you've been enjoying it so much.

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    1. Traces has the type of characters whom you want to yell at once in a while when they're doing something stupid. Fortunately, they don't do stupid things very often.

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  3. I do so admire people who can knit. I never learned and probably won't now, but I have a problem with arthritic hands, so maybe I should. Your afghan is absolutely gorgeous! I love that red and the pattern.

    I've added Traces to my "want to watch" list.

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    1. It probably wouldn't hurt to try to learn how to knit or crochet just to see if either one helps your hands-- and even if the only thing you learn how to make is wash cloths. (They certainly are handy!)

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  4. Your afghans are always so beautiful! I can knit dishcloths, but that's about all. :)

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    1. I've knitted many dozens of dishcloths in my time and will probably make a few dozen more. :-)

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  5. Another beautiful afghan - I'm glad it's giving you such pleasure.

    I had not previously heard about Traces, but anything written by McDermid is always worth a look in my opinion.

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    1. That's what I thought when I learned she was affiliated with the program.

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