TV and Shawl
Is my life becoming that boring and repetitive, LOL?
So, we did end up watching the last two parts of Titanic yesterday. I think it really needs to be watched as a whole, maybe integrated - stay on the same day, and look at everyone for that day, instead of this group in part one from day one to sinking, then another group, back at day one, interacting sometimes with people from part one, then a third group, etc. Too much back and forth. Plus all the commercial breaks! Some of those lasting up to five minutes!! So, a cohesive whole would be shorter than the four hours allotted... even if they were still done in the divided, restarting from day one mode, at least, without commercials and back to back, you could follow the details a little better. In my opinion, anyway.
Strangely, DH mentioned that he had trouble following the accents. There was a combination of British cockney as well as the more formal English, there was Irish to varying degrees, a couple that were Italian (I'm not sure if they were a true Italian, though, because if they hadn't made a point of saying the characters were Italian, I wouldn't have guessed). And the archaic terminology took a bit of paying attention to. But I didn't have the same trouble as him... (maybe because I have a bit more interest in English Literature?) I am not sure why he had difficulty - normally he doesn't have a problem following accents of any origin.
Other points - well, I guess they based most characters on real people from ship's manifests, and who lived and who died, but in some cases, I wonder if they based the stories of the people on survivor information or if they took some liberties with events. I mean, for example, did a last minute replacement steward who was the brother of one of the engine room workers really ask one of the maids to marry him? (sorry for not posting a spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't yet watched the series.)
Still, though, it really brought home the significance of the tragedy. How far reaching the events really were. That, and some of the 100 anniversary "specials" on the History and other channels this weekend. Sometimes, I think a lot of people, myself included, tend to fix on the event itself, and the lives affected. We forget the ripple effect, the other people less directly, though no less intensely, affected. One of the historical programs mentioned the shipyard workers, and how their lives were touched by the sinking of the "unsinkable" ship.
Lots of food for thought....
As for the shawl... Let me just say, that designing a knit item isn't as easy as it sounds. Really. Well, maybe it is, if you just make something as a one off for yourself. But this making sure everything works, and writing down what is going on, and planning and executing... Everything went well at the start. I was making lots of progress, though the writing down did slow me up some. But it was going smooth. Now, it seems, that I knit four rows, rip out two. Reknit those, and two more, then rip another two.... Hopefully, it is only because I've been watching TV as well as knitting... And so far, the issue has been the actual knitting part and silly errors in counting, not an issue with the chart or written directions!
I'm second guessing myself a bit on the shaping. It is doing what I'd planned it to do, just not sure if what I wanted is really what I wanted... Ok, that sounds silly. But I can't think how else to say it. I wanted the shape, I wanted the angle, I wanted it short and steep, I wanted the bottom edging to be small and do what it is doing, but I sort of thought it might be - not so short, not so steep, not so small... I didn't want the ends to be two overpowering to the whole shawl, but I also don't want them to look like a silly tack-on... I really need to get more of the body done, and the whole thing blocked, before I can pass judgement. And, honestly, I'm not sure I want to go to all that work and wear and tear on the yarn (remember I mentioned the other day it is a bit more fragile than I'm used to) only to be disappointed...
I really need to take my own advice, the one I share when someone else is concerned about small imperfections in their knitting - - step back, and look at the item as a whole. When you are actually knitting on something, you are "up close and personal" with it, seeing every slight imperfection, every wonky stitch, every stretched out stitch, every loose stitch.... But once finished, blocked, and worn appropriately, even the mistakes are buried in the whole, overall, big picture.
I need to get a lot more knitting done, and to be happy with what I've done. Even though I'm prepared to share the pattern, ultimately, I'm making this shawl for me, with symbolism that means something to me, and if no one else likes it or wants to make it, well - that is no reflection on me and my happiness. :) It just means they don't want to make a shawl like it. I'd be more concerned if I was attempting to *sell* the pattern, and no one bought it... Especially if I was in any way dependent on that little bit of extra income (which I may be someday, so want to establish myself as a new designer - so maybe it *is* important that others like what I come up with)
Oh, well - I need to remember that regardless of anything else, any worldly or materialistic things, that ultimately I have to make myself happy, and be content with me and who I am, and my own abilities.
And, after I get a few more rows done, I will take another picture, and share it. (oh, and I've already made a Ravelry project page for it Catlady2 if anyone wants a sneak-peak.)
So, we did end up watching the last two parts of Titanic yesterday. I think it really needs to be watched as a whole, maybe integrated - stay on the same day, and look at everyone for that day, instead of this group in part one from day one to sinking, then another group, back at day one, interacting sometimes with people from part one, then a third group, etc. Too much back and forth. Plus all the commercial breaks! Some of those lasting up to five minutes!! So, a cohesive whole would be shorter than the four hours allotted... even if they were still done in the divided, restarting from day one mode, at least, without commercials and back to back, you could follow the details a little better. In my opinion, anyway.
Strangely, DH mentioned that he had trouble following the accents. There was a combination of British cockney as well as the more formal English, there was Irish to varying degrees, a couple that were Italian (I'm not sure if they were a true Italian, though, because if they hadn't made a point of saying the characters were Italian, I wouldn't have guessed). And the archaic terminology took a bit of paying attention to. But I didn't have the same trouble as him... (maybe because I have a bit more interest in English Literature?) I am not sure why he had difficulty - normally he doesn't have a problem following accents of any origin.
Other points - well, I guess they based most characters on real people from ship's manifests, and who lived and who died, but in some cases, I wonder if they based the stories of the people on survivor information or if they took some liberties with events. I mean, for example, did a last minute replacement steward who was the brother of one of the engine room workers really ask one of the maids to marry him? (sorry for not posting a spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't yet watched the series.)
Still, though, it really brought home the significance of the tragedy. How far reaching the events really were. That, and some of the 100 anniversary "specials" on the History and other channels this weekend. Sometimes, I think a lot of people, myself included, tend to fix on the event itself, and the lives affected. We forget the ripple effect, the other people less directly, though no less intensely, affected. One of the historical programs mentioned the shipyard workers, and how their lives were touched by the sinking of the "unsinkable" ship.
Lots of food for thought....
As for the shawl... Let me just say, that designing a knit item isn't as easy as it sounds. Really. Well, maybe it is, if you just make something as a one off for yourself. But this making sure everything works, and writing down what is going on, and planning and executing... Everything went well at the start. I was making lots of progress, though the writing down did slow me up some. But it was going smooth. Now, it seems, that I knit four rows, rip out two. Reknit those, and two more, then rip another two.... Hopefully, it is only because I've been watching TV as well as knitting... And so far, the issue has been the actual knitting part and silly errors in counting, not an issue with the chart or written directions!
I'm second guessing myself a bit on the shaping. It is doing what I'd planned it to do, just not sure if what I wanted is really what I wanted... Ok, that sounds silly. But I can't think how else to say it. I wanted the shape, I wanted the angle, I wanted it short and steep, I wanted the bottom edging to be small and do what it is doing, but I sort of thought it might be - not so short, not so steep, not so small... I didn't want the ends to be two overpowering to the whole shawl, but I also don't want them to look like a silly tack-on... I really need to get more of the body done, and the whole thing blocked, before I can pass judgement. And, honestly, I'm not sure I want to go to all that work and wear and tear on the yarn (remember I mentioned the other day it is a bit more fragile than I'm used to) only to be disappointed...
I really need to take my own advice, the one I share when someone else is concerned about small imperfections in their knitting - - step back, and look at the item as a whole. When you are actually knitting on something, you are "up close and personal" with it, seeing every slight imperfection, every wonky stitch, every stretched out stitch, every loose stitch.... But once finished, blocked, and worn appropriately, even the mistakes are buried in the whole, overall, big picture.
I need to get a lot more knitting done, and to be happy with what I've done. Even though I'm prepared to share the pattern, ultimately, I'm making this shawl for me, with symbolism that means something to me, and if no one else likes it or wants to make it, well - that is no reflection on me and my happiness. :) It just means they don't want to make a shawl like it. I'd be more concerned if I was attempting to *sell* the pattern, and no one bought it... Especially if I was in any way dependent on that little bit of extra income (which I may be someday, so want to establish myself as a new designer - so maybe it *is* important that others like what I come up with)
Oh, well - I need to remember that regardless of anything else, any worldly or materialistic things, that ultimately I have to make myself happy, and be content with me and who I am, and my own abilities.
And, after I get a few more rows done, I will take another picture, and share it. (oh, and I've already made a Ravelry project page for it Catlady2 if anyone wants a sneak-peak.)
posted by Catlady @ 3:23 p.m.
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