The Joys Of Night Owl Knitting

Sometimes I must knit far into the night. Projects like the lacy wrap I'm knitting of hand-painted mercerized cotton by Blue Heron Yarn must be focused upon when the house and the earth is most silent. The pattern is "drooping elm leaf" from Barbara G. Walker's The Craft Of Lace Knitting.

No interruptions, please! I don't knit these kind of projects when the house is "buzzing" and electrically charged with activity during the day.



There is a satisfaction of knitting far into the night when everyone is fast asleep. Somehow it feels like cheating, but mostly it feels like fun. To be wonderfully, irresponsibly, burning the mid-night oil is one of the great joys of being grown up. No one to tell you it's too late to be awake. No one to tell you to go to bed.

Deadlines for books and publications sometimes find themselves being knit late at night, occasionally to the background of Letterman, or Conan or some ancient movie that requires little attention being paid. The row by row instructions easily remembered by the post-it highlight that continues to make its way down the page. As pauses in the knitting become longer and eyes tire, when mistakes become too numerous, the knitting itself says, "time for bed".

And so it is set down, reluctantly. Still there's an anticipation of next time, as a weary knitter sets off to bed in the early morning hours.

The

French

Angora

Scarf

and

Beret are not so difficult that they must be knit at night, but can be deliciously saved for night owl knitting. This pattern is available at: http://www.tinkknit.com/French%20Lace%20Angora%20Scarf%20and%20Beret.html