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The Throw: The Crown for My 16 Years of Knitting


The Throw on My Couch, originally uploaded by loscuadernosdejulia.

As you know, this summer I fractured a bone in the ankle; I changed three casts and had my fair share of jumping on one leg or using crutches; I lost the job; before that, in May I moved to a flat; and, to help myself get by at this hard time and also to make my current abode cosier and warmer, I decided I’d make a throw on the couch.

I started knitting it very shortly before I had that fatal fall on my way to work, and in August during the Flickr 888 you could see the beginnings of the throw. I suppose I was in a kind of after-shock state following the fracture, as I didn’t quite realise what I was getting myself into.

I knitted regularly, though not every day. I was making the throw with acrylic yarn of five different colours: two shades of green (dark and light), terracotta, mocca, and creamy white. What you see in the photo is true: the stripes’ width alternates, but each of the stripes is about 2m in length. By November I had all the stripes I needed, and then – only then – did I realise that my biggest challenge had now arrived.

I had to stitch the stripes together, and given that they were multicoloured and long, it’d take me 1,5 hrs to sew two stripes. Having sewn them all together, I took the crochet in my hands and added three rows of each colour along the perimeter. The last task was to hide all the little threads on the inside of the throw. Again, I didn’t work on this every single day, but even so it’d taken me a month to complete all the stitching-crocheting-hiding. The throw on which I now proudly sit or repose measures 3m 03cm by 2m 20cm. A good acquaintance of mine who saw it recently has told me that the work, which I could complete in 3 months, had I not been doing anything else, would cost £3,000, if sold.

Naturally, I’m not going to sell it, but it was an interesting estimation, considering that practically all the knitwear I have is made with my own hands: I must be owning a fortune!

Anyway, I also made a few pillows, with each side being of a different colour and stitched together with the crochet on the outside. And luckily, I happened to make two extra stripes, which I stitched together with the crochet, creating a cover for my black suitcase that I have to keep in the room.

As you’re reading all this, you may be wondering as to why I’d actually make this throw, rather than buy one? You see, on the one hand, I do love knitting and crocheting, this is perhaps the only hobby that has so far not become a professional activity. At the same time, this hobby has always had a therapeutical connection for me: I’d taken it up back in 1992 when my grandmother was gravely ill, and this year I was apparently in the same need of therapy, given all the happenings. On the other hand, however, this year has been the first in my entire life when I lived in the flat that may be called my own, even though I don’t actually own it. I wanted to make it mine, but the good thing is that whichever flat I move in to subsequently, it will be mine thanks to the throw.

On top of that, I had to produce something that could crown my 16 years of knitting and crocheting experience. I think this throw is definitely fitting.

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