4.13.2008

Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort.

A lot of people have said a lot of things about the Clapotis. And sometimes people can say that they do not like something while simultaneously implying that everyone who does is a simpleton with poor taste. The Clapotis is popular, and inevitably with things that are popular, a percentage of people will sniffily say that they don't get what all the fuss is about; they don't knit things just because those things are popular.

Really, does anybody choose to knit something they don't genuinely like just because it's popular? I don't know anybody who does that. (Um, I mean, I do spend a lot of time alone, so a survey of my knitting buddies does not a good sample make.) People might take a second look at something because it's popular, wondering what attraction they missed the first time around, but I can't even imagine someone picking out yarn and casting on something, saying "Well, gosh, I hate wool-silk blends and wrappy scarf things, but it's popular, so..." It seems just as silly to refuse to knit something you genuinely like just because lots of other people have.

So, jeez, anyway, here's my Clapotis:



I really like it. News flash: shawls are warm in a different way that scarves are warm! And once again I need to learn from experience something that women have known for hundreds of years.



When I first saw this pattern, which must have been pretty early in my knitting career, I thought it looked nice but had no desire for a massive worsted-weight wool scarffy-wrap thing. This feeling persisted until it started to get chilly in the fall, and on my way out the door one evening I found myself wishing I had a Clapotis to grab. That was all the incentive I needed for this puppy.

Midway through it, I wanted nothing but to be done with it, and now all I want is to cast on another. Luckily I don't have 3-4 skeins of any yarn that would be remotely appropriate, so I can turn to other things.

1 comment:

Emily said...

I had the same problem! I think it's because the middle bit is such a slog, but then the decreases make the end go by pretty quickly, so you're all excited to make another one when you finish. I do have yarn for at least one more but I've been able to resist the siren call so far since there are so many other scarves/wraps I want to knit...