Sunday, November 19, 2006

Today's Home Ec

No knitting progress to report because I am crocheting. Yep, I promised my son, the blanket hoarder, a chocolate brown afghan for his room. So I'm crocheting a quickie. It's done with three strands of Jiffy held together. I know it's acrylic that you can buy at a craft store, but for afghans washable is best.

Afghans need to be there when you are sick. They need to be dragged up and down the stairs by kids. Dogs and cats lay on afghans. They need to be washable. Really washable. And you need to throw them in the dryer too.

I actually like Jiffy. I like the mohairy look of it and the soft feel. I hate that the skeins are wound by evil trolls who knot up the middle of each skein. I've spent as much time untangling yarn as I have crocheting the damn blanket. If you use Jiffy for anything I recommend doing so with an ample supply of wine and chocolate.

My son is addicted to blankets and afghans. He has a pile of them. He uses them nearly every day. He has one that I crocheted for him 7 or 8 years ago that is an absolute mess but he refuses to give it up. I have fixed it countless times. Now that he is in the eighth grade and has taken the mandatory Family and Consumer Sciences (yes, this is the new politically correct, gender neutral name for good ol' Home Ec) he has taken to re-sewing the afghan himself. He was really going for a spot on the Honor Roll this quarter and at mid-quarter, FCS was standing in his way. So he started working on extra credit projects. He made himself a pair of fleece sleep pants and a plastic canvas thing that resulted in an A+ in the dreaded FCS. You cannot imagine my relief that helping him in FCS has been teaching him how to use a sewing machine as opposed to cooking. Last year FCS was cooking. He brought home muffins that weighed about 4 pounds each and could break a tooth. I am no help in cooking as I don't cook, but ask me to fire up the sewing machine and I'm there baby!

Armed with his A+, there is no way that I am going to be able to convince him that learning to crochet and finishing this afghan would be infinitely more personally satisfying. So I'm stuck untangling Jiffy. Pass the wine.

6 comments:

Sheepish Annie said...

I have reached the conclusion that we all just apologize too much for using the acrylic! It is reasonably priced, easily getable and you can wash it! Me likee all of the above! I also made some pretty nifty scarves out of Jiffy.

And the son crocheting? It's all the rage right now. He could write a book and support you. Then you could buy a ball-winder which is quite handy when dealing with the tangly yarns! ;)

sheep#100 said...

Oh, man, make the boy untangle while you crochet.

Anonymous said...

That is so sweet that your son loves blankets and afghans so much and is attached to the ones you make.

Chris said...

When I was at the U, they changed the College of Home Economics to the College of Human Ecology...

Anonymous said...

Those of us in the real world of boys (of all ages, I have a 2 year old) need acrylic in our lives!!! My son's blankets are all cotton or acrylic. It's tough!!!

Laura said...

it's nice to craft for people who are so appreciative! i agree with trek that your son should help with the untangling. unless of course that would result in needing MORE wine and chocolate. :)

congratulations to your son, btw, on his awesome performance!

hope you have a happy thanksgiving weekend with the jiffy, in spite of the evil trolls.