Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I must be(e) crazy!

I first saw the Beekeeper's Quilt early last week on Ravelry.  As some designs tend to do, it kept popping up in my friend's activity tab, being favourited and/or queued by lots of people.  And I thought it was cute, but that was it.

But then something happened, and I'm not even entirely sure how.  But I couldn't stop thinking about it.  And how nice it would be all done in shades of red (how unusual for me!  Heh heh!).  But I didn't buy the pattern straight away.  I figured if I still couldn't stop thinking about it after a week, then maybe I should buy it.

And yesterday, I did!  And I went stash diving and gathered up my red sock yarn leftovers (reds and red-purples and red-oranges and a few red-pinks).  I also just might have bought a ball of heathered red yarn last weekend at Morris & Sons, and I have quite a bit of solid red 4ply/fingering yarn which MissFee picked up for me at the Wang mill last year.  But funnily enough, I don't actually have that much variegated and semi-solid red yarn leftovers.
And I made my first hexapuff.  And my second, and third, and fourth, and fifth (and I'm knitting my sixth right now!).  Each one uses somewhere between 11-15m (according to others on Rav who have knitted and then frogged one - I can't bring myself to do that, heh!).  So I'm going to have to accumulate some more red leftovers (or use whole skeins of sock yarn, which is perhaps a good idea - I mean how many pairs of red socks do I really need, heh!!)
I figure if I can make 5 each week then it will only take me, oh, nearly 2 years, to make one to cover a queen size bed.  See, I told you I must be(e) crazy!  Is anyone else going to join me?

28 comments:

DrK said...

Oh so cute! I love this pattern, and it will look amazing in shades of red. Must start saving red left overs for you! And look how many you've done already. This is going to be great.

2paw said...

If I find any red, it's yours!! I saw this on The Ravelry when you 'Favourited' it and it looks fun and fabulous!! I think you will bee addicted - no, I think you are!! Your house will be a hive of industry and you'll drone on about it in honeyed tones, we will all be a-buzz!!

Bells said...

You're on your own with this one. Not for me! But I will cheer you on! And give you red yarn!

LynS said...

I've also been looking at this - but I've been thinking how good it will be to see the outcomes of Other People's Knitting! Doing it in shades of red is a great idea. I'm sure lots of us would have scraps of red we'd be happy to contribute for your project.

Sarah said...

Oh I saw this pattern just yesterday - got so obsessed with it - kept thinking no no no - crochet blankets are where you're at now Missy - had another ponder this morning - saw the title of your blog post - thought can it be(e)! Now I know you've been got I'm weakening further! Something about the true long term crazy ness of it is very appealing - tell me though is knitting a hexapuff fiddly or fun? The thought they might not be too fun to make was helping hold me back but now I can get your opinion.

nestra said...

I'm doing beekeeper for my SIL. I figure two hexapuffs a day. So far I have done more than I need to each day. I am hoping that I will get far enough ahead that if I get sick of them I can take a few days off.

Gidgetknits said...

I am not going to knit a beekeeper, I am not going to knit a beekeeper, I am not going to knit a beekeeper...Oh but it'll look good in reds!

MadMad said...

I have been so tempted, too! But I still have my lizard ridge squares to contend with, so I'm going to try to be good. If I have any red sock yarn leftovers, though, I may send them along to you!

Michelle said...

That's nuts, and that's coming from a quilter who has been working on a hexagon quilts for years and years. But it looks great, especially in the red. If I find any red sock leftovers, I'll send them to you.

Donna Lee said...

Too many small pieces for me. I love your reds and shall look and see if I have any red bits lying around.

I want to make the mitered crosses blanket with sock yarn leftovers. We're a frugal lot aren't we? Coming up with ways to use the leftover bits of yarn!

amy said...

It's not the knitting, it's the sewing up that would get to me, because those are all in pieces, yes? I don't think the long-term part of it is crazy, because after all, people make quilts that take longer and I think a huge, long-term project is a wonderful statement of faith. But I'd rather sew a quilt than knit one--it's a goal of mine, anyway!

Twisted Knitter said...

You're infecting others! If I start my own (sock yarn leftovers - yes!), then it's all your fault. :-)

Really - it's a great project and I love that it can be built over time. I cannot wait to see yours come together.

Anonymous said...

This is really tempting! If only I didn't have a billion other projects to finish!!

Lynne said...

Ah, no, I don't think I'll join you but I will follow along with interest. What you have done so far is loooking good.

travelknitter said...

I've been thinking about doing an all-red one myself, and after seeing yours, I'm convinced. It's looking gorgeous.

Unknown said...

I saw the flurry of beekeeper quilt action on ravelry and passed it off as a bit of a misguided fad, given it's just such an epic project.

But a red one ... That would be gorgeous ... and just the word 'hexapuff' had me all kind of excited. Such a cute word!

Looking forward to the invasion of the hexapuffs.

missfee said...

wow a trend has started - but I am not going there I am not I am not I am not!!!

but happy to donate some red for the cause

jp said...

I know you suggested purple for me. I might even be crazy enough to do it. Then again maybe not.

Do you want the leftover Dornroschen (red-pink) i have from the stripe study shawl.

Ann said...

The quilt looks great & I watched the video. It's a great project to work on as & when needed, just like the pair of plain socks that I carry around.

Vintage Grrl said...

I'm already well on the Hexapuff train, with 20-odd puffs in my tub. I am going for a much more 'scrappy' look, with no real colour scheme. So far I am just getting into most of my balls of sock or superwash 4ply yarn.

http://www.vintagegrrl.net/2011/08/04/youre-knitting-a-what/

Yarna said...

It is an inspired madness and I can sort of see the attraction. However, I shall be experiencing this vicariously and am more than happy to donate red scraps to the cause.

Caffeine Girl said...

Ah, no. I'm not jumping in on this one, though I plan to enjoy yours vicariously! I already have too many projects percolating!

Diana said...

Yep, you're crazy!! I looked at that pattern too and I love it but..... I can't imagine knitting so many of those little babies and weaving in all those ends. All the reds will be amazing though!

Virginia G said...

That is rather awesome. And I just realized, why am I not reading your blog? We end up on all the same blogs anyway...

Anyway, no, you cannot have too many pairs of red socks.

And I can't wait to see the finished product.

1funkyknitwit said...

Like you wouldn't have enough in your stash to make this...lol. I too have been looking at this - it's such a fun and fabulous quilt, I love it. Also it's a great way to use up scraps.
Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Leonie said...

You have way more patience than me, that would drive me mad which is why I will be avidly watching to see your progress because it looks really interesting, I just know my limits.

Love the reds :-)

Anonymous said...

Yes, you are crazy, though you are in good company if the number turned to the hexapuff dark side are anything to go by. In reds though it will look gorgeous and what a finished quilt it will be! I shall look to contribute some (especially varigated) reds where I have them. I thought doing a ten stitches blanket from yarn left over specifically from my sock projects was madness. I bow to thee.

Anonymous said...

Meh. I'll join you. It'll be more entertaining than the linen stitch scarf I was thinking of using up my scraps on.

Brilliant idea. It'll take me longer than 2 years though. I believe that.