"So Shines A Good Deed in a Naughty World"*

That Will Shakespeare sure had a way with words.

Yes, the Scarf Project for the Special Olympics World Winter Games topped 14,000 last week. The Ravelry group alone has accounted for over 1000. It's my understanding that, while SO may not actually refuse to accept scarves, they would be really happy if people didn't send any more.

An outpouring of generosity of this magnitude is a good thing. Speaking as the mother of a local Special Olympian, and thus one who sometimes looks at the world from the outside, I am awed and gladdened. Knitters are good folk.

On the other hand, there may be a crack in my charitable facade. In my selfish little heart I may be thinking dire thoughts about all those knitters who not only knit scarves by the truckload, managed to do so in an insanely timely fashion. I must confess to particularly uncongenial meditations when I consider knitters who contributed scarves by the dozens. Scores of scarves, all winging there way prematurely to Idaho, leaving me with what?

A lapful of acrylic.

In fairness, even had I not frogged the original, I wouldn't have finished before the total received overwhelmed the number needed. I like the way this scarf feels, though, much more than my first effort. Either the yarn, or more likely the combination of the pattern, my tight knitting and perhaps not large enough needles, made for a very dense fabric. One with no drape at all to it. That combined with the extra inches left me with a stiff, unyielding, uncomfortable swathe. The thinner scarf is much more wearable, or will be.

Eh. I'll save the rest of the yarn for String Theory's next sidewalk sale. The scarf I can finish. I'll add it to the Salvation Army pile. Perhaps it will cheer some other anonymous soul whose needs are special in their own way.

Oh, and yes, Diane, that means you're off the hook on this one.



* Portia, The Merchant of Venice, Act V, Scene 1.