Monogamy (or the lack thereof)
I've been having a knitting crisis ever since I finished the Harlot's Knitting Olympics. I didn't participate in any official way, but I decided to challenge myself nonetheless.
I was a success at completing a project in a specified time (see Ene's Shawl), but that whole Complete-a-Project-in-a-limited-time thing got me all wonky in the head. You see, I am not a monogamous knitter. Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about monogamy in my marriage and it's wonderful. I'm not knocking the whole wedded bliss thing. But, damn if a girl's gotta sow her wild oats somewhere!! And where better than in knitting projects??!!
To most of you who know me, this will not come as any surprise. (Well, duh, Jen, we've known that about you since you started knitting.) And you know, I kind of knew that, too. But then there was that unprecedented success with the Knitting Olympics and I somehow got it in my head that this was the "right" way to knit. I've been working on Lady E and I've actually quit knitting cause I'm bored.
Knitting for me isn't about having new stuff to wear, it's more about the act of knitting itself. I find knitting to be a very meditative activity. I feel the stress of my day just drain away with the feel of the fiber flowing through my fingers, the sound of the needles clicking away, the rythm of my hands and I love to see the new material unfold before my eyes. However, I also don't like to feel chained to the idea that I M.U.S.T F.I.N.I.S.H. the project I have in my hands before I start a new one. It's been over a month since the end of the Olympics and I have only 1/2 of a Lady E wrap and about an inch of that Jaeger swatch done.
Oh, yeah, and about that Jaeger swatch, I'm giving up on that particular sweater for now. I just can't get the hang of that whole two-color-purling thing (that sweater isn't done in the round...). I've been practicing two color knitting backwards, which seems to work much better, but my tension is still all wonky and I get frustrated which defeats the whole zen-meditation in knitting thing. So, for now, I've put it aside.
I am at peace with my newly accepted "Knitting Floozy" status and I have happily cast on for another project that is challenging but not impossible and will give me a quick fix for something satisfactory. Meet the Purly Whites inspired socks.
Sorry for the dark pic, it's raining this morning. The pattern is one she picked from Folk Knitting in Estonia (which I also own) and I like the way it looked so well, that I went to my stash, picked two complimentary colors of (mmmmmm....) Koigu and cast on. I even measured my washed and finished gauge on the older pair of Koigu socks that I did on size 1's. I should probably be knitting these on 0's since I'm such a loose knitter, but I'm pretty happy with how the fabric is coming out in stranded knitting on size 1's. I don't kn ow if you can tell or not, but the dark color is this lucsious brown-y green like a fir tree and the red is acutally a magenta pink. It looks good together in real life. I just couldn't see myself wearing bright pick socks and the green is too nice to make for anyone but me!
I used a 1/2 twist rib on the cuff to ensure that the cuff stays stretchy forever and I'm going to try that really pretty Eye-of-Partridge heel that Alyssa does. I'm also thinking about getting my Sensational Knitted Socks spiral bound this weekend as I'm tired of fighting with it to stay open.
I was a success at completing a project in a specified time (see Ene's Shawl), but that whole Complete-a-Project-in-a-limited-time thing got me all wonky in the head. You see, I am not a monogamous knitter. Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about monogamy in my marriage and it's wonderful. I'm not knocking the whole wedded bliss thing. But, damn if a girl's gotta sow her wild oats somewhere!! And where better than in knitting projects??!!
To most of you who know me, this will not come as any surprise. (Well, duh, Jen, we've known that about you since you started knitting.) And you know, I kind of knew that, too. But then there was that unprecedented success with the Knitting Olympics and I somehow got it in my head that this was the "right" way to knit. I've been working on Lady E and I've actually quit knitting cause I'm bored.
Knitting for me isn't about having new stuff to wear, it's more about the act of knitting itself. I find knitting to be a very meditative activity. I feel the stress of my day just drain away with the feel of the fiber flowing through my fingers, the sound of the needles clicking away, the rythm of my hands and I love to see the new material unfold before my eyes. However, I also don't like to feel chained to the idea that I M.U.S.T F.I.N.I.S.H. the project I have in my hands before I start a new one. It's been over a month since the end of the Olympics and I have only 1/2 of a Lady E wrap and about an inch of that Jaeger swatch done.
Oh, yeah, and about that Jaeger swatch, I'm giving up on that particular sweater for now. I just can't get the hang of that whole two-color-purling thing (that sweater isn't done in the round...). I've been practicing two color knitting backwards, which seems to work much better, but my tension is still all wonky and I get frustrated which defeats the whole zen-meditation in knitting thing. So, for now, I've put it aside.
I am at peace with my newly accepted "Knitting Floozy" status and I have happily cast on for another project that is challenging but not impossible and will give me a quick fix for something satisfactory. Meet the Purly Whites inspired socks.
Sorry for the dark pic, it's raining this morning. The pattern is one she picked from Folk Knitting in Estonia (which I also own) and I like the way it looked so well, that I went to my stash, picked two complimentary colors of (mmmmmm....) Koigu and cast on. I even measured my washed and finished gauge on the older pair of Koigu socks that I did on size 1's. I should probably be knitting these on 0's since I'm such a loose knitter, but I'm pretty happy with how the fabric is coming out in stranded knitting on size 1's. I don't kn ow if you can tell or not, but the dark color is this lucsious brown-y green like a fir tree and the red is acutally a magenta pink. It looks good together in real life. I just couldn't see myself wearing bright pick socks and the green is too nice to make for anyone but me! I used a 1/2 twist rib on the cuff to ensure that the cuff stays stretchy forever and I'm going to try that really pretty Eye-of-Partridge heel that Alyssa does. I'm also thinking about getting my Sensational Knitted Socks spiral bound this weekend as I'm tired of fighting with it to stay open.
posted by Chicago Jen at 10:33 AM
5 Comments:
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There is knitting project monogamy and then there is knitting group monogamy. One of my knit night buds has been going to another knitting group on occasion. When she first told us about it, she said she visited their "meeting" but she "didn't knit". Like that would make it ok... she felt so guilty. Reminded me of the old "I didn't inhale" story.
Just for the record, I think knitting monogamy is highly over-rated. Though I find that it does lead to a faster finish rate.
As long as you are enjoying yourself, do whatever you please-it's your knitting! Oh, and please bring the new sock to visit at GROUP next week:)
Jen
You are so funny. Floosy!
Cannot wait to see said sock.
At present, I have two pair of socks, Lady E, two fun fur scarves and a baby blanket on the needles.
Holy crap, that freaks me out. Thankfully, I DO have deadlines on the scarves and baby blanket.
Definitely bring that sock to group.
Oh, and the remodel is finished at Borders.
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