Knitting ADD

I have been known, from time to time, to flit around from project to project, trying to see what feels right and what I want to work on. When I have a big project, like a blanket, I’m usually pretty devoted to that project, dreaming about other things, smaller, that I could be knitting. BUT, when I allow myself the time to work on “fun” small projects, it feels as though I have the attention span of a gnat, casting on a few stitches here, then ten seconds later, “OOOOH SHINY”, and I’m distracted to something else.

I have the most crippling case of Knitting ADD (KNAD) right now. I can’t allow myself to cast on anything new. I just can’t- because there are SO MANY things on needles right now that need to be finished. SO many. So instead, I’m so overwhelmed by my projects, I haven’t been knitting at all, just casting a trillion things on and then losing love with them 43.5 seconds later.

Exhibit A: the Charade Socks
At one time- they looked like this.

Then I fooled myself into thinking that I knew how to do an after thought toe and all hell, broke loose, resulting in this.

Now I can’t get the pooling to go as snazzy as it did the first time and so instead I just keep ignoring them. To frog or not to frog…. that is the question?

Exhibit B: the Doggy Mitts of EPIC GAUGE FAIL

I don’t think I have a needle I haven’t knit these with. Finding it too painful to rip out- I upped the needle to US 4 and knit them to this. (How sad that these recommend a US 1… and I keep going up needle sizes!)

Except I know that I’m still kidding myself and these are the tightest mittens knit in the history of faire isle. Any tighter and they’d be bullet proof. They have to be ripped. Again. And instead of facing this reality, I just leave them on the needles, waiting for them to magically correct themselves.

I can’t decide if thicker yarn is going to fix my issues or if I just need to admit defeat.

Exhibit C: Cashmere Therapy

Oh yes, it’s lovely- and this is one of the few projects that I haven’t made an error on. It’s just… well… I’m bored. And every time I knit this (and we’re on skein #2 now so it’s not like I’m not making any progress), I just want to knit something else. I’m also deathly afraid of blocking this, because I have a feeing it’s going to be tricky.

Instead of fighting that urge to cast some thing else on while knitting this shawl- I’m suddenly impulsive.

Exhibit D: Rainbow Socks

Because rainbow plain vanilla socks are more fun than a cashmere shawl apparently. Truthfully I wanted something very, VERY easy to knit while I went on a road trip with the super fun Jocelyn and Anne- so I pulled these out of stash, cast on and made immediate, satisfying progress.

Except my sister mentioned that she wants knee socks (not in reference to these socks, just in general) and now all I can focus on is my OVERWHELMING NEED to rip these out and turn them into knee socks.

Not to mention Exhibit E (Noro Scarf), Exhibit F (Argyle socks) and Exhibit G (Silk Scarf) that have been around so long, I’ve actually gotten used to ignoring them!

I’m also mildly entertaining about throwing an "Exhibit H" into the mix and casting on the next blanket this weekend for a friend due after Christmas.

Why is it when I have a big project I can “buckle down” and be monogamous? But, when it comes to little projects- I’m all over the place? I can't see to pay attention to anything longer than a minute! If you're wondering why blog posts have been light- it's because I'm sitting here in a pile of "Works in Progress" and wondering why I did this to myself!

I blame Ravelry. I wouldn't have this problem of "OOOH shiny! Look at that" if Ravelry didn't tempt me with lovely projects. So with this ranting, I'm off to knit some stuff. What? I don't know- but I have to knit SOMETHING.

Thank Goodness

If it seems that the knitting progress has been slow this fall, that's because it has! We were in Chicago over the Thanksgiving weekend (where I visited the lovely Nina shop- so cute!) and I've had some furry friends over providing a cute distraction.

Seriously- how can anyone get anything done with these two around? On the left is Jennie (La Clune) and the right is Miss Etta. Two cute girls who make it hard to knit, because you just want to pet and love them.

But, I did have one and only goal for the weekend. FINISH GOODALE. Thank goodness I had some success!

Pattern: Goodale Cardigan by Cecily Glowick MacDonald
Yarn: Louisa Harding Albero in colorway 4
Needles: US 7
Listening To: (What did I NOT listen too!? Most recently it's been "Room With a View by EM Forrester.)
Notes: I love top down design because you can get the right length in a sweater. I tried this on where the pattern told me to stop for the length and it wasn't long enough for my long torso. SO, I added several rows more to make it longer.

Turned out pretty cute eh? (Please pardon the non-exciting background. The sunlight hours are much shorter these days and this was the best light we could get- in our condo. Also? I hate having my photo taken- so I look glaringly awkward in all of these!)

I'm especially fond of the pockets....

AND the buttons!

(Sheesh.... if you want to see "good photos"... visit the lovely Mags' website. Someday she will come to Calgary and I will make her take photos of everything I have ever knit. I swear!)

You'll notice that I'm only talking about the sweater and not the mittens? The mittens and I have agreed to disagree. And they're currently in time out thinking about all that they've put me through. When they decide to meet gauge and write "I am sorry for causing Jen great distress" 1000 times, I will think about knitting them again.

It's nice to finally, (FINALLY!) have this off the needles and feel like I actually knit something else, without this in the back of my mind going "Jennnnnnn you need to finish your Gooooooooodale!...... And to that? I say Thank Goodness!

Knit Therapy

Well, the exam is done. Was it done well? Um… I guess we find out on Dec 2, but in all honesty, I’m not all that hopeful. That exam was HARD y’all. HARD.

So hard that, after a few errands, I went home and knit silently on the lace (very very easy lace DO NOT BE IMPRESSED!) shawl. The simple act of knitting reminded me that while in that exam, I felt like I knew nothing, I am not an idiot all the time. I’ve managed to get pretty good at this little craft. Anyways, I found the simple act of knitting an easy pattern very enjoyable. My shoulders relaxed, my brain cleared and I just got in a zen state of knitting each row the way it’s supposed to be. This process was made even more pleasurable and more therapeutic by the fact that the yarn is cashmere. It’s so soft people. So very very very VERY soft. Every so often I’ll run my hand over it, feeling the softness. I can’t wait to wear this around my neck!

Also, as a reward for all the self knitting denial and studying I did, I also let myself start a pair of mittens. I was CHOMPING at the bit to knit these. I actually picked up the yarn and held in my hands a few times during the studying, while I fought my brain trying to coax me by saying “just a few rows”… “just a few rows”. (Haha- now I know how Lindsay Lohan feels.) With the exam over with- I cast on with a fervor.

(It took me 2 days to figure out the Latvian Braid- but I did, finally!) And then ripped it back and went up a needle size.

And then ripped that back and went up another needle size.

And then ripped back the TWICE RIPPED BACK mittens to go up yet another needle size.

And…. I may need to go up again. (On the upside I am a "Latvian Braid MASTER" now.) *sobs* I am DETERMINED to knit these, because once I figure out the right gauge (it might be best not to remind me about gauge swatching right now because I’m feeling a little fragile) these are going to be stunners.

For right now thought, I need to go back to the easy cashmere shawl, I need a little detox from the mittens and that brief little reminder again, that I am capable. (I just have momentary lapses.)

Oh Cashmere shawl… you’re better than any therapist!