Now that I have your attention, I'll admit it, I am not monogamous when it comes to knitting. (Oh, you thought I'd write about something more interesting, did you. Not a chance, this is a family friendly blog. Oh, oh and now I hear the collective groans and clicking of readers closing this post. Please read on if you're still interested, though.)
First, let me define what I'm talking about as a non-monogamous knitter. I do not stay wedded to the idea of working on and completing one project at a time. I often have several, and I do mean several, projects started at once. They are called WIPs (work(s) in progress). It is important if one is going to leave projects unattended for any period of time that the directions, exactly where you are in the project and the appropriately sized needles stay with it/them. (I have practice with this so I know.) As you can imagine, this can bring on its own problems. I have several sets of some of my most favorite sized needles because I can't find a pair when I'm ready to use them because they're located in some bag somewhere with a WIP project.
Let me try to outline the WIPs I currently have on the go. You know the wall flower project is being neglected now because it isn't very portable, even though I'm doing most of my knitting at home these days. (Thank you, London Olympics!) There's the almost completed kabobs and sushi I mentioned some time ago. I have the Noro sweater waiting in the wings for the weather to cool down and there are assorted projects (I won't list them here because odds are I don't remember all of them.) These WIPs aren't on the back burner because that "new" excitement about them has run its course. For me, generally, but not always, I've run into some snag, something I can't quite figure out, so I stop. Or like the Noro, the weather changes and having a large hunk of wool in your lap is just too uncomfortable. Or, OK, for a few of them I've lost interest and moved on. And there it is, said straight out, I am an easy tease when it comes to something new to do with knitting.
So where am I going with this you ask. Well let's again compare and contrast my approach to knitting with that of my Mom. She is almost exclusively a knit one project at a time kind of gal. Sure she might buy new yarn for a new project, but she has the self-control to wait until she finishes her current work on the needles before she starts it. I've also seen her stash, it all fits in one large plastic Rubbermaid bin, and if the truth be total, it is mainly leftovers not new skeins. (In comparison I can't fit all of my stash in 6 of these bins.) Mom can stay focused, solve a knitting problem without losing interest and control her impulses to hoard. In comparison I lack all this self-control when it comes to yarn and yarn projects. (How did that gene NOT get passed to me? I look like her, sound like her, and have so many of her traits. Maybe someone with human DNA training can help answer that puzzling question.)
I do take comfort that this multiple knitting projectitis is not mine alone. Apparently many, many knitters are afflicted by being non-monogamous with their knitting too. Hey pharmaceutial companies, there might be a huge market for a pill that would help minimize this problem. Thousands and thousands of people who share space with these multiple-projected knitters would happily purchase it just to free up a closet or room or two!
Oh, speaking of new projects, this is another baby sweater I'm currently working on with fervor. I love, love, love this gray coloured New Zealand washable wool with its bits of red, yellow, teal, and blue sprinkles.
This sweater is a simple garter stitch (knit one row, knit another row, actually knit all rows) made from the bottom of the back, to the bottom of the front, all in one piece. What you're looking at is the wrong side of the back and one completed sleeve, (on the left) with the other to finish. When it's done you will be able to see it has a yoke that secures with buttons. To put it on just pull it over baby's head. I'll post the completed work, probably soon. Like I said the Olympics help. Go USA, Go Canada! It is great to have options.
First, let me define what I'm talking about as a non-monogamous knitter. I do not stay wedded to the idea of working on and completing one project at a time. I often have several, and I do mean several, projects started at once. They are called WIPs (work(s) in progress). It is important if one is going to leave projects unattended for any period of time that the directions, exactly where you are in the project and the appropriately sized needles stay with it/them. (I have practice with this so I know.) As you can imagine, this can bring on its own problems. I have several sets of some of my most favorite sized needles because I can't find a pair when I'm ready to use them because they're located in some bag somewhere with a WIP project.
Let me try to outline the WIPs I currently have on the go. You know the wall flower project is being neglected now because it isn't very portable, even though I'm doing most of my knitting at home these days. (Thank you, London Olympics!) There's the almost completed kabobs and sushi I mentioned some time ago. I have the Noro sweater waiting in the wings for the weather to cool down and there are assorted projects (I won't list them here because odds are I don't remember all of them.) These WIPs aren't on the back burner because that "new" excitement about them has run its course. For me, generally, but not always, I've run into some snag, something I can't quite figure out, so I stop. Or like the Noro, the weather changes and having a large hunk of wool in your lap is just too uncomfortable. Or, OK, for a few of them I've lost interest and moved on. And there it is, said straight out, I am an easy tease when it comes to something new to do with knitting.
So where am I going with this you ask. Well let's again compare and contrast my approach to knitting with that of my Mom. She is almost exclusively a knit one project at a time kind of gal. Sure she might buy new yarn for a new project, but she has the self-control to wait until she finishes her current work on the needles before she starts it. I've also seen her stash, it all fits in one large plastic Rubbermaid bin, and if the truth be total, it is mainly leftovers not new skeins. (In comparison I can't fit all of my stash in 6 of these bins.) Mom can stay focused, solve a knitting problem without losing interest and control her impulses to hoard. In comparison I lack all this self-control when it comes to yarn and yarn projects. (How did that gene NOT get passed to me? I look like her, sound like her, and have so many of her traits. Maybe someone with human DNA training can help answer that puzzling question.)
I do take comfort that this multiple knitting projectitis is not mine alone. Apparently many, many knitters are afflicted by being non-monogamous with their knitting too. Hey pharmaceutial companies, there might be a huge market for a pill that would help minimize this problem. Thousands and thousands of people who share space with these multiple-projected knitters would happily purchase it just to free up a closet or room or two!
Oh, speaking of new projects, this is another baby sweater I'm currently working on with fervor. I love, love, love this gray coloured New Zealand washable wool with its bits of red, yellow, teal, and blue sprinkles.
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| The Blossom Baby Sweater with Yoke from The Yarn Garden of Gig Harbor, Washington |
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