Satori in Boston
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
While trying to impose some order upon my stash earlier this week, I was forced to confront the fact that I have seven unfinished knitting projects in my apartment. Seven. I would like to clarify that many of these projects were begun earlier in my knitting career and left to linger while I moved on to more challenging, interesting projects. So while I might not mind seven recent projects that I was slowly but surely making progress on; I am distinctly unnerved by seven… er, mature projects that haven’t been touched in a few years.
I’m not hard pressed to justify why I abandoned each, the silk tweed was too sticky, the cashmere too pink, I was bored with scarves, etc. But when confronted with all of the projects at once, I felt responsible. Like a knitting Daisy Buchanan, recklessly tearing through sweaters and clapotis and casting aside any knit that failed to amuse her. .
In response, I am imposing a “no scarf left behind” policy. No new projects until my seven babies are off the island of misfit knits.
My charges, in no particular order:
Randall “Pink” Floyd – Cashmere, K1P1 ribbed scarf. Soft, yes, but also the color of my stomach lining.
Sticky Wicket – Silk tweed, lace scarf. Lovely color. Nice drape. But touching it is not dissimilar from touching the floor at CBGBs at 2 a.m.
Evil Twin – Noro Silk Garden, scarf variation of Lady Eleanor. I actually really like this one. But, unfortunately, I started her immediately after finishing a lighter colorway version of the exact same scarf in a surge of entrelac enthusiasm. In truth, I prefer her colorway. But to me she will always be “the other”.
Dead End – 1824 Mission Falls Wool, chevron scarf. Again, I like this one. But another scarf? And all of those ends to weave in. Perhaps finishing this could serve a training for…
Mama’s Little Mistake – I had this great idea that I would test my knitting endurance by knitting an adult-size blanket for myself. In stockinette. Kind of like the knitter’s version of running a marathon. A really boring marathon. I carefully selected my colors and painstakingly created stripe pattern that I thought would make Kate Spade jealous. Then I made my big mistake. (Although, after typing out the whole plan, I can’t help but feel ridiculous saying that this step was the mistake.) I ordered thirty skeins of KnitPicks merino without consulting a color card. Yup. So when thirty skeins of circus-colored yarn appeared at my doorstep I decided to use it to knit a baby blanket in stockinette - as punishment.
Johnny Cash – Rowan Felted Tweed, Cozy. Lovely yarn, lovely pattern. I call this one Johnny Cash because it makes me hang my head.
Grace – Noro Kureyon, variation on Lizard Ridge. I’m knitting her in panels and, ahem, making her larger. If you cried “shenanigans!” when you saw the words Lizard Ridge, you were right. Grace is not a finely aged project. She was only hatched two weeks ago. And while I love the yarn and the pattern, I cannot help but look at her and then back at the pile of unfinished objects and think, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
So now that you’ve been properly introduced to my motley crew, wish us luck. We’ll need it.
Cheers!
I’m not hard pressed to justify why I abandoned each, the silk tweed was too sticky, the cashmere too pink, I was bored with scarves, etc. But when confronted with all of the projects at once, I felt responsible. Like a knitting Daisy Buchanan, recklessly tearing through sweaters and clapotis and casting aside any knit that failed to amuse her. .
In response, I am imposing a “no scarf left behind” policy. No new projects until my seven babies are off the island of misfit knits.
My charges, in no particular order:
Randall “Pink” Floyd – Cashmere, K1P1 ribbed scarf. Soft, yes, but also the color of my stomach lining.
Sticky Wicket – Silk tweed, lace scarf. Lovely color. Nice drape. But touching it is not dissimilar from touching the floor at CBGBs at 2 a.m.
Evil Twin – Noro Silk Garden, scarf variation of Lady Eleanor. I actually really like this one. But, unfortunately, I started her immediately after finishing a lighter colorway version of the exact same scarf in a surge of entrelac enthusiasm. In truth, I prefer her colorway. But to me she will always be “the other”.
Dead End – 1824 Mission Falls Wool, chevron scarf. Again, I like this one. But another scarf? And all of those ends to weave in. Perhaps finishing this could serve a training for…
Mama’s Little Mistake – I had this great idea that I would test my knitting endurance by knitting an adult-size blanket for myself. In stockinette. Kind of like the knitter’s version of running a marathon. A really boring marathon. I carefully selected my colors and painstakingly created stripe pattern that I thought would make Kate Spade jealous. Then I made my big mistake. (Although, after typing out the whole plan, I can’t help but feel ridiculous saying that this step was the mistake.) I ordered thirty skeins of KnitPicks merino without consulting a color card. Yup. So when thirty skeins of circus-colored yarn appeared at my doorstep I decided to use it to knit a baby blanket in stockinette - as punishment.
Johnny Cash – Rowan Felted Tweed, Cozy. Lovely yarn, lovely pattern. I call this one Johnny Cash because it makes me hang my head.
Grace – Noro Kureyon, variation on Lizard Ridge. I’m knitting her in panels and, ahem, making her larger. If you cried “shenanigans!” when you saw the words Lizard Ridge, you were right. Grace is not a finely aged project. She was only hatched two weeks ago. And while I love the yarn and the pattern, I cannot help but look at her and then back at the pile of unfinished objects and think, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
So now that you’ve been properly introduced to my motley crew, wish us luck. We’ll need it.
Cheers!
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on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 at 8:34 PM.
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June 6, 2007 at 11:43 PM
Wow, a Great Gatsby reference to start your knitting blog? I think I love you!
Don't worry, your projects will be done sooner or later. I say this, of course, as I am avoiding glancing over to the couch to see the three WIPs staring sadly in my direction...