Swedish Knitblogger who loves spinning, knitting, dyeing and yarn. I will do some other roundabouts about life too.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

WIP discussions - no not WHIP!

Work In Progress. What insiprational comments I get! Thanks. It is so nice and encouraging. Keep them up and it will be no summer break! (Sun is back). Is not the entire life a work in progress? Too philosphical? I start new knitting projects much too often. I bought the yarn, and I have thought of a pattern, or I just HAD to try a particular pattern, yarn, knitting technique, magazine picture, KAL or whatever... Then, since I'm one of those free knitters, one of the following happens. I have knitted one sock, it fits, it is summer... why knit socks in the summer? Throw it on the pile. Grab a summer knitting (definition, feels good on bare legs and in sweaty palms).. Cotton, linnen... realizing you started to knit that sweater 5 summers ago, you knit for a while, and suddenly you remember that you last time got stuck on how to do the neck... you knit past the neck , you start at the arms.... and then you realize, it is TWO arms, and if you are inventing the pattern, you need to knit a bit on each arm, to make sure you pattern yarn is enough... So this is how my merry-go-around goes... It is not making the finished item. It is the process, the context, the "pondering" about problems, great solutions and the feel that makes me knit. But most of all, I have listed the reasons that makes me "change" my WIP to a new knit (or continue with another WIP) I have more than 30 some... AND I'm trying hard to finish something. What are your reasons?
SIZE, I think the number one reason for moving on to something else, is when the knit becomes to big to squeeze in to a backpack with my computer. Most of my daily knitting is on the move (train, plane, car). Also, this "stopping moment" is usually around neckline, which is my second reason for stopping a knitting. I cannot decide to follow pattern (all this round necks) or re-work it to a V-shape, which is more flattering for my bodyshape, or maybe a hood, high neck etc etc...I always struggle with the right intake of sleeves, and how the shoulder should be (slanted, straight, raglan....). Next problem is sleeves. If I'm past T-shirt lenght, I will finish. (Often, I pick up the sleeve from sweater and knit down - like circular, but again. Size!!). Then it is "tricky section". Embroidery (like my Telemark mitten), lack of yarn (that IS tricky), or - need to frog it all (that really stops it), or a pattern (cable) solution, that is not completed..

In short: 1. Too big for travel. 2. Neck solution 3. Tricky decisions.
I have 4 knits here in the sofa right now (and 20 some WIP's upstrairs, 3 next room etc etc). My "just right now" is the cotton (5 year old), the Färgkraft Brioche one-thread, the Julia (Rowan) and my second splot-sock. Sigh... The sock travled today. Julia is still ok but waiting neck decision, Brioche and cotton too big. Decisions decision... Picture? WIP (not yet in that KAL) Circular Twisted float Vouge Sweater... (First sleeve needs to be frogged and reknitted, too big!)

1 comment:

HPNY KNITS said...

life is definitely a WIP. I tend to stop before I try new things, but I want to try to start more.
thanks for the link to the VK KAL. I have admired that sweater for a while!