Deliberation

I lost another afternoon to the headache from you know where (I haven't dealt with a week long headache in more than a year!) and so I'm using a bit of time this evening to take stock of my current knitting. This is when it's a good thing my husband isn't home as I've completely covered our kitchen in knitting stuff.

Ahem.

So what's up? Well, right now I will fully admit that I'm in a bit of a knitting downswing. It happens. Sometimes a girl just needs a break to recharge a bit.

So in the meantime, here are a few things I'm thinking about. Feel free to weigh in and let me know what you think about any of it!

  1. Akimbo. Do I start over, or repurpose the yarn? On the pro: the colors look great together and it's an easy pattern that I love. On the con: I fell even more in love with the green, and kind of want to use it on its own for something. Also, I hate reknitting things! I'm waffling big time. At the very least, the whole thing will have to be restarted with at least one size needle larger...maybe two. (The pattern calls for a 4, and I used a 6 in the failed attempt. Clearly, Stephen West is an extremely loose knitter!) Yes, I did consider ripping back to the purple and just adding on. However, in the end I don't think that's going to make me happy, AND the greatly increased stitch count might make me nuts in the chevron section. My ambivalence right now is speaking volumes.
  2. Socks. I noticed this week that some of my socks are starting to show quite a bit of wear and tear. (They are ages old and have had heavy use, so I'm not sad.) The question is...do I just knit up some plain socks real fast or do I finally settle in with patterned socks?
  3. If I do patterned socks, I'm thinking about doing something crazy....like working all of the socks in Cookie A's book....good idea or bad?
  4. I find that I'm really wanting to start seriously working on garments for myself...which I had sworn off of until I hit my goal weight. Should I start now...or just wait... It's just so hard to predict what one is going to look like down the road....and my current self-awareness is way out of whack, as if I have no idea of what size I really am...which I don't.
  5. I might need something entirely new and different to knit. Any ideas? You know the kinds of things I do....
  6. I - ahem - did some fake shopping at The Loopy Ewe this evening, filling my shopping cart with about $300 in things I loved and then deleting it all. It was fun...but a strong reminder that I have other yarns that I HAD to have which I've never touched. I really want to use up my lovely stash yarns....but oddly I find I need some ideas and suggestions.
  7. My lace mojo is way down. No...that's not true. Rather, I have two intense, long-term projects on the needles that seem to have eclipsed all other lace desires. This stinks since I have a gazillion shawls I want to make.
  8. The crochet thing keeps coming up. Any suggestions for resources?
  9. After swearing off of baby knits after last summer's gazillion baby gifts.....you guessed it, I wish I now had a bunch of babies to knit for. Thank goodness my trainer is pregnant.
  10. I really need to knit for the girls this year. They haven't had sweaters in a while...and now even the Pixie is old enough to request items.

As always, my reaction to your responses will totally be what drives my decisions...not the responses themselves! (Do you do that? Ask an opinion and then do what your gut tells you in response to the answer?)

I guess what I'm doing is looking for that spark that I need...the one that fires me up again and sets my imagination and my needles free.

Hmmm....

Comments

Alissia said…
How funny...I'm kind of in the same boat as you in some instances. I don't have any handknit socks of my own--I've only made 1 pair each for my husband and daughter--and am working on Baudelaire by Cookie A. I LOVE those socks, but they're my first toe-ups and lace socks so I've ran into some problems. I fixed those problems, but then have to work to get my knitting ego back haha. I still feel like I can very much recommend those socks though, if you're wanting to do something patterned. I'm not sure I'd go for knitting her whole book though. Maybe alternate socks from the book and plain/other socks so you don't get into *having* to knit. Follow what interests you.

Sorry the Akimbo didn't work out. I hate having to reknit stuff too. I never want to have to soak the yarn so it's all crinkly and the gauge is wrong, but I still don't want to have to soak the yarn to get the spring back! The colors are really nice together though. Have you knit an Aestlight shawl? You'd still get a shawl and can let the tragedy of the Akimbo rest for a little while.

Also, I am SO in the same situation as you when it comes to wanting to knit serious for myself! I'm 7.5 months pregnant, and while I lost the baby weight pretty fast with my daughter I don't want to jinx myself by assuming it'll just come off this time too. I've been noticing sweater patterns lately and really really want to knit one, but I feel like I can't. But I just may anyway. But I wouldn't give it away if it doesn't fit haha. Is there a pattern you're thinking of? There might be something you can knit that hangs well with more or less ease for when you're losing weight. I've been looking at Tea Leaves and some others that have buttons at the top with an A-line shape. And open-front sweaters with ties.

Sorry my response is so long. I hope it helps though! I totally do the same thing with responses to questions too. (Also, I did some fake shopping at SundaraYarn yesterday. It was torturous haha)
Anne P said…
I think if you are dragging your feet about casting back on for the shawl, that tells you prolly you shouldn't.

Cookie A socks are a perennial fav for me. Interesting, but hey - socks - you can finish them for a little semi-instant gratification. And I know you like detailed patterns.
quantumtea said…
Fake shopping is wonderful. Hubby and I have saved THOUSANDS in Ikea by not buying all the stuff we wrote down. I'm trying to make a dent in my own stash, I have a handspun hat and cowl planned to clear space for some alpaca I'm spinning. Handspun doesn't count as new stash, right?

You could just haul off a quick hat for some finishing joy, I really like the way Coronet snuggles my ears.

The Cookie A book plan sounds like a good challenge.
Jenny said…
Sometimes a little weaving is the perfect antidote to a knitting funk ...
; }
Bonnie said…
While you figure out the more complicated questions, a quick pair of simple socks in a yarn you love might be fun. And socks are always useful!
Jenn said…
Frog the Akimbo - yes the yarn looks nice together, but you can decide once it's frogged what it should become. Just a reminder.. when you do patterned socks you always seem to have issues and end up wishing you'd done plain socks. Do you have sock yarn to do patterns? Some yarn is just too busy for a pattern. And remember, you don't have to tie yourself to anything! Knit a sweater for the baby, if that's what seems like fun or for Pixie. You tie yourself to something and then you start to feel you have to do it instead of want to... Just a thought from the BKB! Hope the headaches are better soon!
Paula said…
Wow. It seems that several of us are in the same limbo boat. For the first time in several years I am somewhat lost as to what project to start on next. I keep going through my stash for inspiration but it hasn't struck yet.
Leciawp said…
I'm sorry about the headaches!

Popular Posts