Friday, November 03, 2006

knit-a-longs

Socktober, Lacevember and other knitalongs got me thinking. Am I a joiner? I did the Knitting Olympics, and earned my gold medal (if I could only figure out how to post it in my sidebar!!) I did the Kerry Blue Lace Shawl knitalong at Knitting.About.com quite a while ago. But I ignored Socktober, although I knit tons of socks in October. And I’m ignoring Lacevember, although I have the perfect project – the twenty remaining rows of Icarus.
I’m not really sure why. I think it relates to my feeling about knitting something that someone REQUESTS. At that point, it ceases being my enjoyment, my relaxation, and it takes on the spectre of being my requirement, my job. I have enough trouble with my real job – I don’t need my knitting to become one too!
I have a number of projects on the go. (really? You didn’t know that?) I truly think this keeps me from becoming so bored with a project that I can’t face it any more. I salute those that can start a project and work on it exclusively until the final stitch is bound off and seam sewn and ends all woven in. And those people that don’t keep stash yarn, but only buy what they need for their current project?* My hat’s off to you. You can probably find your multi-head screwdriver in seconds, too.**
Lacevember seems custom made for me – you don’t have to start a new project, you can work on an existing one – they only ask that it has (purposely made) holes in it. I could do this. 2 good days and Icarus is done. But if I join, you know I will hate that shawl every time I pick it up because I will feel OBLIGATED to knit it. I am not obligated to my knitting, nor do I ever want to feel that way. You know of course, that I will finish Icarus this month, and probably start some other lace project. I may not join knitalongs, but subconsciously, I’m all there, baby!

If you're wondering about the lack of photos lately - there's just nothing new to show. Maybe an FO after the weekend...


*I hear there are such people. I’m very curious, mostly because I simply cannot fathom this concept. Then again, I have wool in just about every room in my house. I dare you to find a spot in my house to stand in that you cannot spot yarn from some vantage point. With winter coming, it can be argued that I am doing my part – wool is simply insulating parts of my house.

**My husband is a tool snob. Hates the multi-head screwdriver that I keep in my kitchen, disdaining it a “cheap crap”. So explain to me why I can never find it, unless I look on his tool bench, home to his DeWalts and Craftsmans?

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