Lucky Canuck and I were talking - she belongs to two sock clubs - the Blue Moon Rockin' Sock Club and Pick Up Sticks. I belong to neither - I just live vicariously through her.
We've both hit the "summer meh" of knitting. Nothing is really catching our eyes, nothing seems to get done. (that may change soon - we're both waiting for KnitPicks boxes to arrive. Nothing like new books, yarn and needles to jump start the knitting mojo! - or crochet in Lucky's case - post a pic of the dress, chickie!)
But, back to the sock clubs. Lucky has posted pics of the latest acquisitions. (man, that Seacoast is delicious...) But, as we were discussing, there almost seems to be a performance anxiety to do these projects as soon as they arrive. You joined the club, you have to knit them, right? Of course not. Lucky has changed her whole attitude about these. She is now considering them to be luscious stash enhancements for future projects. She started this with the last STR - when she decided against the enclosed pattern, and is turning the Silkie into stunning gauntlets. A member of my Guild, who also belongs to the Pick Up Sticks Club, is feeling somewhat the same way - she made a comment at the last meeting about the anxiety to finish the socks - however, she really wanted to, because she loved the pattern. That's the right reason for working hard on a project - because you love it.
We also discussed travelling projects - Lucky and I are both lucky enough to have access to lakefront cottages. We discuss which projects are the ones to take - Do you bring just one, and get it done? (Yeah, right - not going to happen.) Do you bring everything, and work a little bit on each? (No feeling of accomplishment.) Some easy, some hard? (Our choice - easy for those times when charts are a pain, or people want to talk to you, and some lace for those quiet times when you can refer to a chart, and it's quiet.) Since I'm a passenger on the 2+ hour drive each way, I take socks or something similar for the car - I can hold up my end of the conversation, and still get stuff done. Same for beach knitting - I still have to keep an eye on the kids, or be able to jump in myself at a moment's notice - socks are great for this. In the evenings, however, a lac project, or something charted is great - it gives me some quiet time when no one will bug me.
Now that I've hijacked almost an entire post on other people's stuff - I do have some of my own knitting going on. I just can't show you. (nice, eh?) Maybe soon. I have to show it someone else first. But I have been knitting. More than I thought I was, because it doesn't feel like I'm getting anything done. But my "finished stuff" bag is growing, so obviously I'm knitting. (Or I've perfected sleep knitting. One can only hope.)
A side note to Steph - I love hearing about the knitters you meet and the places you go. It's not about you - it's about them. And the First Socks? So cool. I wonder if we'll get Joan T. from our Guild (a knitter who refuses to make socks) to convert...
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I wrestle(d) with those same issues - belonging to the STR Rockin' Sock Club - but have come to the satisfactory conclusion (as did Lucky) that I am in the club for the thrill/privilege of the exclusivity of the yarn and/or pattern. I admire people who can just whip out the sock (or whatever) in a day or two, but I have knitting obligations that can't just be set aside so I read what others are doing, and allow the anticipation of working with the special yarn to grow and build so that our first stitch together is nearly climactic.
I agree! We have our own obligations! Let's enjoy the sock clubs simply for the thrill of having the luxury to join them and for meeting great new yarns along the way. I vow to not compare myself any more and to banish all thoughts of performance anxiety. 'Cuz that's exactly what it is, and I don't know why I do that to myself.
You are right. I have held off on joining sock clubs because of the "expectation" of "having" to knit up a pattern. That is just silly. What will happen if I don't knit up the sock club pattern? Do the knitting police come and take away my stash? Nope. So why am I driving myself nutty over it? No more!
I don't join the sock clubs because A) price and B) if I don't like the color/texture I'm stuck with it.
If I'm going to shell out quite a bit of $$ for something very luxurious, I want to be sure to get the colors I want.
Tag, you're it!
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