Finding Joy in Snarkville

(Warning: This post is MOSTLY about knitting. I make this warning because a few of you, db, have mentioned that if I talk knitting you skip the post — so it has been awhile and thus the wool must be revealed again, can you deal?)

I went to Knit Night last night. Oh, how I LOVE the knit night!! First, there are the people or audience as I like to think of them. No, seriously, while I fully admit to being totally shy when meeting new people, put wool in my hands and put me amoungst the Knitters and I cannot stop with the talking. It feeds my inner extrovert so well and it is good for me. Secondly, there is the WOOL — I’m serious, I need no drugs in my life if I can just have lots and lots of FIBER — good, quality, natural fiber.

But back to the point…I kinda got lost there thinking about the fiber. I was talking to one of my friends, Kiwi (her blog name – her parents so didn’t name her after a fruit that grows in my backyard). Now, Kiwi is an amazing knitter and has done some BEAUTIFUL pieces and is pretty much fearless in her approach — needless to say, I like to sit by her for a completely different reason. The girl is completely focused on ONE project at a time. Seriously, she is monogomous. It fascinates me. I used to try to focus on a project at a time. I tried, but the wool fumes got to me and I now have layers of projects. The scary thing is that I work on each of them rather often, so tend to think of them as “works in progress” and not “unfinished objects.” But still, I’m sure this is just justifcation.

My point (I left it here somewhere) is that Kiwi asked me the most horrid of questions last night — and it only a testiment of how much I like her that ignored her obivious attempt to hold a Knitting Intervention. “So, exactly HOW MANY projects do you have on the needles, or stitch holders OR not in little balls of yarn?” (Thank you, Kiwi, for not asking me how many projects I had in little balls of yarn — appreciate that.) So, to her horror (and my sweet husband’s) I shall reveal it all. And because Niki would kill me otherwise — I even pulled out the camera for photos.

1. I suffer from SSS (second sock syndrome). Yup — a complete first sock and never cast on the second one YET.
2. A sweater for Warren’s shop. It is two half sleeves and finishing work to be done. It stalled because I am truly afraid of the front of the piece and I need to push through and finish it.
3. Swallowtail Shawl. This is a gift for a friend, but I’m about to completely change the edging because the “nupps” are killing me.
4. Lace Sweater. This one is a Rebecca pattern and I LOVED the end sweater. Last night I finally got the front finished and moved on the casting on the sleeves. This one is just two sleeves and sewing together from being done….oh and the blocking.
5. Socks for the Queen Mum. I began these socks at Christmas and thought I’d have them done by the cruise — still not quite done.
6. This is oldest WIP.  It is literally a hook and eye and two ends needs to be woven in away from being done.  I am ready for this one to be done, but need to hit the sewing shop for the hooks and eyes.
7. This is another older one.  It is a mohair shawl with Claudia Hand Paints.  I’m planning on just finishing off the ball of yarn.  So, I’m pretty close to the end of this one.  It is on a short circular needle, and I can’t imagine how BIG this one will be when it is done.
8. Another sweater lacking a sleeve — anyone else think I need to focus on vests?  This is ArtFibers Gypsy silk and I loved knitting this one and I can’t remember why it got put down — but then I tried to pick it up and realized I’d have to refigure the stripes.  For the record, while I LOVE the fact that there are no seems here, I hate knitting the sleeves attached to the sweater — that’s a royal pain.
9. Finally, here’s a sock I pulled off the needles.  I was not loving the toe-up but I liked the stitch pattern — so I’m showing it off.  This one needs to be started over.

And so what is really my problem?

Yup — I have issues. And I have enough, thanks to Warren and Bad Mommy, to make a sweater.  And pattern ideas?

This entry was posted on Friday, March 2nd, 2007 at 10:39 am and is filed under Be Smarter than the String. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.