5.12.2008
Knitting, How I Love You
My knitting and I have been enjoying a long-overdue reunion over the last few days. Really, it's more like a second honeymoon. I've been an absolute glutton with my wool and needles , choosing knitting over literally anything else (friends, laundry, eating... nothing is safe!).
I was doing so well taking care of languishing projects and cleaning up loose ends. I thought my annual spring cleaning of stash would help me get a realistic perspective on both current and future knitting, while giving me the sense and control to conjure a game-plan for finishing WIPs. Wrong. Quite the opposite happened, in fact. I uncovered many long-forgotten stash jewels, falling prey to many a fiber spell. I must have blacked out for an afternoon, because when I woke up I was surrounded by multiple new projects. I blame Ravelry. I always blame Ravelry.
I wasn't even sure where to begin with blogging, there's so much going on all of a sudden. And, I actually have time to tell you about it. I think I'll take the haphazard route of random-project-photo-flashing?
The Garter Stitch Love Fest never stops around here. I'm still chipping away at the big afghan.
I had to send for more yarn - this thing is a true beast of wool. This is EZ's Garter Stitch Afghan from The Opinionated Knitter - pictured is half of the finished product, seamed together. The pattern is worked in 4 pieces. I'm about a quarter of the way through the fourth and final piece. With chunky yarn held double, I'll be hard pressed to find a warmer blanket than this come winter time.
As for sweater knitting...
I'm still plugging away on Na Craga, although it is truly slow going. Really, that's no problem - it's rare that I tire from having so much righteous cabel-ry around. I'm ready to start the sleeves, which caused a temporary pause in the process, allowing for a few new projects to wedge their way in. Projects that don't require sleeves.
When Vests Attack. I've never been much of a vest fan, but as has happened so many times before, knitting has slowly worn down yet another of my garment prejudices. The other day, I had an all-consuming urge to knit a vest. No idea where it came from, but when the knitting muse comes a-calling, I try not to stand in her way.
The vest sort of fell into place on it's own. I had just finished spinning a bunch of Adrian's beautiful shetland and it was really burning a hole in my stash. I had more than enough for a smaller project, but not enough for a garment.
Mere days before, my sister-in-law sent me a thrifted wool tweed sweater from Ireland that she picked up in Portland for a whopping two dollars. As I was harvesting all that glorious Irish wool, I realized the weight was just the same as my shetland handspun. The vest bug bit and everything became dizzyingly clear...
I'm winging the pattern, knitting it in the round with steeked armholes and v-neck opening. And can't put it down. I'm having a blast. You'll see more soon.
Also, lace:
I ran across a discreet skein of fingering weight merino/tencel from Dave at Cabin Cove and started knitting this smoke ring almost immediately, which I find terribly beautiful. It's the Flared Lace Smoke Ring from the folks at Heartstrings Fiber Arts and I'm loving every stitch.
The craziest thing is there are MORE projects. They're everywhere. It's a true case of knitting schizophrenia. I'm all over the place, and while this type of knitting behavior usually puts me on edge, lately I'm thrilled by it.
More soon. Very soon. (I'm neglecting my knitting)
I was doing so well taking care of languishing projects and cleaning up loose ends. I thought my annual spring cleaning of stash would help me get a realistic perspective on both current and future knitting, while giving me the sense and control to conjure a game-plan for finishing WIPs. Wrong. Quite the opposite happened, in fact. I uncovered many long-forgotten stash jewels, falling prey to many a fiber spell. I must have blacked out for an afternoon, because when I woke up I was surrounded by multiple new projects. I blame Ravelry. I always blame Ravelry.
I wasn't even sure where to begin with blogging, there's so much going on all of a sudden. And, I actually have time to tell you about it. I think I'll take the haphazard route of random-project-photo-flashing?
The Garter Stitch Love Fest never stops around here. I'm still chipping away at the big afghan.
I had to send for more yarn - this thing is a true beast of wool. This is EZ's Garter Stitch Afghan from The Opinionated Knitter - pictured is half of the finished product, seamed together. The pattern is worked in 4 pieces. I'm about a quarter of the way through the fourth and final piece. With chunky yarn held double, I'll be hard pressed to find a warmer blanket than this come winter time.
As for sweater knitting...
I'm still plugging away on Na Craga, although it is truly slow going. Really, that's no problem - it's rare that I tire from having so much righteous cabel-ry around. I'm ready to start the sleeves, which caused a temporary pause in the process, allowing for a few new projects to wedge their way in. Projects that don't require sleeves.
When Vests Attack. I've never been much of a vest fan, but as has happened so many times before, knitting has slowly worn down yet another of my garment prejudices. The other day, I had an all-consuming urge to knit a vest. No idea where it came from, but when the knitting muse comes a-calling, I try not to stand in her way.
The vest sort of fell into place on it's own. I had just finished spinning a bunch of Adrian's beautiful shetland and it was really burning a hole in my stash. I had more than enough for a smaller project, but not enough for a garment.
Mere days before, my sister-in-law sent me a thrifted wool tweed sweater from Ireland that she picked up in Portland for a whopping two dollars. As I was harvesting all that glorious Irish wool, I realized the weight was just the same as my shetland handspun. The vest bug bit and everything became dizzyingly clear...
I'm winging the pattern, knitting it in the round with steeked armholes and v-neck opening. And can't put it down. I'm having a blast. You'll see more soon.
Also, lace:
I ran across a discreet skein of fingering weight merino/tencel from Dave at Cabin Cove and started knitting this smoke ring almost immediately, which I find terribly beautiful. It's the Flared Lace Smoke Ring from the folks at Heartstrings Fiber Arts and I'm loving every stitch.
The craziest thing is there are MORE projects. They're everywhere. It's a true case of knitting schizophrenia. I'm all over the place, and while this type of knitting behavior usually puts me on edge, lately I'm thrilled by it.
More soon. Very soon. (I'm neglecting my knitting)
Comments:
That smoke-ring looks like jewelry. Amazing. Can't wait to see the finished product!
(In a chaste, knitterly way of course)
What a great post! I love everything here.
That's some persuasive pen you got there :)
Jen
Love the striped vest. I made a Ski Lodge Scoop in March on the same stripe principle. Not enough of one yarn or the other...but they went together really well. See my blog entry for March 11; and also finished project pics on ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/projects/KarinMT/ski-lodge-scoop-2
I'd say, Enjoy all that knitting! -but you already are. :)
btw - I was telling my husband about Jared the Knitting God the other day and he said, "Jared from the Subway commercials?" Ha.
And it's no wonder you're all over the place; you haven't been able to knit much, so you're in overdrive. Enjoy it!
Oh, and you're making me want to do a vest. ;)
When you are so in love with the project you resent having to sleep.
Isn't love wondeful?
I too am a fan of random-project-flashes. Each one looks terrific. I can't wait to see more!
(blast Ravelry...it does cause this inability to remain true to a project, doesn't it?)
(((Hugs)))
Oh, and I love the vest. :)
I hear you on the vest making- sleeves are my downfall.
Someone commented that my most recent FO, the Petal Tank by the Fibre Co. looks like a feminine Cobblestone and I have to agree.
http://flickr.com/photos/43968257@N00/2482666453/
You're an inspiration to us all
can anyone explain?
; )
Best knitting to you!
i love the vest. it is very americana i think. reminds me of something for a musician to wear.
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Your new projects look so inviting, it is completely understandable why you had to have them all going at the same time. Beautiful work and photography, as usual.
You are certainly not alone in starting something new when you've got a dozen already on needles. The Na Craga will be incredibly beautiful. I've got a Starmore that I can't seem to finish as well.
I have a skein of the same Cabin Cove yarn and now I know what to do with it! Thanks for all the inspiration!
You would think with the way we knitters love our craft that we would be monogamous to the core, but really we're one of the biggest groups of cheaters I've ever met. My New Years resolution this year was to be a one project at a time girl, and aside from a few brief affairs, I've stuck to it. HARD. So hard.
You are not alone in blaming Ravelry for the startitis. Seriously, how are we supposed to resist the siren-song of the "patterns" tab?!
That smoke-ring looks like jewelry. Amazing. Can't wait to see the finished product!
I just adore your non-assuming color choices - so subtle, so beautiful! The Hello Yarn handspun is simply amazing, as is that gorgeous smoke ring - wow!
Jared, how I love you.
(In a chaste, knitterly way of course)
What a great post! I love everything here.
I just visited a friend in Switzerland who showed me her lovely, almost finished Norwegian sweater. Then she showed me the entirety of her stash - two balls of sock yarn for her next project. I had more yarn and projects with me on my trip than she had in her whole house! I can totally relate to your approach and can't begin to understand hers. Have fun with all these projects. Each one is so different, it's almost like completely different crafts.
Ok... your shetland handspun - featured several posts ago, is the picture/article/yarn that drove me to my first drop spindle class 3 weeks ago.
That's some persuasive pen you got there :)
Hey there. I'm a long time fan but now I've come out of lurking. Your post sounds exactly like me right now! I just finished grad school last week and now I'm spending too much time knitting during my free time. Wait, did I say *too much* time?! I've been catching up on old projects, starting new ones, queueing away on Ravelry.. oh.. I know this knitting schizophrenia all too well! And I am loving it!!! lol :) Your partner end-of-semester-madness,
Jen
Your Noro scarf inspired me to knit two of my own, and now your striped vest is doing the same. I love how you are combining the thrift yarn with the handspun. It's great to have the original thrift sweater picture to compare to the striped project.
Dear god, man! Do we have to call for backup?? Let us know when the heart palpitations begin...then you will know the true frenzy has hit. Ha ha! :P Beautiful knits...all of them. And spinning too? I swoon at the thought of the size of that blanket project. And the smoke ring truly is stunning. I would say that I hope you are enjoying your time off, all wrapped up in your knits...but well, I think we can all see you are truly in your element right now. Keep it coming but dude...remember to eat! Ha ha!
I immediately afer reading your blog want to cast on for all of your projects! amazing knitting and oh so beautiful pics!!!!
Fantastic! This is just what keeps happening to me as I was desperately trying to knit from stash and had got my projects down to three. Now it's up to eight. Sigh. Loving your work as always:)
OK, now I *think* I know what my lone skein of Jojoland Cashmere wants to be when it grows up. [Sweet are the virtues of insomnia, and Ravelry, and Bloglines.]
I'm having a similar case of casting-on with abandon. Where does the urge come from?!?! Anyway, your projects are glorious, as usual. Yay, knitting!
I have knitting envy... your project are all just so beautiful! How can you possibly choose which to work on?
Jared, what an awesome lot you have going there!
Love the striped vest. I made a Ski Lodge Scoop in March on the same stripe principle. Not enough of one yarn or the other...but they went together really well. See my blog entry for March 11; and also finished project pics on ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/projects/KarinMT/ski-lodge-scoop-2
I'd say, Enjoy all that knitting! -but you already are. :)
Knitting schizophrenia - I love it! I've just cast on for EZ's garter stitch blanket using handspun, but on size 7 needles. I may be knitting delusional.
btw - I was telling my husband about Jared the Knitting God the other day and he said, "Jared from the Subway commercials?" Ha.
Random-project-photo-flashing is always a good thing. :)
And it's no wonder you're all over the place; you haven't been able to knit much, so you're in overdrive. Enjoy it!
I'm totally having a love-fest with my knitting too. I just cast on for a re-knit of Imogen, and it's all I can think of! This is completely mindless knitting, true, but I think it's the wonder of the do-over. All my other projects have fallen off the radar for the time-being.
Oh, and you're making me want to do a vest. ;)
That cabled sweater is a beauty! It looks like so much fun to knit, so I wouldn't blame you if you never finished it! Thanks for all the pretty pics today.
Jared- I adore the Honeymoon period.
When you are so in love with the project you resent having to sleep.
Isn't love wondeful?
Wow...I wish my stash looked like that.
I too am a fan of random-project-flashes. Each one looks terrific. I can't wait to see more!
I adore Jackie's lace patterns too, and Dave's yarn is lovely in it! I'm having a bad case of startitis as well, but your's all looks so much BETTER than mine!
(blast Ravelry...it does cause this inability to remain true to a project, doesn't it?)
(((Hugs)))
You know I think it's because of spring. For me, everything was languishing during the winter, but now I keep falling in love with everything and everyone every single day. I'm having passionate thoughts abouts projects and yarn, not to mention sewing and jewelry making. I say, bring it on, all of it!
I call it ADD for knitters. I have the same problem. Just when I had my projects down to two on the needles I get bit by the bug and now I have far too many on the needles again...and I bought more yarn today! Heaven help us...
Oh, and I love the vest. :)
It must be spring fever, (now that it finally arrived to the PNW) because I too have experienced a large upswing in project quantities. Yes, it's Ravelry's fault.
I hear you on the vest making- sleeves are my downfall.
Totally! I'm amorous about all my projects, all my stash, it's ridiculous! And it's all I want to do.
Someone commented that my most recent FO, the Petal Tank by the Fibre Co. looks like a feminine Cobblestone and I have to agree.
http://flickr.com/photos/43968257@N00/2482666453/
Wow, you have very different projects on the needles and each one is perfect for whatever mood you might be in. What fun to choose from! I am in the mood for garter stitch myself but I never seem to get anything done if I cast on for too many projects.
On the previously-held-prejudices: I seem to recall you used to hate cables... now look at Na Craga..ahem :)
You're an inspiration to us all
I love the project for every mood theme. Something quick for when I need to feel accomplished, something complicated when I feel like I've only done dull meaningless things, something easy for the braindead days...
i'm confused about something - how do you get the stripes in that vest to come out so perfectly using the homespun? in the skein, it looks sort of random. i would think the colors would shift mid-stripe.
can anyone explain?
That wee little glimpse of the vest's tubular cast on (unless I'm mistaken) totally made this post for me.
wow. i am so amazed! the vest is beautiful, the cabley sweater is to die for, and the lace is so tempting I might have to dive into my stash to make one myself! :) Thank you for being an inspiration--there is a cardigan forming on my needles right now that is heavily inspired by your cobblestone pullover;)
aghh, so jealous. my grad school semester isn't over and i should be finishing two papers right this moment instead of looking at knitting blogs... i'm so looking forward to knitting lots next week.
; )
The work is absolutely gorgeous and the pictures are as well! I must agree with your knitting schizophrenia which is why I've coined the term... knitzophrenia. I've succumbed to it many times!
Best knitting to you!
argh every thing is so beautiful.. isn't knitting just great??? i seem to be knitting every where right now and people comment in the nicest of ways. na craga is on the list and i traded a copy of the pattern for an original pattern from meg swansen.
i love the vest. it is very americana i think. reminds me of something for a musician to wear.
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