I debated even writing this post, but I think it's important to discuss our failures in addition to celebrating our successes. It's how we learn and grow. So it's time I come clean. I think I've lost my knitting mojo. My knack for knitting is gone. There I said it.
Based on my last few posts, maybe you saw this coming, but I sure didn't (next time I'd appreciate a heads up, okay?). In the last few weeks, I've made more mistakes and had to rip out or start over countless projects. I'm not proud of this, but it happens. I miscounted a cast on and therefore knit the wrong size sweater (yeah, don't ask). I've read charts wrong and knit instead of purl. I already told you about the debacle I had when knitting Ease. I've started a baby sweater 3 times because I wasn't happy with it - once it was completely finished and blocked before I decided I hated it. I'm also in the midst of planning some new designs and have been swatching and ripping like crazy. While that's intentional knitting and frogging, it doesn't make me feel like any less of a knitting newbie to knit something and immediately rip it right out.
I think part of the problem is that as you become a more accomplished knitter, you notice your mistakes more. I'm not one to leave a noticeable mistake, nor am I the type of knitter that tries to hide mistakes. I either drop down and fix missed stitches, or frog my work to get it right. I'm also learning to be pretty picky about how things look and fit. So if it's not right, I start over. I know that's not for everyone, nor do I expect it to be. But that's how I am.
So between my desire for perfect knitting and the fact that I currently have four WIPs (plus my design ideas), I feel like my needles are constantly moving and I'm not finishing anything (I also wrangle toddlers as my day-job, so that doesn't help). I think it's time for me to go back to my previous ways of only having one or two projects going at once. Sure, it's going to be hard to fight the urge to cast on a bunch of new, exciting projects, but I'll be able to concentrate more on each project.
Whew, I feel better already! Anyone else have a knitting confession they want to share?
Oh, you are brave to fight the cast-on urge! I just posted about having so many projects on the needles or lined up to be on the needles. But I completely agree with you about mistakes after you've been knitting a while. I seem to make more stupid mistakes now than I did when I started, and I can't leave a mistake go either.
ReplyDeleteGood idea. i usually have only 2 projects on the go. When I had more than that I just felt a lot of stress which was daft as I enjoy knitting.
ReplyDeleteMy knitting confession: I cannot seem to finish a pattern written by someone else. I cast on, I knit, I get ideas, and a classic case of the "what ifs" happens and I end up frogging and hitting the designing board. But I'm constantly collecting new knitting books from amazon!
ReplyDeleteRemember how we were talking about the blanket I was working on, and how I was redoing my lifeline every repeat and it was going well? I think I brought back the curse. I knit a line of the pattern and noticed I had an extra stitch, and when I ripped back to my lifeline it turns out I am short 2 stitches. Ive tried figuring out where I dropped the stitches on the lifeline, and I cant figure it out. :( Back in the project bag with it for awhile until I get more patience to figure it out.
ReplyDeleteApparently the bad knitting mojo is going around :(
Oh, I feel you. I totally feel you! I want everything to be perfect and rip it down if it doesn't please me. AND I have been having a bit of a crisis with knitting (or doing any handcraft) a couple of weeks. Strange things I have done trying to fight the crisis. First I couldn't do anything and then I started all kinds of projects, just to get going with something. Now again I feel I can do nothing (and have all kinds of projects started all around the house...). Or maybe I just have too much to do with my three kids :D
ReplyDeleteOh I know the feeling so well. I've recently frogged a cowl because I lost my mojo for it. But now I use the yarn for another project and you know what? it flies of the needles..
ReplyDelete