I think every knitter realizes how delusional she/he is at this time of the year. That feeling of knitting super-power that we had back in November became a reality check at Thanksgiving and now is a pitiful pile of self-doubt. We know there are 13 days until Christmas...12 presents left to knit. Even if we stayed up 24 hours a day and did nothing but knit we still wouldn't be finished.
We starting to rethink WHAT we're going to knit for people...looking for chunky yarn, quick projects. I love all the posts coming around on FaceBook that promise "quickies"...2 hour cowls...that sort of thing.
I learned a long time ago...not from knitting, though...that I will not be able to finish everything I want to by the deadline. I learned to let it go. To give the recipient some hint of what they'll receive and hopefully have it finished by the end of January, so I can go back to my own selfish knitting for myself.
This year, I'm doing pretty well. Thanks to the therapy wash cloth knitting, I have the office folks, the in-laws and my parents taken care of...not to mention having several extra cloths. And now, I have both daughters and my mother also finished. I'm starting David's Christmas gift today....
And speaking of David...he's a particular challenge. He has a birthday on Friday (hat), anniversary on Sunday (cowl--starting tonight) and Christmas (socks). His feet are huge...those socks will NOT be finished before Christmas.
And in the midst of all of this I had a sick day at home yesterday. I knitted a lot...finished Alyssa's gift. Worked on my Fire and Ice Socks. I had visions of finishing it yesterday and wearing them to work today. I got just past the gusset decreases...still 5" of foot and then toe decreases left to knit.
I was clearly delusional yesterday!
But now today. I know that I won't finish everything. I haven't even picked out the yarn for David's socks yet. I honestly don't know if I have the yarn for David's socks yet. I have the pattern but can't remember what weight yarn it requires and the poor fella can't wear wool...so I have to raid my stash for the appropriate sized yarn with enough yardage to cover those boats on the end of his legs...I'm thinking he may have mismatched socks if it comes down to it! ha!
I thought I'd do a throw-back Thursday picture today. This is the very first sock I knitted. Every step was an adventure and I knew that I was hooked as soon as I got going good on it--and turned the heel...I discovered that was a bit of magic. The best advice I got was "just read the pattern and do exactly what it says...don't think about it." And it worked. I still love those socks and they still look amazing...Yarn: Malabrigo Sock.
I hope you are feeling better! I could really relate to this post. I too, know the knit frenzy cycle. I still get sucked into it, but I am much better at managing expectations of myself as well as for others. Last year, I knit my coffee gang hats, this year nothing. I still have to knit b/c I want to, not out of obligation. I will make them handwarmers for Lunar New Year. That will really throw them off! But yes, back to the selfish knitting please, though I too, am enjoying the current knits/process.
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