One of the joys of my commute is that I frequently stop in and see my pal Cynthia in Pine Grove Mills at Stitch Your Art Out, i.e. the best yarn store between Yinz and Youse Guys. On this particular day it just so happened that the stars had aligned and we were in the same knitting mental space, which is to say, totally freaking sick of all our projects and ready to cut some bitches.
We talked through our gripes, did some digging and decided that the whole knitting 10+ projects at once thing wasn't really working out so well for us as it was leading to a blind rage typa deal, so we made a mutual pact to change our ways and improve our attitudes in the process. Radical measures to rectify the WIP Excessfest 2009® have been taken and many, many projects have been removed from permanent rotation. By removed I mean either ripped out, stuffed in a ziploc bag and banished to the third floor behind the stack of Consumer Reports that I'm going to read someday or put into the temporary holding zzzzz tank of Ravelry. Out of sight is the operative term here.
We have come up with a power of three concept--at any given time, only three projects can be in the mix. Why three? Three is enough to not get bored but also to make some progress. Three--one portable, one concentration-centric and one t.v.project. Three--enough to keep you content and rolling along and hopefully prevent you from hurting others.
And guess what? All my knitting agita is gone--poof!--just like that, so much so that I even finished a long-term pain in the noodle WIP!
The Specs:
Pattern: Ann Budd Basic Sock Pattern--i.e., my go-to generic sock pattern. So clear and intuitive.
Yarn: Regia 4-ply Kaffe Fassett in 'Landscape Fire' (?)---for an industrial yarn, it ain't half bad, much better than many others. Trekking--I'm looking at you.
Needles: 1 1/2 addi turbo lace needles--needles that have gotten so much use the finish is wearing off them, which is a bit of a concern.
Time: I cast on for these last March and am oh so glad they are done-ski.
Now that I have finished a project, a spot has opened and I can FINALLY cast on for one of the many sweaters I have planned. First up is the Vine Lace Top Down Cardi--I've been itching to try my hand at this one ever since seeing Earthchick, ASHLEY and Babs' impressive versions.
I continue to work fast and furiously on finishing two pairs of socks that I have little enthusiasm for in order to move them out of the WIP column and thus 'free up' space for me to cast on for several projects that I am gaga over. I have been thinking about these projects for about a month yet some sort of (misplaced?) guilty conscience says that for every project I start, I must finish at least two from my Ravelry project page. Why does it have such control over me? It's a place that sends me into a fugue state every time I look at it. Sometimes I just stare and ask myself "Why did I cast on for that?", which quickly becomes "Why do you care? Just cast on for whatever you like and let the chips fall where they may". This gives ways to adolescent musings about free will and "I'll do what I want", which ultimately turns into "Why am I talking to myself?"...
For the past month I have been engaged in a game of musical chairs with the Vine Lace Top-Down Cardigan, the Minimalist cardigan and the Heather Hoodie vest and the possible yarns I might use. My daily commute (which has started again this week: I know other academics in the house might also be feeling the burn) has been spent trying to play a version of Match Game '73 with them "I will do the Minimalist cardigan in ______________". (Tip o' the hat to anyone who remembers that Mark Goodson/Bill Todman production--my grandma loved that show!).
I thought I had the puzzle solved until the publications you see below arrived in the mail:
My stealth fingers and expert clicking ability--my husband calls it late night clickety, I call it just me being me--were able to procure the brand new Véronik Avery St-Denis magazine as well as JF's Made in Brooklyn. The new Twist Collective is also not helping as there are a few patterns in there that are calling my name (Lorelei, I'm looking at you). But to be able to start any of these, radical provisions are in order.
The WIP that has presented me with the single most genuine irritation has got to be the Katharine Hepburn Cardigan. I love how it looks, but cables and lace is so not where I ever need to be in terms of maintaining sanity while knitting. I began this project over two years ago and have put it down and picked it up on so many occasions that I scarcely have any idea where I am or what I'm doing. It doesn't help that for about a 7 month period I had accidentally (on purpose?) left the pattern in Wisconsin. And since the Green Mountain Shawl (cover of St-Denis--stunning, right?) calls for just about the same amount of sport weight yarn...
Yes I ripped and haven't looked back. Luckily I had a helper who MacGuyvered a great yarn unwinding system with our patio table...
I know this manner of solving the WIP problem is drastic (and possibly lame), not to mentioned self-defeating, but I am so pleased to get that monkey off my back. Stay tuned for more WIP hi jinx...
In store for you today: A few more shots from Minneapolis (above, the Gold Medal Flour mill and Stone Arch bridge), some interesting agricultural products (below), and then an actual, bona fide sweater that has been completed by me. All of this will be coming your way assuming that you don't subscribe to a certain bockety blog reader that has suddenly refused to pick up my feed. Yes, for the last few weeks I have been screaming into the Bloglines void as it has been plugging its ears, making loud 'I-can't-hear-you' noises and pretending I don't exist. Humph. Was it the knitted willy warmer? My abrupt detour into Shawl-land? A lack of actual pertinent content? Whatevs, Bloglines. Google Reader will be smiting your ass any day now...
The above grapes are from my friend Phil's grape arbor in Star Valley. Let me tell you that they were the essence of grape. Fragrant, perfume-y, grape to the power of 10--almost unbelievably so. The glass you see is of actual grape juice. Sad Alzheimer's footnote: my dad couldn't smell the juice at all because many suffering from his condition completely lose their sense of smell.
The big top you see above belongs to the Cirque du Soleil. Let me officially apologize to everyone who has raved about these performances as while you were talking, I was secretly judging and even rejecting you a little. But you were right! I'm a jackass--it was a stupendous show.
While on my trip I was also able to complete a project I began a month earlier--Rusted Root. I saw my mom eying it and knew that she had to have it. Happy Birthday, mom!
The Specs:
Pattern: Rusted Root by the Zephyr Girls
Yarn: Rowan Calmer 476, exactly 6.
Needles: Size 8, which was larger than called for. I wanted some drape in this fabric and it's what I got.
Mods: I made damn sure to do 14 lace repeats. You better believe I was zooming in and counting them on Ravelry FOs! I also opted out of the cap sleeve version as I fear them.
Time: Mid-June to the end of July, off and on.
This pattern is a classic Zephyr girls production: top-down raglan construction, cute details that keep the pattern interesting, and exceedingly clear instructions. Calmer is a true pleasure and I recommend it for all your warm weather needs. It had been hanging around in my stash for quite a while and I am sad to say goodbye to my old friend...but luckily while I able to pick up a new Rowan pal that is making a huge hit. I was even told by the LYS employee that I was the first person to buy it as it had just arrived--now you KNOW that sealed the deal, right? Introducing....
Felted Tweed Aran! Yes, our favorite Rowan yarn in a gauge that would actually want to make a sweater out of. I am so excited, I think this just moved to the top of the Minimalist Cardigan queue...
Once a year we venture across the mighty Mississippi from my parents' home in Minneapolis to Crawford county, Wisconsin, home to my best-friend-since-forever, Phil and his partner Randy, in idyllic Star Valley.
Upon our arrival last night, we had cocktails under the grape arbor (above) and then a magical dinner made entirely from products from the farm (below). I jokingly suggested that I submit the above picture to a fanciful new publication, Arbor Living. Ha! Why not?
On the menu was zucchini tempura and fresh pea soup. NOM!
This morning we visited Viroqua, a town where granola Waldorf school enthusiasts, Wisconsin agrarians and Amish farmers peacefully exist. There I was able to visit the yarn store Ewetopia, a fantastic LYS that carries its own brand of yarn (see below):
We also stopped by the the farmer's market, where I saw the most delightful, gnome-worthy log ever:
Later today we'll go back to the Cities (boo) and then on Tuesday, back to Pennsylvania (double boo). More on that later!
Recently I have gained some insight into the psychology of my knitting praxis. As top-down raglan construction seems to be my drug of choice these days, I have noticed a certain thought process that has come into play with several of my current projects. I tend to be under the impression that once I am at that magical place of 'putting sleeves on waste yarn', all my problems will be over and I'll be in the home stretch. Boy those sleeves were taking sooo looong. Endless, really. Whew! Finallly...Just a few more rows and I'm done, right?
Umm, wrong.
I seem to have my eyes on the sleeve prize so much so that once I actually get there and my knitting isn't transformed into some sort of magic porridge pot that finishes itself, I completely run out of gas. To wit:
1.) The Diminishing Rib Cardigan. Such enthusiasm I had, such brio--that is, before I hit the sleeves. Then my élan seemed to dissipate,which is bananapants considering that this project goes so quickly. I know this project is my best bet for resurrecting my self-respect,but I had to go on and cast on for the...
2.) Featherweight Cardigan, i.e. the project that gnaws at my soul. If this doesn't grind me into a paste, I don't know what will. Things were going exceedingly well until I put the sleeves on waste yarn and then 'poof' went my interest and gumption, two qualities that might be sort of needed to get anywhere with this. Now it's a slog. With lace weight yarn. But I still want it--THAT hasn't changed. Maybe a project on size 8 needles will help me snap to? Perhaps something like...
3.) Rusted Root! Added bonus: I get to knit it out of Rowan Calmer, a yarn for which I have an abiding love. The lace panel is a genius addition here, for the simple reason that it helps you mark the passage of time and let's you know that you are in fact getting somewhere. Last night I finally, well , you can figure that out, and it is all I can do to not let the spirit drain out of this one. What is my problem?
Hmmmm, we seem to gave a pattern here. Perhaps this whole 'putting the sleeves on waste yarn' isn't all I've made it out to be. Maybe I've been fighting the wrong enemy à la Don Quixote and windmills that he took for monsters. Perhaps it's time to go back to--gasp--knitting in pieces and seaming sweaters together or rather, knitting in pieces and getting Big Babs to seam it together:). At least that way a sense of accomplishment is built into the project from day 1 as in 'woo hoo I finished the left front' rather than 'omfg I have 14 more inches to go until the ribbing'. Something to think about...and me being me, of course I have the perfect project in mind! I even have the yarn! I've set my sights on the Minimalist Cardigan and am planning on using the new Brown Sheep Shepherd's Solids in Cayenne pictured above. Please refrain from bursting my bubble here, people and let's pretend that this project won't break me--it is such delusional thinking that keeps me going.
We are back from our trip and let me tell you it was a week full of WIN. I've discovered the key to traveling with the Curmudgeon involves both of us being separated for the majority of the day (me: at a work-related workshop that was fulfilling in every way, him: free to wander the streets and do his lonely boy routine) so that we can be reunited at the end of the afternoon for a lovely walk, a visit to a museum or two, Parisian prandial delights and much conversation about our respective days. Photographic evidence submitted below:
1.) Can you really ever get enough of this miraculous structure? To stand beneath it is to marvel at human ingenuity and capability. The joy of catching glimpses of it, each time from an unexpected, different angle, cannot be overestimated.
2.) We rented a studio apartment in the 15th arrondissment. The price was quite reasonable and having that little frigo proved invaluable: we stocked it with yogurt and beer, both necessary to our respective happiness.
3.) This museum will one day be call the Musée Chirac, but in the mean time it's had a variety of awkward names and now is referred to by the quai that it's located on. We saw the Tarzan exhibit which was a thrill because a. graphic novel / cartoon culture is such a huge part of French culture and b. my grandfather was a cartoonist who worked in the same tradition.
4.) Personal museum high that will last me a very long time: seeing the Martin Parr exhibit at the Jeu de Paume. I have loved this photographer for such a long time and strongly recommend that you check out his British cities series as well as other collections like Boring Postcards. He is hilarious without being mean and tends to go after the right people (read: ostentatiously wealthy shitbags).
5.) Have no fear--we made the most of our mealtimes. Even though one of us is counting points (down 32!), we still made sure to not deprive ourselves of the culinary bounty to be had. Plus, we were walking like mofos so we earned it. Above you see a galette (savory crêpe) that was particularly delish.
6.) Lola, the café pictured above, was the site of the best meal we've ever had together. It was our last night, and it was magical.
7.) Oh hai it's us. I put this lil bonus photo at the end for those who persevered through the home movie portion of the blog. This is the last picture of me taken before I did away with the highlights-that-weren't-doing-me-any-favors (my stylist's words--Umm, thanks! So why'dya keep doing 'em then?) look and embraced the way of the curl. I'm in a new cult now, and I'm loving it! Pictures will be coming at some point.
We had a stupendous time, but you might be noticing a lack of impressive knitting content. There's a good reason for that: THERE WASN'T ANY. I only just put my Featherweight sleeves on waste yarn and made scoff-worthy progress on my sock. But that's ok, because it seems that sometimes no knitting is good news in that it means you actually got off your duff and did something else for a change.
There was however one special occasion for knitting at the very end of our trip. This moment will heretofor be known as The Happiest Moment of my Life® , as it represents that split-second when I learned that my Silver Elite Status® on Northwest was somehow valid on Air France and "earned" (Curmudgeon's quotes, not mine) us an upgrade to first class (!).
[Please to notice the leg room. And real glass of champagne that didn't suck.]
Yes--that place from which you hear dishes and real glassware clinking together and making those delightful little sounds! That place where your seat folds down into an actual bed, and a table cloth is put down for each meal! I know these comments put me into the realm of the truly shallow...but I'll happily accept this moniker if it means I can go back to that special place once more in my lifetime.
Even though the knitting content is scant, I have some major blockbuster projects coming up that are going to redeem me in your eyes...for now I remain shallowly yours,
The A.D.D. Knitter
I can't seem to recall ever wanting a Finished Object as much as I want the Featherweight Cardigan. So many projects seem to get finished and you are initially pleased with the results, they then hang around and slowly you become a bit meh about them, or you give them away, so the recipients can love them initially and then themselves feel somewhat meh as well. I get the feeling that the Featherweight is a different experience entirely as it seems like a sweater that one would actually wear, especially this time of year when air conditioning makes wearing sleeveless shirts a bit dicey. Bottom line: I WANT IT and it's taking f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I am knitting on this mofo day and night and I am still at least 8 rows away from dividing for the sleeves. For the love of all that is sacred and holy, I just want to make it to that magical place where I am putting those sleeves on scrap yarn--is that so much to ask? I was so hoping to wear the Featherweight in Paris this week, but alas, no. I will be wearing my usual tired parade of Old Navy duds from 3 years ago and the French will have to be exposed to my appalling bare arms. Just one more indignity, I suppose. Small consolation that will preserve tiny shred of dignity: at least I won't be wearing a fanny pack.
Another reason I want to finish is that I have two more in the knitting queue and really want these as well. Hi, I'm greedy and unrealistic. I have finally managed to get my grubby little hands on some Malabrigo Laceweight in Frank Ochre (which was exceedingly difficult) and some Polar Morn that have Featherweight written all over them. Since only thing more insane than working on one of these cardigans would be working on two of them at a time, Frank and Molar Porn will have to wait.
And with this, I bid you adieu. As I write this, the Curmudgeon is maniacally checking to make sure the coffee pot isn't plugged in and is racing around the house, setting up those timers that people used back in 1970s to switch their lights on and off. He is also imploring me to assist with our preparations for departure. Leisure time is over, time to snap to! Cheerio, friends...
I am pleased to report that I have made it back from my parents house in Foodislovelandia where I managed to not slather butter on everything in sight (except for one moment of anxiety at the kitchen sink when I might have shoved a scone buttered on all sides and then some into my greedy mouth, but I am chalking it up to a sort of temporary teen-like reversion brought on by being in kitchen where I learned every bad habit), help my dad get settled back into life at home, and finish a pair of socks. Yes, you read that correctly...
Specs:
Pattern: Embossed Leaves by Mona Schmidt
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in 'Violetas Africanas'
Needles: Addi Lace, 1.5
Mods: Not doing that weird thing where you cut the yarn when starting the gusset. Whatever for?
This pattern has so much to recommend it--easy pattern to put down and pick up again, a gorgeous leaf motif and perfect sizing. I would happily make this pattern again and again, and given the amount of sock yarn in my possession, I just might...
I am getting ready for a week long trip to Paris, so naturally my thoughts have turned to vacation knitting. The choice of project is key as it must be portable, practical and captivating. I've decided to do another pair of socks as I'm bound and determined to enter a picture in the 'Socks on Vacation' contest for the Summer of Socks 09 on Ravelry. I am so out of energy for most group activities these days, but I had a killer vacation sock shot from last year and forgot to enter it...after making Mr. Sunshine wait while I took like 30 shots. Here it is:
Didn't that have WIN written all over it? Sheesh. This year I have my eyes on the prize and am setting an iPhone calendar reminder so I don't snooze again. Any suggestions on an easy yet winningly photogenic pattern that will bring home the bacon for me?
