January 27th, 2010
What I Need To Do
I have had massive knitting ADHD this past week and I know why. I’m bored. Sweater knitting is out of the question because I am trying to lose weight and don’t want to make a sweater for myself “right now”. I have more mittens than I can admit to without sounding like some sort of fetishist. A person can only own so many hats. The boyfriend doesn’t really care for knitted items. Family and friends are mostly all born in the winter months so the period of knitting for them is over (although I have secretly gotten a head start on items for next year).
I’ve spent hours the past couple days pouring through magazines, books, and my yarn stash. It made me realize that not only am I bored with what to knit, I am also bored with what I am knitting with. I am bored of… yarn.
I KNOW. I KNOW! I don’t know how I’ve come to that conclusion but it’s true. I know it’s true because I went to a very popular yarn website that is having a sale and… I didn’t want to buy anything. Nothing. For some strange reason when I look at yarn I think, “Yep, that’s some yarn” and not “OMG GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIE WANT WANT WANT”.
I still like yarn, I just don’t want it like I used to. My hope is that this is temporary.
There may also be a solution. Spinning.
It may just be that I am bored of my stash. Maybe the yarn that I bought months ago (and in a lot of cases years ago) just isn’t hitting that excitement button for me. It might be a good idea to focus on making some new yarns.
The other reason that it’s a great idea is the amount of fiber in my stash. It’s actually quite a lot when I look at it. Almost a daunting amount. When I think of all the hours it will take me to spin this into yarn and then knit it into a garment I get a tightness in my chest.
Yet another reason I should spin more - I have exciting blends you just can’t find in most commercial yarn that would be in any reasonable persons price range, like yak and silk.
Or unblended fibers like buffalo.
I have two pounds of camel. TWO POUNDS.
What am I going to do with two pounds of camel? Maybe I should blend it with the pounds of merino or cormo I have.
I have loads of goodies just waiting for me to be inspired by them, there is no point digging listlessly through a stash that I am not in the mood for when I can create my own.
So here is my question for you. Anyone have experience with making a scheduled time for things like this to keep you on track (a certain day, posts I have to make regarding progress, things of that sort) and have it work out? Any advice?
January 27th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Camel and Corrie sound lovely. Go for it! And I’m with you on the loss of yarn love. It’s just not doing it for me anymore either. Someday it might come back though… I hope!
January 27th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I’m seriously considering making 2010 the year of the blanket. It’s a large project, uses a lot of stash, is useful around the house, and fit doesn’t matter. The sweater I just knit was allowed (by the Knit Boss in my head) because it’s supposed to be baggy and if it turns out so ugly that I won’t wear it, I’ll rip without remorse - it only took 8 days to knit. Then I’ll turn to blankets and small projects until I lose this spare tire I’m lugging around.
I know some people have WIP Wednesdays and that works for them. I’m not disciplined enough, but I see the appeal in having certain blog topics scheduled for certain days.
January 27th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
If you don’t have to do it and it’s not exciting then you will not have the gumption to get it done. If you make yourself do it, even though you don’t want to, then it turns into a job. a job you aren’t into at the moment and one you don’t get paid for.
On the other hand, sometimes you just gotta do something and then you start to enjoy it after a while. You do it because it needs to get done. There in lies the satisfaction.
Maybe experiment with some fibre sculpture? Or knitted sculpture? To loosen up and and still use some “unwanteds”
OR take up another media for a while until you are in the mood again. Then you are still productive but not bored.
“Portraits in Wool” –featuring Winston.
Or if you have some ideas for a kids book, I would love to illustrate!