Sweater today
I last blogged about this sweater in January. Since then I have made some progress but not really enough - it was started in September last year and has been a bit of a slog. It's turned into a bit of a vampire project, steadily sucking the enjoyment out of knitting for me, as I know it is there, WAITING, to get finished.
Sweater in January - since then I have ripped out and re-knit half of the sleeve and knitted another sleeve
The reason I'm finding it such hard going is that I have effectively gone 'off pattern' which requires more thought than I would like. It's not the kind of project I enjoy relaxing with in the evening, which is my usual knitting time. I'm not convinced it's going to fit that well either, plus I am fast running out of the lightest blue wool - eek!
I don't think I actually have too much more to knit (front and back neckline and ribbed neck band) but am devoting the rest of the day to knitting - I WILL finish this soon, I WILL. I'm not allowing myself to start anything new until this vampire item has been completed.
Do you ever find your unfinished knitted and sewn garments getting oppressive?
K x
I find that the nearer I get to the end of a difficult project, the further away the end seems ! You just gotta keep on trucking ! I also think that the unfinished objects are only oppressive while they languish around unfinished so I either like to finish them, take them apart and reuse the wool/fabric or chuck/give them away. They are then no longer oppressive and can not interfere with my mojo. Good luck ! (and cant wait to see the finished item, the colours are lovely !! :-) xx
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you, and good advice!
DeleteAbsolutely yes! Pete's long since abandoned gansey is still taunting me from it's bag. I WILL finish it (one day).
ReplyDeleteSeriously it would take me about three years to complete something like that.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean! Your jumper looks fantastic though, good luck with the rest of it. :)
ReplyDeleteThe projects that really sap my joy are the ones where I struggle and struggle with fit. I feel like I've been having terrible luck lately (or, more likely, my body is just kind of difficult to fit)-- even the super simple tank top pattern I worked on yesterday gapes at the neckline and I can't seem to fix it correctly, no matter what I do. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteThe sweater is so impressive-- I hope you're able to work through it and move on to something new! I hope it turns out well-- it's so pretty!
It can be so dispiriting trying to get the fit right, been there too!
DeleteYes, love your determination! I generally only knit one thing at once but even thats stalled at the mo... Love this jumper tho, bet it looks cute and finished by tomorrow! :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks awesome! And I totally hear you on the oppression front...
ReplyDeleteIt always takes me about a year to knit a sweater - so I sympathize with you one this. I've spent more time "unknitting" my current sweater than I have spent actually knitting it. This doesn't happen for me too much with sewing - though I did cut out the pieces to make myself a quilt, then a week later decided I wanted to start sewing my own clothes, so I don't even know where those quilt pieces are any more ;) You must finish this sweater though, because it's too fantastic not too.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. My last was a pair of sox. All that was left was about two inches of the cuff to finish. [2-a-a-t magic loop] They languished for m-o-n-t-h-s
ReplyDeleteThe remaining stitches were complex, I didn't want to do them.
Then last month I finished them off by simply began knitting a k2p2 ribbed cuff.
There ! ! ! Finished ! ! ! Not the project I began but wearable.
hugs
So sorry you feel this way, because this jumper's a beauty! Just think how proud you'll feel every time you wear it and people will definitely swoon over it!
ReplyDeleteI do understand though how projects can become so tiring and seem never-ending...my current 'big' knitting one feels a little like this!
Your jumper is so pretty! I just love the colours and patterns and think you're doing a brilliant job! I agree with Marie, you'll feel so proud when this jumper is done.
ReplyDeleteI definitely sometimes get into a rut like you and what I like to do is put the project away for awhile to recharge my batteries and get inspired again. Good luck; I know you can do it!
ReplyDeleteThis is the very reason I don't knit. You are so close though, and it is looking so good thus far that I really hope you will be able to finish it off soon!
ReplyDeleteVery clever - it looks great! I like 'vampire project' as a descriptive too.. they really do suck the fun out of knitting/sewing/whatever else you do :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I have a joy-sucking knitting project. The wool is denim blue, from a friend's sheep. The pattern is from an old Vogue Knitting magazine. It is a simple, squarish cardigan in a large basketweave stitch pattern. I have managed about 4 repeats, the first one with smaller needles than the body of the sweater. It sits in a blaze orange sack, beside my knitting chair, gathering dust. I want the finished jacket. I despair of getting through even one row without my circular needles unhooking themselves less than 3 times on each row. It is heavy and hot to hold on my lap, and summer is fast approaching. Socks are so much more fun to knit! I send a small prayer to whatever saint is patron of knitters (Mary? Lucy? Martin?) that you finish the vampire sweater before it drains you dry.
ReplyDeleteThat's looking fantastic. I've only managed baby-knits and they took forever.
ReplyDelete