Process Knitting Versus Product Knitting

I've never really much known the difference between product knitting and process knitting.  I mean, it's easy to say that for some knitters are all about the process while caring little about the end product.  Other knitters care more about the end result than the process itself.  I'm not sure I fit in with either of those categories.  Maybe I'm somehow lost between the two.

I love the process of knitting in most cases, but sometimes I really get bored.  I know my work in progress pile will honestly never get finished if I haven't finished them yet.  In one case, yeah, I broke my needle, so I had to wait to replace it.  That's a good reason for exception.  However, once it's been put down, I may as well call it forgotten for the rest of time.

Don't get me wrong, there are pieces I do eventually go back and finish.  There's a hat I had stuffed into hibernation for near forever.  I'd tossed aside a blanket for a while and eventually pulled it out again to finish it.  I do like going through every once in a while to rediscover old projects that have been forgotten.  It's refreshing to revive them.  They don't seem to be as painfully boring then, especially if I'd been doing the same repetitive pattern for what seemed like forever.  My fall/winter seasons shawl by Knit Picks is a perfect example.  I remember looking at that shawl, praying for the point I could finish knitting that stupid falling leaves pattern and move on to the next chart.  By the time I was up to twenty-two repeats across and had already worked through five ever expanding layers of that blasted chart, it's not surprising I was sick of knitting it.  It just got repetitive.  Going back at that point is refreshing.  It's like starting over new again.

Even so, I do have to be honest with myself.  The reason I knit is for the finished product.  I really can't wait to have it done so I can wear the project around and show it off.  It's something I'm proud of and I want the whole world to fawn over it.  I love those moments when people mention how beautiful things I made are and ask where I got it, or if I made it myself.  I have to admit, when people ask where I got it, that's the best moment.  It's so satisfying to say, "Oh, I made it."  I toss it out there so casually, as though it took me no time to make, as if it didn't take hours on end of cursing as that stupid pattern tripped me up.

I have to say, knitting a shawl has taught me one thing.  when you're knitting three rows at nearly three hundred stitches across each row the idea of tinking back a couple of rows to fix it is all the more unappealing.  I'm not a fan of frogging back unless I have a life line because I don't have confidence in picking up my stitches in pattern.  I'm too afraid of screwing it up more.  As a result I find myself finding ways to leave it or "fix it" so that only someone truly inspecting the details can notice.  I justify this in reminding myself of something I heard once about Persian rug makers.  The makers of oriental rugs always deliberately include one mistake in their rugs, no matter how flawless the rest of it might be.  They do this because no one can create something perfect unless they are God.  Because of this, they have to honor God and always leave one small mistake as evidence that they recognize they are only mortal.  I guess that's what the little flaws in my knitting are, signs that, just like everyone else, I'm mortal.

In truth, I have to wonder if I could be considered a product knitter.  I don't have a huge list of UFOs.  Those that I do have are simply because I realized that the project simply didn't fit my needs and wouldn't get used.  What's the point in making something if it will never get used?  I suppose I could always give it away to someone who would appreciate it, but the idea of that breaks my heart.  I like having something at the end of it all that I'll wear or use.  There's really something to be said for useful things.

Perhaps this has to do with my whole thing with clutter as of late.  Our apartment has very little storage space.  The storage space we do have is filled with Magic cards, clothing we're holding on to for one of my kids to grow into, dance costumes, and a yarn stash.  I suppose some day we'll upgrade in space.  I'd love to have a four bedroom so each of our kids can have their own room.  A five bedroom would be even nicer so each kid could have their own room and I could still have an office, but for now that's just dreaming.  Now we need to think on conserving space, and probably getting more useful furniture, like a couple of dressers for my bedroom!  We've been spending a lot of time downsizing and decluttering over the past few years, so I can't justify making things that really aren't going to be used.  I only want stuff in my house that has purpose, that's useful.

A lot of people seem to think useful items are very limiting.  When I tell people I tend to keep my crafting to useful things I generally get the response, "So you only knit sweaters, socks, and hats then, huh?"  Well, for the most part that's true.  I mostly knit things that we can wear, but that doesn't mean I don't like home decor items.  As we get more organized and less cluttered I'm finding that I like to sprinkle our empty spaces with a few nice things to decorate.  I'm starting to find that I like seasonal decorations.  I love to have things I can put up, hang on the walls, and set out on display.  I get jealous of those beautiful houses with all matching furniture in each room, living room sets, a matching dining room set complete with a hutch to store the china.  I love matching bedroom sets and would love to have all of my rooms decorated from matching furniture to having sheets, blankets, and curtains that all coordinate.  I'd love to have art on every wall, decorative vases with flowers in them, and other nice things.  However, my knitting has been pretty limited to useful things.  I like things that I can wear and show off, and I honestly don't have enough people over to make it work decorating my house all that much.  Of course, if my house were beautifully decorated, coordinated, and lovely I would probably have a lot more people over, even in the neighborhood I live in!

One of these days I'm going to break through my financial barrier with knitting and make a real investment.  I look forward to the day when I can drop over a hundred dollars in yarn just to make myself a nice sweater.  I've already got my eyes on a few nice sweaters that don't match my style at all, but I love them.  I think they would look flattering on me, even if I don't tend to dress nice enough to wear those sorts of things on a regular basis.  I think if I ever made myself a beautiful sweater I'd have to run right out and get pants or a skirt and a shirt or blouse that would go with it well.  I'd probably have to look for a cute beret or something to match with it.  Yes, I like to be coordinated like that as well.  Perhaps I should start smaller and knit sweaters for my kids first!

Then again, I'm also the kind of person who will only knit each project once.  Once I've made something, that's it.  I'm done.  I don't use that pattern again.  I might do it under the right circumstances for something cute like a mother/daughter project, but even then that's something that I can make in two different sizes, which makes it different.  I like knitting projects that are going to be challenging as simple knitting tends to bore me.  I'm a little afraid that one day I'm going to find I've got nothing left to knit because I will have done everything that could possibly challenge me, no matter how crazy that might sound.

From the way it looks, I still can't tell if I'm a process knitter or a project knitter.  Perhaps I'm a bit of both, or maybe I just don't understand the terminology all that well yet.  I'll admit it.  I'm still kind of new at this.  I haven't made all that much yet.

Of course, I'm feeling inspired for sweaters right now.  Maybe I'll go check out Knit Picks, Knitty, and some of my other favorites to see what they've got to offer this time of year.  While I'm sure there won't be many sweaters coming into summer, I'm always curious as to what's new out there!

Entrelac...It's So...

When I first decided to make this hat, I thought I was crazy.  It's entrelac!  I wanted to try a new technique and challenge myself!  I didn't really have enough yarn to make a solid color hat in any one color, so I figured this would be perfect!  It would go wonderfully with my dreads (which are undertaking a whole new journey right now...) and it's coming into winter.  A hat is just what I needed!

So I started knitting.  The beginning was rocky, but it very quickly started to turn around.  that first row of triangles I had to wonder what I was thinking, then I started onto the next row and things really started to cruise!  I was making some significant progress, and it was starting to make so much sense!

Taking a look at all I've done so far, I've come to the conclusion that I'm never going to finish that hat.  It's not that it's particularly hard.  It's just that, well, the pattern is easy...  Dare I actually say it's a little too easy?  For the most part, it's just really short rows of back and forth knitting.  The whole hat is broken up into 7 stitch segments to be knit back and forth again and again.  Each round adds about an inch to the total length of the project, but with the way it likes to gather up and bunch, it doesn't even look like that much.  Each round takes forever with all the back and forth knitting.  I think straight knitting around would be quicker to cover the distance!

However, it does look really nice and I know I'm going to be so happy with the finished project.  I really do need a hat, and part of the reason it's so much to knit is the sheer quantity of head space it's going to have to cover over the dreads.  Actually, I probably could have made it a little smaller, but I wanted to be on the safe side.  While the hat band is going to be a bit loose, it actually fits with the kind of drape and flop I like in a hat.  I actually prefer my hats a little too big.  Plus, when the woolies go in every winter, it will leave plenty of room that the hat will still fit.

Still, I have to wonder if the hat will even be finished to wear this year.  It's pretty enough and all, but the pattern just isn't engaging.  I'm finding myself getting sidetracked and looking for something more challenging to do.  I'm stuck on my hair, finishing dance costumes, and wasting large amounts of time on the internet!  If I keep up like this, it might not even be done for next winter!

Finally Back...and a Present from my Swap Partner!

So, I'm finally getting to send a thank you to my swap partner.  We've had to move again...yes, I know...again...so I'm just now getting to send a thank you.  I can't wait to try out that felting kit!  It should be so much fun!

Well, not much time to write, but I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of this stuff again!  Now to set up my calendar...

The Entrelac Hat

This hat was supposed to be a challenging project, picking up a new skill with a new yarn.  I expected to be tearing my hair out, and thankful that I don't have much time to knit!  I should have been frustrated and tossing it back in the bag!  What's wrong with me?

Entrelac is...well...easy!  Much easier than I expected.  It's just a simple back and forth knit/purl pattern.  There's a couple decreases and stitches get picked up.  It's really not all that bad.  In truth, it's quite simple!  I'm really happy with that fact, but it's also a little disappointing.  I was looking forward to a challenge since my fall/winter shawl is on hold until I can get my hands on my new needles.  A challenge was definitely not what I got.

I have to admit, I almost don't want to finish the project now.  A part of me is okay with keeping it on hold on my needles until the end of time.  A part of me doesn't want to be bothered with working on something so simple.  It's sad when you get bored easily.  At the same time, a part of me can't wait to see it finished, with the beautiful colors and the silky soft yarn.  Paton's Bamboo Silk is a deliciously wonderful yarn!  I can't wait to have all the colors knit up!

On top of that, I've got a wonderful reason to be knitting.  I need a cute new hat that will flatter my new dreads.  I want it to be done already so I can have a hat that fits well with my dreads, and has a bright, cheery, contrasting color.  Is that really so much to ask?

It's times like these where I really need someone to motivate me to finish what I've started!  I know I'll be thrilled when I'm done with it.  The process isn't the most boring of slogs.  I just need to get my tail in gear!

The Dreads Are Done!!!

It took hours and hours of felting, to the point at which I wanted to shoot someone, or never look at a piece of wool to felt again.  I didn't even finish them all before starting to put them in my hair, which was probably a good thing, because otherwise I never would have gotten those dreads in my hair!  I would have been at it forever!

After that it was three days of having my hair yanked on, pulled, tugged, and brought to order.  Bobby pins were rammed into my scalp in an attempt to get the non-sectioned hair to stay put.  There was a bit of a conversation about my bangs, which I think came out decently cute.  Even so, I was tempted to never have my hair done again!  I swear, I can't wait for these dreads to finally grow into something more....dread like?

In the end I've got 95 new dread babies in my hair!  They're all extensions, but over time they'll start to dread up on their own under the extensions.  I know it can take a year for dreads to actually start growing and gaining length.  I'm going to have to get myself a nice little crochet hook to pull in all the little loose bits that try to escape.  Even so, I'm pretty satisfied with the end result.

The only down side to wool dreads is the cling factor.  When wearing jackets and the like, my hair tends to stick to me more than anything else, making it a bit rough to turn my head.  I'm sure I'll get used to it, but until then, I think I'm going to look forward to putting my hair up all the time.  I'm already liking the ease at which I can pull my hair up and use my own hair to tie it up out of my way!  It looks really cute!  I can't wait to see how it's going to start looking as it grows out!

Too Much of a New Thing?

I'm starting this new hat.  It's going to look awesome!  It's an entrelac hat, a knitting skill I've never undertaken.  I'm working with a new yarn that I've never used before, compliments of my swap partner.  It also required a new cast on, which I thought would look wonderful!  It's a tubular cast on that requires you to pick up the stitches from your cast on and continue on with the project.  It sounded wonderful and looked even better!

Unfortunately, after I attempted to cast on, I found that the yarn was, well, not co-operating.  Knitting into that first row was like torture, though the rows after that weren't too bad.  Then trying to pick up those stitches, that was a nightmare!  I was beginning to wonder what I did wrong!  Now I think I'm just going to go back and knit it the way I typically start a hat, doing the ribbing in two needle sizes smaller and go from there with a regular cast on.  I might be adventurous enough to try that new cast on again, should I decide to start all over, but for now, I think I'll be happy just to try one new skill and one new yarn at the same time!

Improvised Hat

This is it!  I'm flying without a pattern here!  I've decided I want to make a hat for the baby for winter.  After searching for patterns that would use the right amount of yarn and be flattering on a boy, I simply couldn't find what I was looking for.  I decided to try it on my own.  After all, I could make a cute little ribbed hat without much worry over fit.  It doesn't take much to fit a hat on a baby.  Just cast on a bunch of stitches, about proportional to your gauge and the size of the head and go.  I already had the gauge swatch.  I just needed to measure it off the longies.  The baby's head was measured and we were off!

Things were going pretty well.  I had a good feel for what I was doing.  We were making progress.  I had knit a good part of the way up and decided to start decreasing for the crown.  There was one slight problem.  It's been so long since I've knit a hat that I couldn't figure how to do decent crown decreases!  I found a website that gave me some suggestions, but it's not like socks.  There are a million and one sock recipes out there!  Hats don't seem to have any recipes at all!  I guess it's because those who knit without a net when it comes to hats generally have made enough that they've got it all in their head.  They don't need any help with it.  They just do it!  Not me.  I rarely make hats, and now that I was, I was stuck.

I have to admit, I got rather daring.  I started throwing those decreases in there, just to see how it would turn out.  I had some vague concept of shaping in mind, though I'm not entirely sure I was sane when I made that decision.  The hat is now too long and will likely require to be rolled up so my baby can see!  Still, I've got a pretty good science on this thing.  I'd like to think that it didn't turn out all that bad...I hope...