This morning I sat quietly in the living room with my cup of coffee (my second, if you must know) I looked around at the damage done to my house by this latest round of startitis, and tried to figure out how to put it all back together. Startitis is an insidious disease, because it doesn’t just wreak havoc on your mind and time, but on your surroundings as well. Out of nowhere came a storm last week, a wave that I saw coming. The same way that a wave comes at you in the ocean, that’s how this one came, and just like in the ocean, trying to stand there in defiance of it failed miserably. It was just bigger and stronger than I was, and it knocked me down, dragged me along the bottom of the sea, holding me under with the sound it makes – a scream that sounds like KNIT IT ALL. I resisted, and that only made things worse. It would have been over sooner if I’d given up and body surfed that thing into shore. If I’d have given up and just knit, it might not have gotten ugly. I might have avoided the secondary infection I contracted that said YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH YARN MAKE SOME NOW. I ended up with six new things cast on, and one lot of spinning on the wheel – but that’s not the mess of it. The mess is the yarn pulled out of storage, examined, swatched and abandoned, along with whatever innocent bystanders I knocked to the floor in my haste. 
The stash room looks like someone sent a troupe of berserk monkeys with wool issues into it – and don’t get me started on what might, or might not have happened to the stash cupboard in my office when some lunatic decided to get out the carder, unpacked it and then abandoned the whole enterprise to root through the sock yarn bags like a boar after truffles.
There is a fleece in the kitchen that I dragged up here to start washing, sometime after midnight on Friday. (Luckily, I succumbed to fatigue before I got started on that. I was able to see the folly of it after a good night’s sleep.) I can’t even begin to tell you about the knitting books spilling over the living room floor, and on the dining room table… oh, and I’m stepping over a little mountain of them I piled by my desk. 
There are post-it’s with cryptic knitting plans written on them – one says "g5/1 co92, not stretch anti bobble." I think that means that the gauge should be 5 stitches to the inch, you would cast on 92, and that I shouldn’t … Hell. I don’t know. I just hope that "not stretch anti bobble" doesn’t turn out to be a really important instruction that is totally obvious in two weeks.
Today is for sorting all this out, putting it all back where it should be, and trying to figure out how I might prioritize all of these new projects. Out of the cowl, mittens, two pairs of socks, vest and baby blanket, what next? Luckily, today is Tuesday, and with the new year came a renewed commitment to Tuesdays Are For Spinning, so instead of kicking a path through the wool to the wheel, I think I’ll tidy my way there. .jpg?resize=400%2C300&ssl=1)
(PS On the wheel is BMFA Merino/Yak/Silk in Oaks Bottom. I’d link, but I think both the fibre and the colourway are out of rotation.)
(PPS. I think I’ll work on the baby blanket after that, so don’t bother nagging.)
OMG…..that was me this weekend. And if having newly wound yarn on ever flat surface in my house (literally!)….I went to a local book storeon my way home this morning and bought 2 more knitting mags (had to have the new Vogue) and the new Noro accessory book….My name is Carol and I am an addict….
Speaking of startitis…I would love to be starting your new mitten pattern!! lol Do you have any idea when you will be releasing it? It’s been calling my name…
Oh my WOOL. I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one.
Good luck to ya.
and I cant type or write a coherent sentence today…I’m to “wound up”….ouch.
You are not alone! I’ve got books out looking for 2 perfect shawl patterns and yarn pulled out that may or may not work. It is an exciting time!!
Happy New Year! While you had startitis I had twist-in-the-round-itis… closely followed by just-keep-going-until-you finish-it-up-itis along with even-though-you-don’t-really-like-it-in-the-end-itis.
I’m going thru a hat binge right now, using up odds and ends of skeins and balls of scraps. I’m knitting and feeling more confident with it, but will need to crochet a gift for my niece shortly.
I have several baby blankets to knit so I;’m intrested in which patteren.
Still waiting to her about the last baby patteren
I have not yet begun to nag.
Oh good..it’s not just me. I have this sudden urge to knit All. The. Things. And I am trying desperately to convince myself to 1) knit from stash and 2) finish an item already on needles before I start something new.
I don’t see this ending well.
I feel so much better. I am not alone. My only question is, did you sneak into my house to take pictures? 🙂
And I thought I was the only one going thru this right now. I received a second spinning wheel for Christmas and now have TWICE as much roving scattered about. Happy New Yr!
Three days after Christmas startitis hit I started winding balls for the following: 3 pair of socks – 1 pair half knit, the other two ready to begin; 1 sweater working on gauge; 1 pair fingerless gloves on needles; I am fighting the shawl something awful, but the silk lace is calling my name. . . . Thank goodness I had to go back to work on the 3rd, hard to start new projects when everything is at home. By the time I get home to tired to start something new so I pick up something started. Now the head games – finish two and then the lace!! but . . .
We’re in the same boat. My last outbreak has lead to me cleaning up the yarn around my chair and bringing out all the projects I have on the needles to remind me of what I have to do. BF is still recovering.
I managed to limit my startitis to one project (a neck warmer) which I bought with a Christmas gift certificate. However, I went nuts in another way and bought my first antique spinning wheel.
Sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat. 🙂 Still trying to make the last ditch effort over here to finish really late Christmas Gifts while staring at a growing pile of partially completed projects in the new ‘larger’ yarn basket which is now overflowing. already.
Right there with you. Downton abbey hat, Catkin, Hitchhiker Shawl and on and on. Luckily, circular needle snapped casting on for Catkin, automatically giving me permission to rave about cheap tools and order some Addie Natura interchangeable circulars. But, did finish BM “Joy” socks. Pretty, pretty. Back to knitting.
Got it. So no one should even mention a gansey?
GANSEY, Steph…do you remember the GANSEY? It even involves ALL the steps you went through–wash, spin, AND knit!
Did you consider that this just might have been an attempt of your subconscious to remind you, gone terribly awry? 😉
Put it all away, no matter how agonizing it is, and finish poor Joe’s gansey, wouldja? 🙂 THEN you can startitis and finishista all you want!
OMG that’s my house. There’s yarn out all over the place and the pattern binders are spread out. The fiber stash has been gone through. I think I now have fiber on every wheel, and every spindle I own. I want to just sit and knit/spin but the amount I need to wade through is daunting. I also am cleaning out, the linen closet, the garage, and under the stairs. I hope this need to root through stuff will subside soon. I can’t find my husband let alone my keys.
Oddly enough, I enjoy startitis (is that weird). And, even more oddly enough, I am not going through that right now. Instead, I’m going through the opposite — the work-one-project-slowly-itis. It’s weird.
Oh my. Is the antidote to startitis a F.O.? I’m still trying to finish projects started in Nov. ’11 (or earlier). But must first finish an earflap hat for a 9.y.o. who requested “aqua, lime green and orange”. Sigh.
I injured my hand, breaking my thumb and severing a tendon and a nerve on November 12th. Had surgery on the 15th plus application of a cast. Started to crochet a crib size baby blanket in fingering weight on the 17th, which I began by holding the end of the yarn in my teeth. I knew any attempt at knitting would be futile. It took till last week to do 24 rows. I’m up to row 52 this week,which is about half way, so it’s getting better. There are, however FIVE babies to knit for, one of whom is already here, and the rest are due in the next six to eight weeks.
Starteritis is imperative to the tune of 5-10 items. My house is bad to start, as I’m left handed and just got the ok to do dishes last week. Where is the cavalry when you need it?
Sounds like O So Much Fun. 🙂
I’ve had to giggle at your blog that last few days while I look around the living room at EVERY SINGLE PROJECT BAG with a new yarn, pattern, needles and starts hanging out of them. All 7 of them. 3 socks, 2 scarves, baby booties and a hat.
That sure was a BIG WAVE!!!!!!
What happened to Joe’s gansey?
I am reading this surrounded by yarn, patterns and needles. Startitis isn’t a unique condition apparently.
I’ve just realised that I seem to have had a terrible case of startitis as well.. only not actually knitting. I haven’t knit since completing my christmas projects – instead, I signed up to a children’s book illustration course, a writing fiction course and developed a vintage fountain pen obsession FOR THE DRAWING.
There has been an artsplosion. I have taken my upstairs desk and restored it to it’s proper use as a drwing desk. I have had to take over my OH office as I don’t have a desk any more. I need to make a new one. I DO NOT HAVE TIME.
Just in case you didn’t know: they use trained dogs to hunt for truffles now, because the pigs wanted to eat the truffles; the dogs do not. That is all 🙂
P.S. I just know this from watching 60 Minutes Sunday night, not because I’ve ever had–or hunted–truffles (or wanted to do either!).
That sounds like a bad case of Startitis to get the new year going, Stephanie. I was just thinking about a bit of the same when I was rescued(?) by a bad cut on my index finger on New Year’s Day. Now all I can do is sit and plan until it heals….
LOL, I’m like that sometimes. Oftentimes. Errr. Oh well.
Apparently, the discombobulated feeling that is a derivative of the startitis condition goes with the new year is what landed in my house… projects, that include but not limited to the following; knitting ‘everyone’ in the family a new hat, oh and fingerless gloves to match, why not? it will just take a minute, sorting books-patterns-recipes, finding new and tasty recipes for soup to bubble away while I am dealing with my projects…are taking over my mind…help! send chocolate!
You’re absolutely right. I’m putting down this baby blanket, stepping over the two pairs of socks, dodging the bag of scarf yarns and going upstairs to find rovings to use on both these wheels. The yarn for the chuppah won’t be here for a week, at least.
Per your recommendation, I got the audio versino of Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I’m LOVING it! Thank you for mentioning it, just as I was looking for a new audio book!
Looks like your favorite colors have come roaring in with that wave too! Love the autumnal socks, if that’s what they are (only partly visible in picture). Great colors on the spinning wheel also.
Please post photos of stash room! You know, so we’ll all feel better.
do you ever just love your singles so much you want to leave them on the bobbin forever?
cuz those are some pretty singles.
It makes it so much better to know I’m in excellent company. Spin On!!!
I will be good and not nag about the Gansey. Did you @ least finish the vest for Samantha? I am in the throes of decluttering and deep cleaning.
Ahem. What a drama queen! At my house it’s called ‘the airing of the wool”. I am NOT a hoarder, I DO NOT have too much yarn, and if I want to pile it around the house so I can enjoy it’s unfettered, disorganized wooley goodness set free from the confines of storage, I will do that. When it’s over, I’ll put it back. What happens with the wool stays with the wool.
“The stash room looks like someone sent a troupe of berserk monkeys with wool issues into it”
Best mental image of the week! And I’m quite smitten with the fragment “troupe of berserk monkeys with wool issues.” It is an oddly pleasing string of words.
On a serious note, your Startitis, and the afflictions of fellow commenters, has been very helpful as I too have contracted this disease. When contemplating casting on another project I thought, “What would the Harlot do?” Kudos for your awareness building efforts and the supportive community that assembles here.
Wow I’m so glad I’m not the only one with so many things on the needles. And feel this compulsion to start more!!! Yes, my one daughter wants a beaded scarf and my granddaughter wants fingerless gloves with a skull on them and I finished the shawl for my future daughter-in-law, but now don’t I need one?? ..and one for each of my daughters. Oh my!
I think this is a New Year’s Disease. My office looks like a wool convention was held and they had a whooping good party and one hell of a hangover. I can barely get through the door – the desk is mess as well. So, I’m now working at the kitchen island. I pretend it’s because I am still setting up the new laptop, but between us it’s the room thing. I’ll happily pay someone at this point to come and sort me out. Ugh!!!
That’s what creative energy spurts are all about – little mini cyclones that leave big messes in their wake. But it’s all calm and good now. 🙂
Yay! I am so glad that “Tuesdays Are For Spinning” is back! I have missed them. 🙂 Now if I can just stick to that, too.
Um, I hate to say it, but doesn’t startitis hit you again come spring? In other words, is there any point in cleaning up if it’s all going to happen again in three or four months?
Looks like you had fun!!
I promise I’m not trying to send you into another project, but OMG have you seen Kate Davies’ sheep blanket http://textisles.com/2012/01/08/rams-and-yowes/ ? I can’t stop thinking about it. Knit and spin on!
MUST FINISH baby blanket so I can cast on all the patterns playing in my head!
I have Startitis, but I’m hampered in my desire to cast on the mittens I want as your pattern has not yet been released for purchase regarding the mittens of lust.
Whatever happened to Joe’s Gansey? Did I miss it?
Looking at all my projects this morning I decided I need some plain, easy-to-knit socks to take along to the doctor’s office, out to lunch, etc. I got out some Regia that I bought on a trip to North Carolina several years ago. The colors just say “Blue Ridge Mountains” to me…
I’ve never knit a bobble. Is it possible that you wanted to include bobbles and wanted to note that stretchy yarns or cast-ons are anti-bobble (somehow prevent the bobbles from being bobbly?)?
Startitis I can live with. It’s finishitis that I’m trying to contract & seem to have an immunity to. I just want to finish a project, damnit!
Why are there pictures of my house on your blog?
All of this is music to my ears. You were rearranging your palette to explore ideas for knitting. I always want to start many projects. But we well know that once we do we can’t focus on too many at once. This is when I invoke the goddess Shiva. Would that I had her many arms.
“Like a boar after truffles”. . . snorts of laughter here. Boar-like snorts, even.
Are you sure that note to yourself didn’t say “AUNTIE bobble”…as in, “I’m going to make my Auntie a sweater and she loves bobbles, so be sure to include lots of them”?
Hi, Stephanie,
Something about finishing all the “Must do ” items for pressies makes the “Want to do” creative monster rise up from out of the depths and surface like a grey whale breaching. (It’s that time of year right now in San Diego, grey whale playing in Mission Bay yesterday.) With me it’s 4 pair of socks.And a lot of things that I switched out because I did not finish at Christmas (Oh, I think she’d rather have this cute easy scarf than that pair of socks, wouldn’t she? )Lots of road kill abandoned projects this time of year. I finished a couple and put them aside for Next year already. HA!
Julie in San Diego, where it was 80 yesterday
Funny you should mention “anti bobble.” I found a sweater pattern I like everything about except it’s got bobbles, which are just too girly and frou frou for me. I’m replacing them with simple k/p combo. And knitting the entire thing in a different gauge. ‘Cause that’s how I roll.
Thank you everyone who mentioned Joe’s gansey as I’ve been wondering if I missed hearing it was finished and seeing the photo of him wearing it. I didn’t want to bring it up in public so I’m glad you did. Whatever sid happen with it? Did that squirrel make off with it?!
Remarkably, I have a version of “I cannot decide what to make so will stand around and look forlorn until someone hits me over the head and tells me what to do” itis. Too much yarn. I am actually stuck. (This never includes socks, of course, thank goodness. I have book group tonight, and couldn’t talk without knitting of some sort…)
So I sort of envy the Start-itis. Sigh.
So, I guess now is not the time to come out from the “lurking closet” of your blog readers, and tell you that I’m patiently waiting on the snow-flake scarf pattern that you posted about a couple of years ago. I purchased Dream In Color in some beautiful white with sparkles in it (or is it silver) to knit that scarf…..
HA HA! Enjoy. I won’t tell you about my knitting bag, or my clearly epidemic case of startitis.
Sorta off topic.: At Sock Summit 2011, one of my favourite restaurant dishes involved french fries done in truffle oil-oh my, to die for.
Have now these projects on the needles: 1 Kate Davies pattern, Deco(cardigan) using Tina’s BFL Sport in the Coral colourway(she dyed it for me); 1 pair of Kate Davies Peerie Flooers mittens cast on today at my LYS; 1 pair 3×1 rib socks in Schwarzwald STR light weight; 1 pair 3×1 rib socks in Austermann Step yarn that was given to me at Sock Summit 2011 at the Skacel booth. I have to finish something before I cast on another thing even though my BMFA LSS =(Winter Solstice) is caked and waiting. Thank the good Lord for small mercies that I DO NOT spin. I’d be doomed.
Cheers and red wine, Hazel.
Still laughing, Thank you. I am still taking down Christmas and tripping over the prayer shawl I started for a sick friend, along with 3 pr of socks on various needles, some mittins that i hated the thumb on and cut it off with the scissors (can these mittens be saved?), my MIL’s sweater fronts, and a chemo hat for a friend. Need I add that some are entangled with each other to the point of looking like projects in a free for all orgy? It must be January and this too will pass. Steph have you seen that Canadian video about Canada being the new party for Americans to vote for? Way too funny. Keep up the good work. You are my hero!
i just can’t resist a good baby blanket! what’s your pattern of choice this time?
It’s great that for you startitus is a phase, a passing illness that you know you will recover from.
That’s what I thought 4years ago, I thought no one in their right mind would buy new knitting needles identical to the ones they own to cast on another project. Nobody could have more than half a dozen jumpers in progress for multiple years.
Yet here I am surrounded (your space looks very tidy to me), by half knitted and barely started projects, balls of yarn that didn’t fit the project, spinning fibre half spun.
I’ve never had finishitus (I long for it some days), I feel like there is no hope in sight that one day I will clear some space and have a needle case full if needles.
So if you know how to save me from what is now an awful chronic illness I will be forever grateful.
Me too. I had a similar explosion that spread through two rooms…well, three, if you count the living/dining area as two. Then I have the temerity to find another really cute and “easy” cowl to add to the projects to play with…
And, to think, I thought I was the only one who suffers from startitis. Is it a winter thing?
Wow, sounds like a good ol’ southern hurricane ripped through your house! Does Joe go out or hide during all this storm of wooly proportions?
I think startitis hits every knitter in January, there’s no way to avoid it.
Um, gansey?
I got all the pieces of a sweater knit, but instead of sewing it up, I finished a scarf that had been hanging around, started a dishcloth, and am knitting the edging of the sweater, which can’t be attached until all the bits are… sewn together. And I got a new book of patterns today so am itching to start a sweater for my husband (who doesn’t want one) or my son (who says, “Mom, I go to high school; I can’t wear a sweater!”).
I have had the same startitis for the last week–except at work, and I’m an accountant! I’d give anything to be able to tackle a case of wool startitis that’s sitting on the floor next to my recliner and all over my sofa instead of bookkeeping startitis that’s all over my desk. Somehow cleaning up is a little more pleasant when there is wool involved.
As for the boar looking for truffles, for me, it’s more like a bore looking for chocolate truffles.
Can’t wait to go home and START a new shawl for a friend. Sorry, but I just can’t help myself.
Good luck.
Yeah, I have been getting hit with the whole start-itis thing too, except I have a whole yarn/fiber store of my own to play with. Want to talk about a wave? I’m looking at a tsunami!
Spinning. Yes. I want to get back to spinning too.
I wonder if Startitis is partly because of the relief of having the holidays over, holiday knitting projects done & away, and then looking out the window & finding that winter is still here. Perfect knitting weather. It is here, anyway. . . icy wind stirring up & I’m off to Knit Night. 🙂
@ CindyD: Hate to sound like a smartass but Shiva is a god. The many-armed goddess you are thinking of is Kali and you don’t want to invoke her, because she’s a goddess of death.
Blanket for my adult son who is in a prolonged moving-out process, moving to an ice-cold trailer, and still leaving most of his possessions at my place. It is becalmed because I lost interest in the process. Blame him; he’s the one that bought me yarn for Christmas, with which I’m making a neck cowl and fingerless gloves for a dear friend, because it is in her colours. And then there are all the wee woollies for the baby to be born in March…
Oh how I feel like you are describing my life, sans the spinning…. haven’t been bitten by that bug YET.
I don’t have the luxury of staying home to indulge in all of these starts though, we are back in school after the Christmas Break, so it is like a double whammy….. the promise of no more gifts needing to be made and wrapped, and a full 11 days at home has ended.
As I get ready in the morning, my piles of “starties” sit there and weep as they plead with me to just stay home and finish up. Bah!
I have been so productive but I think there is something seriously wrong with me….. ADD and yarn and needles, oh my….
…did begin one of the late 2011 projects. I am knitting….FINALLY the Chinook Scarf by Ali Green. It is being made out of Elizabeth Lavold Silky Wool in a lovey aqua color with size 7 needles.
Your desk area looks like mine and my fiber room is….full of hand spun that needs a felted purse pattern….QUICKLY!!
bjr
I don’t understand why you don’t have a woolie winder. You would love it and it makes things much snugger so you get more on the bobbin. Treat yourself you deserve it.
Ha! Validation, I love it. After a week off, on Saturday morning I started four pairs of mittens, a pair of socks and a pair of legwarmers.
Later in the day I saw a Tweet about pattern that took my breath away, Cecily MacDonald’s Sabrina Mitts. It was mine in seconds, I wound a few yarn cakes from some Quince & Co Tern I’d been saving for something else, and finally, finally settled down to knit. The “room” upstairs is a midden, there are project bags all over the living room floor, but I’ve found a lovely new project!
Is that why I can’t commit to any project but insist on starting a bunch? My dining room table exploded with yarn, roving and knitting accessories. I’ve started baby socks, a baby sweater was swatched tore out and awaits some needle shopping, a cowl is started and several new yarns and rovings just arrived to play with.
Just got a shaker peg board kit so I can hang all my project bags full of started and waiting to be finished objects! Hope it is long enough and that I got enough pegs to hold them all. Wish I could knit faster or sleep less. Got my first drop spindle at Rhinebeck and haven’t been able to play with it yet.
Beautiful. I need to put my traditional back together. We just moved to Toronto and while most of the house is now unpacked the knitting and spinning boxes haven’t been opened yet. Too many other important things to do. And sick babies to care for. Sigh.
Don’t mean to nag, I’m just curious. What happened to the vest for your daughter?
Is Natalie going to have to wrangle all that scattered wool and return it to its room?
Although finishing Joe’s Gansey IS important, this is even more important: Have you tidied enough to unearth Joe himself and the cat yet?? They will probably both need to be fed soon. . . .
I think you encountered what we on the Oregon coast call a sneaker wave. They do typically arrive in January. You’re walking along the beach with your purse-sized dog, minding your own business, and wham! Out of nowhere comes a wave that knocks you on your ass and takes your dog out to sea. Sometimes the next wave spits your dog back out on the beach. I hope that happens for you.
What a weekend! The waves were huge here too, inside and out. One of my big plastic bags of yarns split. It was too heavy with other yarns sorted in smaller bags. As the yarns spewed forth I pushed them aside wherever they would go. Too many! Where did they all come from? :o)
Hmm, is it a problem if I think there’s nothing wrong with this picture..me thinks I am amongst my own kind 🙂
Stephanie, I am soooooo glad to know that I am not the only person who trashes the house when I get on a tear and research the next project(s)…But the up side is that I found a scarf pattern that I couldn’t locate in November! And now I will tidy my way to the sewing room…Good luck with the blanket and whatever else you decide to stick with!
That second photo there.. balls of yarn lying all over the table with needles stuck in them… that is exactly how m table looks like. All the time. It’s time I cleared it.
I cannot say I am doing much better. I might have only started 2 projects so far, but the daybed in the guest room (which is also the craft room) is covered by fabric, and floss and bits of embroidery and some remaining detritus from Christmas and yarn. It’s kind of sad really.
I just cannot stop buying wool. No firm plans to knit it as yet. I just keep buying an odd hank EVERY lunch time. I take it home and hide it. This has to stop. It’s serious.
You are much more professional than I am at this, so my own version has been considerably less, um….. thorough? Is that the word I want?
HOWEVER. If you took a photo of me now, it would show the skein winder nearly poking me in the temple at my left, with a skein of sock yarn waiting to be wound and castonnownownow, ball winder to the right, basket of sock yarn remnants precariously balanced on the arm of the couch just beyond the ball winder (they have been weighed and I’ve been surfing Ravelry patterns to see if I have enough to make a blanket.) Oh but between the basket and the ball winder, lining the edge of the desk are three cakes of recently wound yarn, one of which is involved in a WIP already (for which I’m spinning more yarn whenever I’m not online looking at patterns and fretting over yardage.)
There’s much, much more, but that’s everything currently within arm’s reach.
And I’m so glad you admitted to this mayhem – I was starting to worry about myself, particularly the tearing-up-the-house bit.
Actually lost sleep last night thinking about designs and colorways for Paper Dolls sweater, brought to my attention by a friend who is now in big trouble. And the cryptic notes – that too.
Anyway, must knit!
The vest I should be finishing before starting anything else is sitting hotly in my lap, reminding me of my duty.
You know I’ve been good. I haven’t mentioned the G word for years. This, however, is too good not to pass along.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018grvr
Unless, you know, you want a TRADITION to die. No pressure.
(If, as I think I recall, your program wipes urls, there’s a BBC4 program on gansey-knitting preserving a way of life…)
My spinning wheel is in the living room (did 2 lbs of a mystery fiber one of my sisters bought me for Christmas 5 or 6 years ago now have to ply it all) Next to that is the Christmas sweater for my husband (he’s used to getting them late… once it took me 5 years to finish one) next to my computer is a shawl to replace the one my puppy ate… up next to the bed is 3/4 of a sock, there’s a cowl in my purse… and a mitten, and a swatch for a baby blanket and a 2/3’s of a knit bunny which was going to be for my youngest granddaughter for Christmas until I came to my senses and sewed her one instead in the basket by my chair.
I *SO* feel your pain.
Changing the subject, what ever became of the mittens of December 5 (http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2011/12/05/resisting_only_makes_it_take_longer.html)? They were gorgeous; is there a group shot?
I see I’m not the only one whose first reaction to your desire to spin was – whatever happened to Joe’s gansey for heaven’s sake? I made one for my dh and found it so fascinating I couldn’t put it down. Of course, I didn’t spin the wool, but maybe that’s why you lost interest? So much effort goes into the designing, but if you run out of yarn and can’t get a match/dyelot to finish? I hope that’s not the case.
So last week I thought I’d dye a little roving in the oven, just to take the edge off (as I saw the wave approaching too). There are now 16 4 oz bundles of roving hanging around my living room in various stages of drying, and I am dyeing more as I write this for the big project I dreamed up while dyeing (just in case the colors I’ve already done aren’t just right). There are roaster pans and roving and vinegar and oven mitts and bottles of dye all over the kitchen, and the area around my spinning wheel looks like a very colorful fiber explosion happened.
Good thing we have lots of take-out places nearby.
OK, not really BAD startitis, but I’ve been dreaming of alpaca…not the fiber, but the animal.
On the needles now: socks for DH, cowl for me, sweater for me, a shawl that needs to be frogged and restarted (can’t remember where I was), and I just remembered that my sister’s birthday is in a week! Off to rummage in the stash for worsted to make her an Ashley hat, or maybe a scarf, or maybe…
What do you think it is? Could it be a we strain of ecoli? Instead of bleeding out every orifice, every orifice is demanding more yarn, more projects, more stimulation!!!!!!! Hope I’ve been loathe to go into my stash closet cause I know that’s exactly what’s going to happen. YARN EVERYWHERE. And I really want to learn to spin!,,
You mean that I am not the only one…..?
I think startitis in January has a straightforward cause – you finished your holiday knitting. For the last few months, your knitting was more limited, and focused on the end products for other people. Now that those are done, your creativity is yearning to be free, as is the desire to knit something for yourself. It’s totally reasonable. Given how extremely scheduled you’ve been (spreadsheet and all), it’s no surprise that the extreme startitis is an equal and opposite reaction. So breathe, understand it’s normal, you’re not crazy, and just go with the flow, confident in the knowledge that what you will end up knitting and enjoying will rise to the top of the pile of WIPs on its own. At least, until you have another deadline to knit for, like the baby. 🙂
Joining the chorus of knitters going, you mean it’s not just me? (And that yarn on the bobbin is gorgeous.)
Ah! So that’s why I’ve got two bowls of wet fleece “soaking” in the utility room! I’m glad it’s not just me.
My husband is newly retired and tries to clean a little each day. This Tuesday he said “I think I’ll clean the diningroom/kitchen/living room today.” (All one large space). I said, “Do the kitchen/dining areas, but forget about the living room until I can pick up all the yarn laying around.” He agreed. And what am I knitting? I’m using up left-overs from sock knitting, so I don’t even know why there is all this new stuff everywhere. lol
Don’t ban me from the blog, but I have to say: Gansey?
I’m sure it’s an entirely different situation, but all this activity might simply be an avoidance technique to keep the gansey under all that yarn and projects that look more colourful, or finishable.
Otherwise, this starting stuff seems to be quite normal for January. If I didn’t have all these amigurimi to finish from Christmas… off to order 18 colours of yarn from KnitPicks.
My husband and son stumbled out of bed at 2am – they found me at my desk, sobbing in laughter. I have been going through your archives – need I say more…
I am getting no work done. I blearily mumbled something to said son as he left for the bus. I threw a frozen roast of beast in the oven, and agonized that Her Harlotness would not approve. We farm, what can I say. I have laundry up the wahzoo. I ran out to the cull pen and grabbed poor little Maizie and put her back in with the rest of my girls. She is a fullblood Romney, who in 5 years, has managed to lamb only once, and prolapsed while she was doing so. Damn nice fleece though. Watched my farmer doing the rolling-eye thing. Dragged my wheel from the basement, and the dear thing won’t turn properly. I ruined it. Went back and read more archives. Trying to stop the jealousy — book stores?? Yarn shops?? My closest ones are 3 hours away, and there are only two of them. By the goddess, will someone please end the madness…
But the worst of the worst is that, I have not
KNIT. IN. TWO. DAYS. Can’t. Just wanna read.
When in doubt … go for the cowl . The mess can always be dealt with later .
I almost hate to ask, but . . . whatever happened to that gray sweater you were spinning and knitting for Joe? I may have missed it, or you may have had more pressing things to blog about, yes?
I have no moral high ground since in the past few days I’ve cast on five pairs of socks. Although I’m making progress, since work is very light right now; I’m on the second sock of two of the pairs, and turning the heel of the first sock on a third. I just hope I don’t get a case of single-sockitis now….
Stephanie, if you knit just two rows of the gansey every time you started something else, it could be done by now. Because you know we aren’t going to let you forget about it.
I contracted a case of startitis on new years eve and am only know beginning to show signs of improvement. Look on the bright side, at least you were able to find a tape measure!
I wouldn’t call this startitis. This is CREATIVITY!
Dear Yarn H.
I know Startitis feels bad, feels like you’re addicted to knitting. At these times, I just think, “hey, it could be worse; at least I am addicted to something that occasionally produces a nice warm garment / accessory / blanket for someone.”
Hmm, I at my place startitis is a way of life not a wave. In my version, i dont always make it to the cast on stage. I get out books magazines stitch dictionaries many post its and balls and skeins of yarn ETC I do like the way my house looks with some thing yarny in every corner. (the house mate may not like it as much!)
a toast to startitis, the disease that is terminal but doesnt kill you.
Tis the season. I am expertly procrastinating going back to a project I stopped working on (in favor of Christmas knitting) because it requires THINKING. So I think I’ll start something new….. (grin)
(Problem is, the stalled project has a due date. That must be the enthusiasm killer.)
If you haven’t done your “home-grown sock club” yet this year, that would let you fondle yarn and patterns to your heart’s content without you actually having to cast anything on *right now*.
Question from some loyal subjects….what is SABLE?
Hi ! Oh thank goodness you feel better! I;ve been jonesing for a harlot update!And now i’m waiting for that mitten pattern! I’m so anxious to open up my own mitten fctory!Thanx for Your humour and your grace under fire!You teach all of us to just say what we think and for better or worse feel great after.It makes sensse in my head!
Stephanie,
Just finished reading your article Top Ten reasons for owning a spinning wheel. I laughed my head off. Every single reason hit home. Thanks for helping me realize that I am not alone with my projects and stashes.
Love your blog!