This rut is more of a crater

I have four projects on the go right now and to be completely honest, I’m not feeling any of them. (Also, when I say four, I mean four that I’m interested in even admitting to. There’s a few more, but they’ve begun to fall deep into the stash, down, down into the layers from which projects do not return.)  There’s a problem with each and every one of these projects, and they’re tiny little problems that I could set my mind to overcoming if only I were a stronger person, but together they add up into a great big steaming pile of ennui.  A knitting rut. Let me show you.

1. I’m knitting another pair of socks. Of course.  They’re just another plain vanilla pair, although the yarn’s pretty fun.

boringsocks 2014-05-29

It’s Fortissima Colori, Socka Color (The classic colourway so beautifully named 9072.)These possess, as all self patterning socks do – a certain charm, and it is a lot of fun to explain to all of the non-knitters who see it that they yarn does this all by itself, but I think I made a mistake when I chose another plain pair of socks.  I can tell, because pulling them out of my bag instantly makes me want to scream.

Why I should finish? Because it’s just a pair of socks, and I have a pair to churn out every 27 days, and if I toss these aside and start something fabulous then I won’t have time.

What’s stopping me? See aforementioned bit about the screaming. I don’t know how much longer I can keep that noise in my head.

2. I’m working on a shawl.

sweetdreamsstall 2014-05-29

The pattern is fun (it’s a heavily modified version of Sweet Dreams) and it’s actually fabulous yarn that’s a thrill to use (Buffalo Wool Co.’s Sexy, almost impossible not to love) but the problem is that I’m an idiot, twice over.   Once, for not realizing that if you upsize a beaded shawl you’re going to need more beads, and once for not realizing that this is extra true if you spill the beads and some go down a heating vent.  I’m not out of beads yet, but I have to trot downtown and try to get some more, and there’s no point in going forward at all until I know if I can go all the way – you know what I mean?

Why I should finish? Two reasons.  One, deadline. Two, I’m not sure if my modifications are going to work, and I need to finish in enough time that I can have a do-over, if it turns out that my idea was as crazy as giving a toddler a drill and unlimited access to my fleshy parts.

What’s stopping me? The hours it will take to go downtown and scour a bead store for these beads and get back home again.  Technically I’ve already tried once, but it turns out that Arton Bead is closed on Sundays.  Who knew? (Kindly refrain from pointing out that the website I linked to just there clearly indicates the hours of operation. Thank you.)

3. This stinking Adrianna.

adreiannaforever 2014-05-29

Holy crap, am I tired of knitting this.  If there was one thing in this house that I could enslave a troupe of elves to finish, it would be that. It’s what happens if you re-knit a thing, the fortitude it takes the second time through is superhuman.

Why I should finish? I really, really love the finished product here, and desperately want to wear it this summer, and now it’s summer, and I don’t want to be that person who finally wraps this up just in time for the snow to fly.  Considering the length of the Canadian summer? Really. I should be knitting it now.  I kinda thought I would wear it at Squam. That’s next week.

What’s stopping me? I hate it’s filthy little linen guts.

4. The Emperor’s New Scarf.

stillwiththeholes2 2014-05-29

Why should I finish? Because I love it, and it’s almost done, and I love it.

What’s stopping me? Nothing. Just that I want a knitting project, and from here to the end this is more of a sewing/crochet project and it’s hard for me to do the same thing over and over, and there’s a lot of holes and that’s all that’s left now is the holes. Holes. Holes. Holes. All the time with the holes. The. Holes.

That’s the roundup. Four projects. Four problems, four clear solutions, and yet… From here, I don’t know what to do next.  Maybe I’ll just sit here while it all stares at me. Maybe I’ll put on some serious pants and pick one and power through? Maybe I’ll trash it all. Maybe…

Maybe I’ll knit these?

(PS. Yes. These projects are scattered all over my house on four different surfaces. Yes. This makes the house look untidy. This is no big deal because the house IS untidy, and the knitting is the least of it. I’m a knitter, not a housekeeper.)

167 thoughts on “This rut is more of a crater

  1. Work on all four of them alternately. One gets tea, one gets coffee, one gets beer or wine, and one gets to go out with you. You know you want them all, so stick with it.

  2. I am relieved to know, after having read your blog today, that I don’t have to have myself committed because of the vast number of similar projects I have Everywhere that are, simply, not glowing any more….. and my guilt that they are still…on the needles….it is the right of knitting passage…and I am not alone.

    • Rite of passage makes it sound like you get over it. You don’t 🙂

      You may in fact finish all the current WIPS, but when you turn around, you discover there are more, at the bottom of the basket as YH says. Just accept there will always be more WIPS lurking somewhere…and knitting deities bless them when you can’t stand your current ‘main’ project any more!

  3. Oh dear. I had one whole other response ready to write about persevering, finding a good movie or series to watch so you could knit and not think about it, etc. etc. and then I saw those Starry Night socks and Wow! They are beautiful! So…so much for all that good advice….

    • Yup. My thoughts exactly. I would unravel the linen thing, too, and add it to the Karmic Balancing. Hate and knitting can never go together.

  4. You should absolutely knit those. Make a deal. One item finished gets you one cuff for Starry Night. Second item finished gets you half the length of the leg. Third item … well, you get the idea. But I think finishing Adriana is worth one whole Starry Night.

  5. well, you don’t need a scarf in summer…you can also easily catch up on your sock schedule, and buffalo is also more of a fall winter thing. Go with the linen – it is also magic how the imperfections disappear once it comes out of the washer and dryer.

  6. I vote for working on the starry night socks, assuming those are part of the 12 that need to go in the Christmas bin. Nothing wrong with tackling those now and having the plain socks for later on down the road when you need less challenging knitting. Perhaps save the plain socks for while you’re doing the Rally?

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  8. I’d knock out the quickest to finish of the four projects and then start the Starry Night socks. Rinse and repeat until all four of those pesky WIPs are done. You can do it. Meanwhile, I’ll just keep quilting. That’s the surest way to get knitting WIPs done.

  9. I vote to finish the scarf first, because that seems to be the quickest to finish. But really, whatever takes the least amount of time, finish that first. Whenever I’m in a rut like this I just need to finish ONE THING to give me the spark to handle all the rest.

    Then tackle Adrianna. Just to get the thing away. Followed by a bead trip, then the socks. Of course, the socks could just be your mindless knitting for when you have a few spare moments.

  10. As much as I hate to interfere with a bout of finishitupitis, your sock goal totally does not require you to finish a pair of socks every 27 days. It requires you to finish two pairs of socks every 54 days.

  11. You could totally knit the Starry Night socks. Here’s my thinking: the rule isn’t necessarily a pair of socks every 27 days, but that on average, right? Wouldn’t two pairs in 54 days be the same thing? You could knit the Starry Night socks, then the plain ones, or better yet – alternate so they both get finished. (Especially since the plain ones are already partially done.) You’d get to keep your sanity *and* get socks by the time you need them.

  12. Sorry, lady. Deadline knitting first. That means shawl then Adriana. I’ve got a whole tough-love thing prepared about how that particular sock could have been completed in the time it took you to run around taking pictures and whining about hating them if you need it. Then you can come give me the same speech, yes?

  13. Knit one row/round/repeat on each project first thing in the morning, then set them all aside and work on something fun. You will be making progress, albeit teeny tiny progress, so your conscious should keep mum.

  14. Those starry socks are cool looking and definitely different from all of the other projects. Would you really knit them with reversed colors like the ones in the description on Ravelry? Personally, I would, but I’d think that would make someone with your… er, knitting personality to end up with a permanent eye-twitch that might be detrimental to future knitting.

    • My thoughts exactly! I was thinking perhaps the Harlot has gone mad, what with pondering the knitting of intentionally mismatched socks!

  15. Well, the only thing to do is some kind of movie marathon. Something that you can focus on instead of the knitting/crocheting. Either that or you do need to do something you love to bits to give you the fortitude to get through these.

    (Aside note: holy cow the verification thing is tough today. It keeps asking for items that aren’t in the line up)

  16. Starry, Starry Night Socks- Heavens to Mergatroid! I’ve never seen them before-Favorite!
    I ran out of yarn on a project last holiday weekend- no way to get more yarn-finished it with what I had left. Found more yarn and am now ripping out and will add more. d e t e r m I n e d
    t o f i n i s h
    This knitting game is not for the faint of heart.

  17. Those are lovely. You should definitely forget everything else and knit Those. I now want to knit Those too. Thanks a lot (she said as her WIPs sank into the UFO layer)

  18. My vote: put the plain socks away and do the starry socks. The time you lose starting a new pair this month will be magically gained when you need some plain socks to knit another month and they’re already a quarter done. Even though they are plain they’ll go super slow if you hate them. And colorwork always goes so fast, at least for me. It’s always charming to see what the next round of the chart will bring.

    • Jen has struck on the right idea. Knit the starry night socks and then come back to the plain ones. You might not have one complete pair in 27 days , but I bet you get two pair done in 54 days!

  19. OMG!! Knit the Starry Night socks!! And I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that is screaming internally everytime I pull out my plain vanilla socks. But there for a friend who is moving soon, so, done they must be! Then I’m knitting Fruit Stripe Gum socks (I’ve been dreaming about them for pete’s sake, I need to knit them!!)

  20. Speaking of enslaving elves – is the Adriana hard knitting? Could you ask one of your daughters to finish it for you as a gift? Outsourcing might be the key….

  21. If you are supposed to finish one pair of socks every 27 days, is there a rule that you can’t be working on 2 pairs for 54 days? Averages out. . .

  22. If you have to ride a bus downtown to the bead store knit the socks on the way. Sit out in the garden under dappled sunlight and power through the others. Everything is better with flowers, sunshine and birdsong, (and booze).

  23. I agree with most of the other commentors, switch to the Starry Night Socks. But keep the vanilla socks for travel knitting (like when you go to the bead store). Then work on the shawl. If you mail me the scarf, I’d be happy to finish that for you; but you’re on your own with Adrianna.

  24. I know how you feel. I made a sweater that everyone in my family loved and begged me to do. I just finished the 11th sweater from the same pattern and I will shoot the next person to ask for that pattern!! On to something fun…..

    • Please tell us what the sweater pattern is that everyone seems to love so much. I am looking for a tried and true sweater pattern.

  25. Toss the plain socks in your purse for on the go knitting. Put Arianna somewhere convenient that you can do a row or two while you talk on the phone or something….just so you are making some progress there.The distraction will ease the boredom. And then go cast on those beautiful Starry Night socks! You deserve some pleasure knitting after dealing with the email fiasco of the past couple of days!

  26. Finish the socks cause they’re easy. Then work on the shawl that has a deadline. The scarf – rather than sit down and contemplate how many holes you have left, just do one or two a day and a couple of weeks will finish it off. Perhaps a good time to do your one or two would be when you’re taking transit downtown to get those beads.

    I also wonder if it wouldn’t be a better plan to finish the scarf holes off one by one as you knit the scarf. This wondering isn’t for you, of course – your knitting is done. It’s for me and other people who might make that scarf one day.

  27. 54 days, two pair. Yes. Channel Maya Angelou. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Done and done. Starry Night.

  28. When this kind of thing happens to me (mostly with projects less interesting than knitting) I like to quantify.
    How many more holes do you have to finish? How many stripes on the self-striping sock? Sometimes it helps to bite off a little chunk, then go do something else.
    At first I thought you could use the Starry Night handspun on the Starry Night socks, but then I realized you’d promised to give it away.

  29. Hang in there. I just finished a sweater I’ve hated with the passions of Bell. The feeling of victory when it was done was worth it.

  30. I have 59!!!! rows to go on Adrianna and I am desperate to get it done yet I sit down and pick up a different project every time. this morning I told myself….nothing else until it is finished. Mary in cincinnati

  31. Seriously? I’d just start something small and sweet for a random baby. No, I don’t have any random babies in my life right now, but my children and other young friends are starting to get to that stage in THEIR lives, and I need a stash of sweet small baby things.

  32. Ok I get this! I re did a baby sweater not once nor twice but three times!! – I kept changing the design- I hate that thing which is so contrary to baby things right? So because I know you want my two cents(this is sarcasm) let’s review- the average life span for female is roughly 76. Life is short! Do you really want to ( God forbid!!!) crash on a training bike ride, and be lying in the street thinking “darn! I never got to knit those cool starry night socks!” See? It’s all about perspective. My job here is done….

  33. I’m just amazed you can leave your knitting laying around. I have a cat that eats wool. He just found where I keep my hand-knitted socks…

  34. I’m going to be brutally honest and this is only my opinion. I don’t like Adrianna or the scarf – so I would either trash them or send them to a good home. That leaves the socks and the shawl. Start the starry night socks to jumpstart your brain. Then get the beads and finish the shawl. Save the vanilla socks to work on here and there. Good luck deciding!

  35. Cast on the Starry Night Socks right now!! You won’t believe how quickly you will reach for something that requires less focus i.e. any of your four projects in the crater – as soon as the phone rings or you want to watch a movie or your husband distracts you by reading the paper aloud.

  36. I was going to say you should just persevere and finish the 4 wip’s by working a little on each one until they are done, but I see by the other comments that I am way off the mark.
    I bet you have already decided what to do. Sometimes just saying how awful some knitting can be will give you the push to get it done.
    The Starry Night socks are beautiful.

  37. Label the boring socks with how many days you have spent on them and set them aside. Start another pair of socks. When you can face the boring pair again start your day countdown up from where you stopped. You are aiming for a pair every 27 days, you never said they had to be contiguous.

  38. I’d unravel the plain socks and find a quick, yet interesting pattern to start them again. I see you could manage 10 minutes at a time on the email fiasco. Carry that strategy over to your WIP. Before you know it, all will be well.

  39. Love, love LOVE the Starry Night socks. I would say to start those, but I too have had a case of the not-real-thrilled-with-anything, finish-anything blues and am powering through. (I counted up last night. 12 projects in various states of done-ness that I will attest to.)

    Knit a washcloth. It doesn’t really count because it takes an evening and could be fun. I bought a CONE of cotton today for just such a project (or 25). I need something to get my mojo back.

    (Just a slight aside, the captcha asked for a music note. It was a treble clef. Very different things. Just sayin’.)

  40. To be perfectly honest, I’m not bothered what you do next because I’m still trying to get my breath back after my laughing fit on your feelings about Adrianna.

  41. Are these socks you wanna do inspired by the ear worm you gave us with Vincent the other day?

    Work on the scarf and watch “Holes” at the same time – it will make it all better (and finished!) a cute movie with a very very young Shia Labeouf:) or not – startitis is about to catch you!

  42. Honestly, I didn’t get what your dilemma was, what with your knitting speed, until you got to #3 ADRIANNA. The minute I saw it, I felt heaviness, dread…as though this was a project I spent tons of money on and can’t finish, and a voice shouting in my head “YOU HAVEN’T FINISHED IT YET!!!”. You’ll have to prioritize projects in order. The socks first, so put them in your purse, scarf, finish while having coffee, then on weekends, strictly devote yourself to whatever complicated project requires your attention. That’s the only way I can have 3 projects going and get them done.

    • P.S. I can ‘t believe the amazing striping on those socks! I tend to stay away from that type of yarn because it doesn’t look appealing to me. I’ll have to try one pair at least.

  43. I too have a ‘time out’ corner for those naughty projects. I have a sweater that I knit, completed, hated, stewed on it, ripped it out, started it again, hated it, ripped it out, started a new project, continued to hate it…and now it sits in the time out corner untili decide I don’t hate it any longer…. 🙂

  44. I’m a knitter, not a housekeeper.
    That line is immediately going to be used by me when I arrive home tonight and start knitting instead of cleaning up the house. Thanks!!

  45. Just do the socks, and worry about everything else another day. The good thing about not feeling it, is that it feels extra satisfying when it’s done. I’m sending you some good energy. CJ xx

  46. Why don’t you just go for a bike ride? You have a legitimate excuse to defer these projects, until after the race.

  47. Can you handle the reverse coloring on those new socks? Maybe the holes, no wait, the Adriana, no wait… Oh well, just do whatever floats your boat!

  48. Take the plain vanilla socks with you on the trip to buy beads. Then send the plain socks into hibernation, and pick a different pair for this months “Christmas pair”. Save the plain vanilla ones, and when you have a panic in Dec you will be thrilled to discover half a pair already knit.

    Once you have the beads, you can alternate between the vest and the shawl.

    NB – I haven’t knit anything in a couple of weeks. My yarn is all sulking.

  49. OMG. I love the socks. I’d have to make 2 pairs though, because 1) mismatched socks would drive me crazy, 2) I love both the blue on white and white on blue, and 3)seriously, it would drive me crazy.

  50. Definitely knit the Starry Starry Night socks. They have colourwork, little stripes and and stars. You’ll blaze through them and kick that knitting ennui to the curb, for sure!

  51. One of my LYSs has odd hours. If I don’t plan ahead, I inevitably get there when they’re closed. It doesn’t help that they change for summer (non-school) vs winter (they’re near a school – at least I think that’s the reason).

    I like what Tine said about knitting all four with beer, wine, or tea, and one goes out with you. (I think I forgot something. Chocolate and a movie, maybe?)

  52. I know the feeling! I had a shawl that I had restarted about half a dozen times, but then I finally switched the yarn and it took me less than a month.

    I know you can’t switch the yarn on any of these, but I empathize with your ennui. I’m working on a pair of vanilla socks right now that are also deadline knitting…And I just want them to be done, because I want to finish up a cardigan instead!!

    Good luck! I think you should work on Adriana first and then take the socks and scarf to Squam to work on there!

    Katie =^..^=

  53. You need a Tacky Bob. Great little gizmo that looks like a cd case, but has a sticky surface inside. Pour beads into it, they lightly stick, close case when done and beads don’t fall.

  54. Well, if there was any chance at all we knit to the same gauge, I just tell you to send me the Adrianna and I’d finish it for you — I don’t mind knitting linen. But since there isn’t, just sending some virtual hugs.

  55. “I’m a knitter, not a housekeeper,” is a line I may have to steal. I hope you don’t mind. It sums me up perfectly!

  56. I really sympathize! I would choose one project (maybe the scarf) and then try to power through. Then, reward yourself by casting on the Starry Night Socks.

  57. I’ve been married over 50 years and my husband still doesn’t understand that I’m a knitter and not a housekeeper. I keep telling myself he has OCD.

  58. Sounds like you need a time out ah XXXXXXXXXXX some time off (that’s what I meant to type … 😉 How about giving yourself a few days knit free and jsut spin Spin SPIN!!! Here are two silly jokes, in the meantime. 1. What do you call someone who creates jokes about knitting? ******************************************************************************************************************************* Answer: A knitwit. (from the Internet) 2. Why do knitters go to a knitting guru? ******************************************************************************************************************************** Answer: To get purls of wisdom. (I created this joke – it’s the second joke that I’ve ever created (in 63 years.) Lucky I’m not planning on writing a joke book 🙂

  59. You might as well cast on another project. Then, make yourself work on one of the dreadfuls for at least an hour before you can switch over to the shiny new project.
    Any chance you could phone the bead shop and ask if they’ll send you more beads? Often, if you send them a few samples (or better yet, give them the sku number, if they have one) they can match and send. The worse that can happen is they’ll say “no” and hang up while laughing uproariously. (But they’re Canadian, so that wouldn’t happen. Right?)

  60. Honestly, I typed a whole reply and then lost it when I failed the human verification test. Clearly I have computer issues as well as being stuck in this same crater with you. My first reply was to let you know that I don’t think you are alone in the crater. I am totally there with you. If you figure a way out can you leave a trail so I can follow? I promise to do the same for you if I make it out first. Nice to know anyway that I am not in here alone. No advice from me I am afraid. Too tired of being stuck with these projects that I can’t work up my energy for completing. I swear the similarities are staggering. I even have a re-knit on my needles that is totally killing me the second time around… Best of luck!

  61. No suggestions here. Just sympathy. Except, really, this only counts as three knitting projects, because there is no knitting left on the scarf… leaving space for another project. Could it be that the general awfulness of the technical problems just trickled out and landed on your knitting? Hope that there is some sunshine for your next bike ride!!

  62. It sounds like it is clearly time for a bike ride. BTW-It’s wicked cold here in New Hampshire. Pack accordingly. (Read- you may be off the hook with the linen number…).

  63. I filled out order for the self striping yarn from England. completed order, but no where did it click to say it got my order. I just finally gave up. What gives ?

  64. Just wondering: could you order more beads for the shawl online and have them come to you, and avoid a trip downtown? It seems like that’s the worst part of finishing that (deadline-driven) UFO…

  65. Don’t you have a nice crocheting buddy who would finish off the scarf?
    Next, do the Starry socks, because you want to and it’s supposed to be fun.
    Take the self-striping socks with you when you can knit on autopilot. Like when you go to get the beads, as someone else suggested.
    Then Adrianna because you can wear it while you work on the shawl and unless the shawl is for a birthday or some such, you are home free.
    As for myself, can we say “big stinkin’ monotonous white baby shawl”? I knew we could.

  66. Clearly, since you can wear it now, and you hate it’s filthy linen guts, you should pull out all the stops, with lots of wine , and finish Adrianna. You’ll be so proud. Sniff.

  67. You’re sounding like a whiny child. You, YOU are the one that chose to start these items. Now belly up to the bar and knit them, dammit! Put in a Stargate Sg-1, season six, and just do it. You’re welcome.

  68. I am also in a knitting rut. Rather than making any decisions or fixing anything, I am knitting dishcloths. With lovely bright coloured cotton.

    sigh.

  69. Finished your new book late last night and I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed it. Several of the essays had tears brimming in my eyes. A very good read. Thanks!

  70. I’m working on my second Doctor Who scarf. The first was 17 feet and this one will be 12. It’s just garter, garter, garter. Your projects sound interesting to me! Lol!

  71. I hear you. My neglected wips are threatening to unionize. I recently finished a shawl that was clearly feeling abandoned, and I have picked up my March socks, because, well, it is almost JUNE!

  72. This made me laugh at the end of a long day. “Put on some serious pants”. Too funny, and I too have many more projects on the go than I’ll admit to, and am considering a summer shell (Petrie) that will likely be finished in time to wear under a heavy wool sweater in December.

  73. Since they sell socks at Wal-Mart, the only reason to knit them is for your own pleasure. So, Starry Starry Night.

  74. Do the next right thing. Start a new project, make it a sock so technically you’re keeping on goal. Starry Night could be the project that will just make you want to dance.

  75. Someone may have said this already, but. . .

    . . .the problem seems to be the wrong mix of colors, patterns, and skills for this time of year. The socks are so plain that they don’t even have vanilla in them. Adrianna and the shawl are in the wrong colors for spring turning to summer. You’re not comfortable (yet) with the skills you’re using to finish the scarf.

    My suggestion: Add a fifth project to the rotation. Something colorful in a season-appropriate way. Something with some more interest that unending rounds of stockinette. Something easy enough that you can zoom through it, but interesting enough to keep your attention. Maybe a summer tank for you or one of your girls. Maybe a late summer or early fall cardigan or pullover for one of your small nieces/nephews. Heck, maybe even a cat-sized afghan or cushion cover for She Who Must Be Obeyed (Or She Will Claw the Davenport).

    It’s either that, or you need to screw your courage to the sticking post and take the most boring project with you on the bike marathon.

  76. *shoves four-in-progress socks under seat cushion and prepares to tack a “Startitus – Quarantine Area* sign on the Harlot’s door*

    And agreeing with Anonymous above–pick something you’ve been wanting to do and do it. You’ll feel better.

    *hides “I’m a Staritus Helper! Ask Me How!” button with the aforementioned socks-in-progress*

    • So many reasons why DPNs should not go under seat cushions! Puncture wounds are no fun, remember that She uses the deadly aluminum Susan Bates stabbers!

  77. Hope you have a big crater because I’m in it with you! I vote that you start the Starry, Starry Night socks. You need a special new something since you’ve been so good about the evil spam problem!

  78. I love that line…I’m a knitter, not a housekeeper. Shoulda used it on the ex when he asked me to quit knitting. Instead, I just packed up my little gypsywagon trailer, and my yarn stash and moved to Portland.
    Quit knitting. Pffffhg.
    Love your blog.

  79. I am totally with you on the sock thing! I am staring at a sock that is 3/4 of the way done and just want to throw it across the room! And its only the first one….

  80. Could it be you are just so tired with all the early morning risings that your patience is in shreds? Being tired sure has that effect on me.

  81. I have a shawl in luscious yarn whose pattern was selected for its (stupidity — oops!) simplicity. It’s helping my concussion heal. But. I. REALLY. Crave. Color. And. Pattern.

    Sigh… All will be possible in the future.

  82. I wish I was brave enouh to knit thesehttp://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fields-of-flowers but my WIP basket is overflowing and my dh is commenting it a lot. Maybe I can hide WIP’s too like YH?

  83. Start something new. Forget Adrianna – there will always be another summer. Forget the shawl – there will always be another winter (and you can get the beads when you’re downtown for something else). Forget the scarf until autumn or you suddenly have a Need To Crochet (apparently this happens to some people).

    Instead, knit something for Lou. Oh, and finish those socks.

  84. Let’s be clear on this: the only place that housework comes before knitting is in the dictionary! My suggestion? Put them all away and start something new. xxx

  85. Oh wow the starry starry night socks are stunning. Well actually so are your projects but oooo ahhhhh ooooo I would be casting on those socks to temper the rut of finishing those other projects. Plus the bonus of casting on another project is at some point you reach a flurry of finishing activity, when you gain the strength to face the projects. Happy knitting Steph.

  86. I find my self alternating between 3 things that I wish would finish themselves. I like the pattern on all three but after a repeat of 8 rows I’m like “not again!” I switch to the next and slog on. Good luck.
    Oh, I’ve been known to knit two different (left/right) socks out of the same yarn, just to keep going. They match color wise but the ribbing 3×1 on one is 1×3 on the other. Yeah, not much of a difference but it was enough to get them finished. 🙂

  87. Maybe you could phone the bead store and have them send you the right beads? Maybe they could take payment over the phone. Then you’d be ready to carry on that project without having to make the big trip downtown.

  88. Finish the scarf…almost there and this will make you feel strong so that you can tackle the linen project. The socks will be your constant travel project and “I’m too tired to think” project and the Buffalo/Bead project may have to be undone in order to have a new life later as something else. You can do this, you have before and it felt great…remember?!

  89. I’m trying to get over the fact that a trip to the bead shop is a chore. To have a bead shop would be fantastic, to have an excuse to go there and then not, well …

    I know its been said, knit the socks on the way to the bead shop, then start the Starry Night socks when you get back. Just because I’m interested to see how Ms Matchy-matchy copes with them.

  90. OK, IMHO the sweater is out of the running as there is just not enough time to finish it. If I had an airplane ride to take, I’d save the holey thing (you may love it but I don’t) for that.
    But really, how can you resist Starry Starry Night for one more minute? Those self striping socks just don’t even enter into the competition once one has seen the starry one’s portrait.

  91. That particular sock yarn is my all-time favorite, and I can’t get it any more. Tell you what — send those socks to me and I’ll finish them for you. Those fly off my needles so quick I don’t even know I’m knitting them.

  92. Spinning helps me get rid of knitting blockades. Is the beaded shawl knit in such a way that changing bead color would look like an intentional design element? I mean if you have to go to the bead store it should at least be interesting.

  93. If it were me, I’d be all over those starry socks (I almost wish I hadn’t clicked on that link). But it’s not me, so I’m curious, what are YOU going to do? 🙂

  94. 1. Set your timer for 15 and knit like the wind. Do this several days. I know you probably can finish in 2 sessions, you’re so fast. 2. Screw the beads and keep going. People will think it’s part of the design. Honest. You have a rep as clever and innovative. 3. How much of this is done? If one half is done, and this is the other half, give it the 15 minute trick so you can wear it this summer. If not, bag it for next year. You have basically knit this twice, so give yourself a break. But remember to put the pattern in the bag (the right pattern) and the needles or note the needle size. 4. Bag this one for now (with pattern, etc). It will be months (weeks? LOL) till winter when this can be worn. Pull it out later to finish for fall. —- There’s my 2 cents. 14 days till our birthday, twin! Not too early to start celebrating!

  95. Re: the bead situation. Do you not have a daughter still living under your roof who could quite likely, if given a sample of the beads and the amount needed and funds, do this time consuming task. And possibly she will be in that area anyway? We don’t get what we don’t ask for, especially help when needed!

  96. I have a proposition for you! We could swap WIPs… I have stuff that I am either frustrated with or sick of knitting. Though I don’t think they are all as fancy as the stuff you are working on. Lol

  97. T’is to laugh.I made my first pair of socks with the exact same self patterning yarn you are using. I was such a novice I thought I should cut the yarn for the heel. Alas, they are too big for me, so I wear them in the winter around the house. Much more mature sock knitter now. Have almost the same projects staring at me: a pair of socks for hubs, a shawl that will have 1,125 stitches in each row in a few days, another shawl, and a scarf with holes in it. And the Wyoming summer is as fleeting as the Canadian one. Had 6 inches of snow on May 18. Sorry about the Canadiens loss. 🙁

  98. I think you may be bored with the socks and Adrianna because the stitch is so simple. I had a scarf in stockinette stitch that drove me insane. There were no curves, no bumps, no cable excitement, no crazy lace pattern to make you realize that you where K2TOGing all wrong. I’m still a beginner but I blame it on my first cable scarf. I just can’t knit without having a new discovery.

  99. This post is so spot on in my house right now. I’ve got several projects on the needles that I just want to throw on the floor and stomp on because they’re A. Boring. B. Tedious. C. repetitive of something that I’ve worked on just last month or D. All of the above. Those new socks look like a lot more fun.

  100. My house clearly shows that I’m a knitter and not a housekeeper too. Projects EVERYWHERE. My husband doesn’t even bother moving them from the kitchen table anymore. He finds the only open square inch of the table to put his plate and eat. Eventually you’ll get your mojo back and finish those projects – I say start the starry night socks…..

  101. If the stores are where this will work:
    1. Put the sock in your bag.
    2. Ride your bike to the bead shop and get beads.
    3. Go to a nearby pub or coffee shop where to told a friend to meet you.
    4. Knit and talk.
    5. Ride home.
    End of outing. Have beads, knitted on sock, did some bike training for your long ride, should feel better about everything.

  102. Don’t know what the deadline is on the linen thing, but since I hate knitting linen, I’d vote for tearing it out and starting something else. The other three are either well along the way or very easy ie. plain socks, which should be able to fit in a few minutes every day. The only thing I’d say about the holes, is that it’s probably not a good idea to put off finishing it, because it’s an unfamiliar technique and you don’t want to have to re-familiarize yourself with it sometime down the road.

    As to the Starry Night socks, they are beautiful and complex and don’t match each other, and I predict that they’ll be driving you crazy by the end of next week. I say proceed with caution.

    Good luck. This is supposed to be relaxing and fun, right?

  103. Go for the Starry Night socks. This still counts toward knitting socks, and if you are enthusiastic, it will help you stay within your average of 27 days per sock pair. Plus, it’ll be fun to watch you make them, and help get you out of this rut.

  104. Knit the starry night socks (SOCKS!), then finish the Adrianna, then do the plain vanilla socks (SOCKS!), then do the shawl. Meanwhile, do one hole a day.

  105. When I get to that point, I just start spinning instead. It helps the ennui pass and makes me feel super productive. Then I usually get interested in the knitting again.

  106. I’d knit the popart socks… they are too cute! And the self-striping socks look like September socks if I ever saw some! Think of the head start you have for September!
    Can you combine the bead store trip with a training ride? That way you will feel so virtuous while completing a chore.
    As for the holes, holes, holes. I’d try the reward system. Complete a hole, make some tea, complete another and call a friend, do another and go outside to drink in spring (and a beer)… you get the idea!
    As for the linen tank, you are not going to be finishing that one, I’m afraid. I hear linen makes a great tea towel! 🙂

  107. You’re having a bad day! I’d go for the holey scarf. It’s closest to being done & nothing makes me happier than finishing one of several annoying unfinished things. Next, I’d go for the linen vest. That you’re wear soon. You’d be only the 2nd person on ravelry who shows that project finished!
    Then, between the socks and the shawl: Go for the socks: They travel (on the way to the bead shop!?)

    Best wishes!

  108. I vote for socks too as I’d love for you to have a Christmas without stress. We all have many many UFOs (unfinished objects) on our needles and I actually finished two of mine this year. I’m now trying desperately to finish the blanket from Hell for my BF – miles and miles of it (queen size)…..I feel your pain.

  109. Pingback: Projects doldrums | unspun.

  110. You do realize that you will have to knit Starry, Starry Night multiple times, because everyone you knit for will want a pair!

  111. I just have to say once again, I love The Blog and the way you write and what you write about. Somehow you give me HOPE. Not hope about knitting. But HOPE about life. That somehow things will be OK. Thank you. Again.

  112. Man, I hate when that happens! I feel your pain here… I wound up just putting the knitting down for a little bit & picked up some fun embroidery to get me through those ruts. Wait…is that sacrilege? Don’t listen to me… :p

  113. Doggonit! I was just catching up with your wonderful blog, and I had to go to Ravelry and buy a pattern. This happens EVERY TIME I read your blog! I suppose there are worse things…

    Thank you for being wonderful and sharing your life and knitting with us 😉

    Aleta

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