I don’t want to startle any knitters, but there’s something strange going on over here and who knows where it will end. I’ve been churning along on a summer sweater – Donner, to be precise, and I’m using Louet Euroflax Linen. Nice stuff – and I was sad that it was discontinued but it turns out that it’s been bought by Lofty Fiber, which is great news.
So I decide to knit this sweater, and I had this bonkers idea that I would knit it sort of quickly – which is just to say that I thought that I might give a completely radical idea a go – I’d knit a summer sweater in time to wear it this summer. I knew it was going to take a little longer than my knitter’s heart thought it should because the style of the thing is oversized, with great gobs of positive ease, and that always means a little extra time, but I saw that coming and I was emotionally prepared. I sat down and started in on it and right from the get go I noticed that it was slow. This seemed reasonable, it’s the yarn’s fault. I always find plant fibres to be slower on the needles than wool – they’re not stretchy, they’re a little stiffer, the whole thing is just… slower and I’m down with that. The transformation that occurs when you wash a linen garment is worth it. So I’m plodding along and that doesn’t seem too bad, totally to be expected for a linen thing this size. Then. something strange happened, which is that I stopped making any progress at all.
It seemed to me that I was knitting and knitting and nothing was happening. The sweater wasn’t getting any longer, none of the yarn seemed to be disappearing and it was starting to bug me. I looked within myself and wondered if (upon honest reflection) I wasn’t working on it as much as I thought? We’ve been very busy with a little project for the back garden (it’s not little, the roof of the shed caved in) and a chunk of my time goes to knitting, filming and editing for the Patreon, I’ve quietly been training for the Bike Rally (more on Team Knit later – but here’s links to our pages – me, Cam, Ken and Pato) and still haven’t made any progress on riding and knitting at the same time. (I’m starting to think it’s not going to work out) and Elliot is… well, I can’t really blame him since he’s only here a few days a week, and we’re working on his tolerance for my time spent knitting rather than playing board games or reading books. Even when I was honest about my time spent knitting, it still seemed like I should be farther along. *
Then a few days ago I decided to really start making some progress. Crack the whip of self discipline and get it done. Go, go, go. I knit in the park.
I knit in another park.
I knit while Ken read Ellie stories (That book is called The Little Wooden Robot and The Log Princess and it’s terrific.)
Another park…
I knit in the car,
While Elliot played lego…
I knit the heck out of that sweater. I knit on it so much that I started to think there must be progress. A shocking amount of progress. The ball of yarn got a bit smaller (though not much, this might be weird yarn) and after a while of trucking this thing around everywhere I went and cashing in on the stupendous magic of a round here and a round there – I have made no progress. Sure, a few centimetres, maybe eight – but eight centimetres is nothing like what I deserve.
Tonight, I’m going to politely announce to my knitting that it is time to move along. That whatever time dilation it has itself stuck in it needs to make a commitment to growth. I am going to tell it the truth, that am not even a little bit of a monogamous knitter, and that it is lucky that I have stood by it this long. I’m going to tell it about how I have been feeling about a certain other knitted top that I saw the other day, and I may even get the yarn for that out of the cupboard so that it may see its competition and know fear. Hell, I may even put it on the counter while I make dinner and put “Jolene” on the stereo. Then I’m going to try again, and if this sweater knows what’s good for it – we’ll be talking about ribbing and some sleeves tomorrow. If it doesn’t, well. I know a nice tank top looking for a start.
PS. It is worth noting that a great deal of time was spent the last few days staring appalled at the news. It goes without saying that my heart breaks for those families and the thousands of other families who’ve lost loved ones and children to firearms. I’m not going to say much more than that. My feelings on guns and violence are well known and if you disagree with me, I doubt that my thoughts presented on the matter will change your mind. For the rest of you, I cannot imagine living in a country where the leading cause of death in children 1-19 is a firearm, and I bet it’s really scary. I hope you can change it. I know that so many of you feel that it’s not changeable – that somehow you’ve been stripped of the power of democracy or public assembly or the ability to rage in the street at the top of your lungs screaming “Not One More Child” as passionately for this as other causes, but it’s not true. The folks you have the power to toss out of their jobs would sure like you to believe that though. Hang in there. Keep trying.
Thank you for being a comfort in this time. As soon as I saw rally links I ran to donate for Pato’s ride.
Let me guess: You’re stuck on the part of the body that is knit in the round. Essentially, that’s the same as a sleeve or one of Joe’s socks. You go around and around, and never seem to get anywhere. This thing won’t progress any faster once you get to the sleeves. Push the pause button and start the other top or something else to refresh your knitting mojo.
Please don’t try knitting while cycling. You can’t do the Bike Rally or play with Elliot if your a** is in a cast.
Thank you for the condolences. I’m vacillating between rage and sadness. What you haven’t said is what I hope everyone is thinking. Screw these bought politicians and their utter disregard of everything but their own power and greed.
Sunshine, I am tired of politicians who are more concerned about keeping their jobs rather than doing their jobs! I will have a serious list in hand when November 8 comes around. We all must stand up and act!
Agreed! We don’t need another round of “thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers” and a couple of useless days of people in Congress being outraged only to move on to something else without really doing anything.
Agreed. But, I’m also thinking that it’s time we got serious about addressing the NRA. Most of their members don’t even agree with their extreme position and understand we can honor the second amendment and still have common sense restrictions.
I was a schoolteacher for nearly twenty years, and I can’t imagine a shooter drill as a normal part of my professional life, a school shooting as something that happens every now and then… Is there any talk of teachers striking until something is done to protect their lives and the lives of their students? I would gladly contribute to a fund for a national teachers’ strike – how can teachers possibly be expected to go to work, knowing that their labour supports a system in which elementary school children are sometimes shot to death?
That’s an excellent Idea and it sure would get attention and KEEP attention on the shootings. The press moves on to other things after a few days. Oh! A squirrel!
That is a lovely colour. I can hardly wait to see it done, and really, nearly every project seems never to end right before it’s finished.
Thank you for giving your opinion and for the pep talk that what we think and do can make for a better world for all.
You are courageous with all your activities and bike practice, too! You inspire me to try new things, even at my age. Thanks for that, too.
A linen sweater is perfect for the warm days of early autumn. You can always return to it. Live a little–says the woman who started a Tinder at the beginning of lockdown and just picked it up again….this fall, for sure.
More importantly, thank you for your kindness regarding our horrific experience. Beyond heartbreaking—heartshattering. And the anger that accompanies it is beyond description.
I have actually proposed to my family a group move northward. Vancouver is a straight shot and has the advantage of our same Bay Area temperate weather. I lean eastward myself, but right now, anywhere Canadian sounds appealing. I never thought I’d think in those terms, but I’ve had enough. (This will not happen, by the way, but I am so angry, tired, and heartbroken that I seriously contemplate a move to a place I think of as advancing and not retreating in terms of humanity.)
I, too, have thought of a move to Canada.
It is so scary. Yes.
Enough thoughts and prayers. Time to VOTE them OUT.
I’m knitting with Quince Sparrow, too. A big oversized just two rectangles top, but knit in the round up to the armholes.
I did set it aside to knit one more brioche sample, but I’ll be back at it soon.
Knit on…
I’m with you on this Michele!
Both the voting and the knitting.
I’m with you too, Michele!! This has to stop and while I’m angry and grieving at the same time I’m wondering if my mostly-monogamous yarn heart has the stamina to push through what is essentially a plain vanilla scarf……
Columbine, Sandy Hook and dozens more. Almost alway against those who can least defend themselves. They aren’t alive to use the First Amendment against the Second. We no longer need to raise a militia and the idea of another January 6,2021 scares the hell out of me. Repeal the Second Amendment.
The only prayer a lot of politicians need to be offering right now is one of repentance.
Regarding the pool of bottomless knitting, I use progress markers for this very reason. It reassures me that time and space are operating in their traditional manner, despite appearances.
Ha! Exactly—seeing yourself make any sort of distance from a marker, even when you don’t “feel” it, is encouraging!
I think I would be tempted to undo the whole thing and donate the yarn on to a worthy cause! I’m not a huge knitter, but I can understand the frustration. You’re very patient to carry on with it.
In answer to your PS, I so agree. I’m British but spent nearly 2 years in upper NY State, plus my son has joint British/US citizenship and now lives there, and I honestly despair about so much in the United States now. For such a supposedly forward-looking country, the regression is unbearable.
How can a population care more about their right to bear arms than the rights of their children to attend school safely or their neighbours to return in one piece from a trip to the supermarket and to think the answer is to arm more people?
I could also vent about the rights of women to have control over their own bodies, and the lack of a reasonable healthcare system, but I won’t because my head’s about to explode.
The UK isn’t perfect, and why people thought the answer to all our woes was to cut ourselves off from the EU boggles the mind, but I watch the situation across the Atlantic and just want to beat my head against the wall…
But hey, you’re about to get Imperial measurements back! You can go back to UK knitting needle sizes. Boggles the mind indeed.
Ridiculous, isn’t it?
Agree with so much of what you have said, but wanted to offer a suggestion that helps me when the knitting seems to be going on and on with no progress. I put a locking stitch marker on the first stitch I knit that day and then can actually see how far I’ve gotten. It makes the progress visible, even if it IS never enough. Beautiful sweater, so I hope it cooperates since I think you would really love wearing it.
Joni: Exactly what I do! And I see progress on those straight never ending stretches!
Donated.
I’m so glad you posted. It’s truly a comfort to read from here in Houston, where the people who spent the past couple of days offering thoughts and prayers are now fundraising with the NRA.
It’s so hard to keep up enough hope to continue fighting, in weeks like this. Every bit of beauty & comfort becomes a critical aid. Thank you.
My only comment is that evil people kill children, and until we get serious about the cause of evil people, children (and adults) will continue to be killed. Evil people always find a way until good people stop them.
There are–sadly–evil people everywhere in the world, but why are there so few mass shootings in those places?
You know the answer.
This is not an either (stricter gun control) or (mental health) problem. We need both. Personally, I don’t see the need for people to own assault-type rifles but let’s also address the reason why someone would decide to harm people with it. The mental health decline and care for mental health in our country is appalling and must be addressed with as much urgency as gun control.
Until we address and solve this evil you speak of, do you think it would make sense to make it harder for said evil people to obtain guns? A father in my area of Michigan just murdered his wife and three small children with a gun. It’s just too easy for someone who is, as you say, evil, or in a mental health crisis or WHATEVER to pick up a gun and act out whatever thing is in their messed up brain. I don’t think any of us are operating under the assumption it’s JUST a gun problem, and most of us know that it’s a complicated, multi-faceted issue to solve, but I think MOST of us agree that making it harder for people who would commit violence to get guns is probably a good start while we hopefully work on the other factors.
I’ve been a teacher in Texas for 28 years now. It’s so hard to come to school and smile for my precious children with a broken heart. I am hopeful for real change.
Thank you for your blog post – it’s a bright spot for me!
How’s Joe’s arm? I have a mental picture of you framing and re-roofing the shed on your own, which frankly is pretty entertaining.
Yes!! I had the same thought.
Or maybe Joe is helping one-handed, which is also an entertaining image.
I had a thought. Remember the fairy tale about the girl whose 12 brothers were turned into swans? She had to knit (or weave?) nettles into shirts for them without speaking a word by a certain deadline and finished all but one sleeve, so one brother kept a swan’s wing. I wonder how close to finished Joe’s gansey is and whether….oh, never mind.
In my experience, these types of projects have no progress despite working on them for hours and hours and then one day you knit one round and discover you’ve knit way too far and have to rip back.
Two days ago, I was numb. Yesterday I was enraged. Today, I am motivated. Thank you for your kindness in this time. On another note, I feel your struggle with the magically stagnant knitting. I have a shawl that’s doing the same thing.
You know, this may seem strange, but I’ll share. Knitting helped me a lot to cope with difficult moments in my life. Even as a child, my grandmother knitted a lot of things for me and taught me at the same time. And then when she died, it was knitting that helped me cope with emotional experiences. I hope you will be all right too.
Voted in a primary last week. I shall keep trying.
I also just finished a linen cardigan that was in that same time warp. I think it’s the linen. It took me catching covid and being locked in my room with it for 2 weeks to finally get it done. I don’t recommend my process.
(Snort!!) 🙂
I’m knitting my third Donner and have yarn for a fourth. I love that sweater and that I can just toss it in the washer and dryer and it just gets softer and better. Your comments on gun violence are spot on. The Republicans who are blocking any bills for background checks and automatic weapons have blood on their hands. We have to kick them OUT.
We do find that making things illegal has never stopped the mentally ill. See “Drugs”. It’s a matter of the heart and mind I’m afraid. There is serious work to be done to save our embattled children who have been dramatically damaged by the lockdowns and lack of healthy role models.
Don’t weaponize mental illness. Mental illness does not cause mass shootings; people with guns do. Remove the assault weapons and even if someone is determined to cause injury, the effects will be far less devastating.
Lisa, the logic on this one doesn’t follow. Shootings are not the result of lockdowns and a lack of healthy role models, or mental illness. Other countries struggle with all those factors and don’t have mass shootings like the US. (As a matter of fact, most of the world had longer lockdowns than the US.) The difference is firearms and their regulation.
I have a dear friend who is alive because her paranoid schizophrenic ex-husband lived in a state that did not allow him to buy a gun due to his diagnosis. He used a knife on her instead and she survived–and got the heck out of there.
The NRA has pushed for the mentally ill to be able to buy guns, any kind of guns they want in any quantity. They know what the outcome of that would be and they want it anyway. That is who they are, and the politicians who kowtow to their money are accessories to every mass-shooting crime along with them.
I live in New Zealand, I have lived in Australia – we have mental illness here too but in my countries you need a special permit to own a handgun and it can only be used at a range, and it took us two weeks to enact legislation to ban assault weapons – ditto Australia. And while we have gun violence from time to time and a comparatively high rate of gun ownership people we don’t have mass shooting – so all that regulation must be doing something.
Did you know that the shooter in Uvalde waited until he was 18 and able to legally buy a rifle and unreasonable amounts of ammunition? He asked his sister to buy one for him before he was 18 and she said no, so he just had to wait until he was legally able to buy them. And like I said further up, even if it’s due to lockdowns (despite a complete lack of data to back this up) , A LAW WOULD HAVE STOPPED THIS PERSON FROM KILLING THESE CHILDREN. A law like, hey, maybe 18 year old people whose brains are not even done developing yet shouldn’t be able to buy things like this! Yes, we understand that laws aren’t going to solve the issue entirely, but for these families who are burying their children and other family members, it would have made a pretty big difference.
Other countries had longer and stricter lockdowns — Italy and Spain, among them — and yet mass shootings seem very rare. The difference is the easy availability of guns.
You’re sweater will be gorgeous once it decides to get its act together and actually grow! Love the color!
Thank you for your caring thoughts on Tuesday’s tragedy! I like so many Americans are sick about another school shooting! I’ve protested, donated, written, signed petitions, all seemingly for naught! I’m so angry! Excuse me while I go beat my head against the wall again!
Thanks, Stephanie.
For those looking at the US from the outside, please know that we’re not all the gun-loving idiots you see on your news. Plenty of us feel just as you do. I didn’t grow up in THIS United States. Perhaps it’s time for our country to divide? I will never understand the other side, and they will never understand me.
I see what you did there with that title! You are a delight, a comfort, and a wise woman. Thank you for all of these, at a time when hope is hard to maintain in this messed up USA.
Thank you. We of the ‘Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America’ organization are standing up to our NRA-backed legislators every day. Not one more!
I’m of the same outlook as you. But I’d like to say to all the people who feel there’s nothing they can do to change the gun laws -that’s exactly what the gun lobby wants! They want you all to lie down and do nothing. You must vote carefully, and demand to have someone on the ballot who’ll stand up for change. You can demonstrate in the streets, write/email/phone your representatives. And turn off the tv when there’s the endless stream of photos of grieving people, bouquets, teddy bears, candles, reporters repeating the statistics . And the prayer vigils – all the prayers and vigils haven’t changed the laws for the better, and they won’t. Force change yourselves!!
Yeah, I’ve noticed that about plant fibers, too. You knit and knit and knit until your hands are sore, and yet what you are knitting is no bigger and the ball of perverse string is no smaller.
USA: more guns than people. May the Good Lord help us. It’s been a horrific week.
Fellow Canadian here. Thanks for this post. In terms of gun violence, Canada looks good compared to the US, but it’s really not great overall.
Contact your federal MP in support of stricter legislation: http://www.guncontrol.ca
“While Canada has a much lower rate of firearm death and injury than the USA, it has a much higher rate than the UK, Australia and Japan. We are fourth in the rate of firearm death among 22 industrialized OECD countries.”
Awww. Had a vivid dream of you last night, thought “Huh,” and came to check. Morning, petal.
Children…it’s too painful to think about.
I have been following your Euroflax journey and feel your pain since it took forever for me to finish Kat Coyle’s Linen Top and then it was still too short. The fabric of it is quite a dream though.
Yes. Not one more child! Thank you for your voice.
And that sweater looks really big. Just sayin’.
Hey. Visiting Vancouver. So lovely! Biked around Stanley park and Seawall. Enjoy the knitting!
Thanks for your kind and direct words.
Love the color of that endless yarn.
Good luck –
I’ve tried to write a comment so many times but from across the pond I didn’t feel I could but yesterday spending time with my grandchildren I couldn’t imagine sending them to school and never seeing them again, it must be heartbreaking.
I send love to all those who are trying to cope with loss and know that you are not alone.
I knitted and sent monsters to the children at Sandyhook and hoped this would never be needed again, I wish I could send every child a knitted monster to guard them and help them through this awful time.
Love to everyone, find peace with your knitting and hug those dear to you every day ❤️
Your condolences were kind to be offered but the lecture was unnecessary.
To me it was a gift, not a lecture, and one that was very much appreciated. Thank you, Stephanie.
Your thoughts on gun violence are much appreciated. Thanks for caring. Only here in the U.S. does mass shooting happen over and over and over–it’s really scary. Other countries are able to implement gun control laws.
It could be something about a summertime knit…last one I did took ages to finish!
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We adore The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess too! My older son (6) narrated a series of short stories about what happened to the robot and the princess while they were having “too many adventures to recount here.” I tucked his additions into the back of the book and they have become part of the text on our household.
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This was comforting to read in retrospective, lovely post 🙂
Tenho que agradecer-vos pelos esforços que fizeram no escrever este blog. Espero poder verificar o mesmo conteúdo de alta qualidade também no futuro.
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This transition from lighthearted knitting woes to a poignant reflection on PolyTrack current events adds depth to the personal narrative, blending humor and empathy.
It’s relatable to struggle with knitting progress, especially with plant fibers like linen. The journey often feels slower than expected, but patience pays off in the end. Just like in Snow rider , where practice and perseverance lead to mastering thrilling tricks on the slopes.
It’s interesting to hear about your experience with the Donner sweater! Knitting with linen can indeed be a slower process, but the final result is often worth the wait. Have you considered incorporating elements from the Infinite Craft game into your knitting routine? It could be a fun way to gamify your progress and keep you motivated. Plus, it might help you balance your time between knitting and other activities, like your garden project. Happy knitting!
Indeed, knitting with linen is a rewarding challenge! If you’re looking to blend creativity and fun into your routine, you might enjoy exploring Tetris online. This classic puzzle game not only helps boost your problem-solving skills but also offers a delightful break from your knitting projects. Try playing Tetris during your downtime — it’s an engaging way to refresh your mind before diving back into your Donner sweater or garden plans. Happy knitting and gaming!
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The sweater is well knitted.
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Haha, I totally get the knitting struggle! Sometimes you just need to give your project a pep talk (or a “Jolene” serenade!). When I get frustrated with crafting, I find a quick, satisfying game helps me reset. Have you ever tried Suika Game? It’s oddly addictive and a great way to de-stress before tackling that stubborn yarn again. Maybe a few rounds will inspire your sweater to cooperate! Good luck!