I have been fighting the world’s worst case of startitis for a couple of weeks now. At least a couple of times a day I find myself wandering over to the ball winder and swift, sometimes even with yarn in my hands. I’ll think to myself that all of my problems would be solved if I just cast on a new project… a fun project, a fast project, a project that’s going to be different than all my other projects and then I’ll suddenly snap to my senses and plunk the yarn down on the piano near the swift and exercise every ounce of self discipline I’ve managed to grow in my life and walk away. (There is getting to be quite a pile there now.) The canopy of the stash – that uppermost layer that is made up of recently bought yarn or yarn that’s surfaced from the depths because I think I’m going to use it soon… that layer is no longer just the icing on a yarn pile or the garnish on a shelf of stuff. I’ve rootled through it like a wild pig hunting truffles so many times looking for the exact yarn for the perfect project so many times that it’s like someone took a giant shaker full of yarn and sprinkled it round the place. It is yarn chaos.
There are two skeins of yarn on my desk, waiting to be a Ranunculus because I saw the one that Ann knit in a yarn that I just happened to have the yarn for, plus Ann said it was fast and I thought “Oh I bet it is” and the next thing you know I’ve got the yarn in my hands and I’m drifting to the winder again. The next day someone complimented a yellow top that I made a while back and I remembered I had some grey (and blue) and could make another one (or two) of those. That yarn’s on the piano. (The blue is in a basket by the tv.) There’s sock yarn everywhere, stationed around the house like I’m throwing a party and they’re the canapes. There’s a sweater’s worth in a bag by the back door. Yay verily I have even ordered more yarn in a desperate attempt to scratch the itch, and as I type there’s a rainbow themed project sitting right beside my laptop and I was just telling myself that it would be stupid not to start (and finish) that right now because it is Pride, after all. If not now, when?
Now, normally I don’t fight back this much. The urge comes over me to start something new and I go with it. It’s not a moral victory to control that urge, it’s not like I believe that good people are monogamous knitters and bad people are… me. Knitting is my passion and it makes me happy and if I can’t indulge in it whenever and however I want then what’s the point? It’s supposed to be fun. Cast on whatever you want. Do it. Do it now. So.. why am I resisting?
Meet the two projects I’ve promised myself that I’ll finish before I start anything new. This here? That’s Elliot’s Birthday sweater. Yeah, yeah his birthday is in early April. Usually if i wasn’t feeling a project I’d set it aside, come back to it later – but Elliot’s asked after this sweater, sweetly inquiring if I’d finished it yet and that sort of affection for knitwear should be rewarded. We’re trying to build a certain kind of person, one with a respect for the textile arts and if the kid wants a sweater, I believe that the grandmother code dictates that I have to knit one – and before he outgrows it while it’s still on the needles.
The thing is… I hate it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the yarn (Double Sunday) and it’s a hoodie with a dragon on it so I really dig the idea of the finished sweater too, but I am so not grooving on the intarsia that it’s been sitting in a bag forever. When I started it was like it always is with a new love and everything that is intolerable now was charming then. The pattern’s only in french? J’adore. Fantastique. I’ve been meaning to practice anyway. Who needs Duolingo when you can knit in french? There will be a million ends? No problem, why else am I on earth but for that? Time wore on, the back flew and then the dragon got me. I started setting it aside for longer and longer periods and the more I did that the more complicated it seemed to pick it back up and spend three minutes figuring out where I was. Anyway- last week Elliot asked if I was almost done and the guilt washed over me like a wave. (Especially since I’ve just finished a sweater for me.) I’m done the front and back, I just have to visit Sleeve Island and wander the wastes of Hood Holm.
It’s better than dealing with this – the argyle socks that were supposed to be my May SISC pair have made little progress. (See the way I blame them there? Like they’re the ones who don’t have it together?) These were started promptly after the dragon sweater even though I had already started to remember that I don’t love intarsia, never mind intarsia in the round which is a complete pain in the arse. I’ve restarted these three times and I’m not any happier with them. I know now it’s that I’m using the wrong yarn – this is a vintage Shibui sock yarn from … oh, 20 years ago? At the time of the purchase I remember wondering sort of absently if I’d like a superwash 2-ply for socks and it turns out that suspicion was valid. I don’t like it at all, but I feel like I’ve made a commitment to these socks. I’d like to say that I’m no quitter but I sort of am, especially when it’s something as unimportant as whether or not I finish a pair of socks but somehow I’ve decided that this is a hill I’ll die on. Not only are they not finished, I’ve let them derail my June socks as well, since I was supposed start those when these were finished and well. You see where we are. I blame the yarn and the knowledge that this is what happens when you’re not true to yourself. I knew how I feel about superwash 2-ply for colourwork. I (mostly) remembered how I feel about intarsia. I dwell now in the land of regret, but I’m going to dig myself out. Soon. Right now I’m leaving now to go ride my bike 100km (I am behind on training for the Bike Rally) and I’ll write about Team Knit in the next few days (I am behind on that too.) If you were contemplating a donation today would be a great day for that.
Start-itis seems to be on trend these days. I have socks, mittens, a shawl, a beanie, and a blanket on the needles, all begun early June. And I so want to start a scarf, and another pair of socks. I am primarily an embroiderer and involved in a name tag, a needle book, three crazy quilts, and a long sampler. The name tag just needs a backing, and the socks are at the toe up cuff stage.
You are in good company. Thanks for the post so I don’t feel all alone!
Let’s put it this way: How many WIP are there? Have you started the July SISC socks yet? You need finish-itis, not start-itis!
You MUST finish the sweater for sweet Elliott. But abandon the socks. Life is too short for knitting things we don’t love (if it’s not for Elliott).
I want to knit that Ranunculus, too. It’s Ann’s fault.
I personally find there’s something about this time of year (too much like? the ding dang heat?) that makes all the knitting projects The Wrong Projects.
BUT: thank you, now I have an excellent knitting pattern to practice some French.
too much LIGHT, what the heck, fingers
Finding this entry made me so happy! We have a new yarn store in Central Texas with special July sessions on WIPs. Maybe, just maybe, that will be the ticket to get the second sock and second sleeve done!
Intarsia. Boo!!!
Honey ditch the intarsia socks. Start another pair for May, that’s your start it is and then get back on track for June and July. You’ll feel so much lighter and happier. As you said knitting is your passion. Bury the socks in the garden somewhere and enjoy finishing Elliotts sweater.
You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?
You’re going to ask about the gansey?
What a treat to visit and see this entry! Maybe indulge in one of the rainbow projects and have that to reenergize from endless ends? Sounds like you’d like to stop these socks, and it’s okay to listen to that. You can do whatever you want!
Rah! Rah! Sis boom bah! Go!
Didn’t help did it?
Oh man, startitis is so real! I swore I would finish something before I dug into the allover slipover that I started designing in Shetland last month. But this @!#$ “easy” lace shawl is kicking my butt, can’t figure out where I go wrong on this one section, really I do know how to count, have started it 3 times…and it’s supposed to be my relaxing knit when the others are hard. All I want to do is throw it in a corner forever, start a new stranded hat or maybe that gorgeous linen for a summer top…it can’t hurt to just wind some yarn, can it?
“I’ve rootled through it like a wild pig hunting truffles”
hahahahahahaha!
Though you are on to the sleeves now, in the future, duplicate stitch would be the answer to the intarsia issue for the dragon. And yes, any boy asking for a sweater should get one, though it seems like it will be hot for him to wear it right away.
I find that when a WIP turns a certain age, it starts to wigh far more on the needles than it used to! The good news is that finishing either of these will be such a weight off that the other will feel light in comparison. The bad news is that until then, lifting the needles feels like breathing cement. Perhaps a little rainbow project will help you keep your strength up!
The chorus is echoing throughout the land…
Finish Elliot’s sweater.
You make me feel so much better.
peace out.
Maybe blogging it out will help clear the logjam! If so, win-win for all of us readers. Good luck with your ride!
Thanks so much for the post. It brightens my day.
As others have said, toss the socks. Just as there is no moral victory in resisting startitis, neither do you win anything for finishing a hated project. The sweater, yes, do it for Elliot but give yourself a break on the socks.
I do feel for you but I have to admit I’m one of the 3 people in the world that likes intarsia.
Buying yarn and using yarn are two separate hobbies
Frogging is so satisfying.
Now I feel like I am not a proper knitter because I only knit one project at a time.
If you’re done with the front and back, does that mean you’re done with the intarsia? Even if you’re not, forget any intarsia on the sleeves and hood and power that thing out in plain stockinette for dear Elliot. I know you can do it!
As for the socks … I hate to tell you, but it’s now July so you are way behind on your SISC. Either abandon them entirely or do a penitential couple of rows a day for the rest of the year just to get ’em done, and move on right now to happier knitting.
I get startitis really bad when I have something(s) on my needles that I really am not happy knitting. Could that be your issue, too?
PS SO SO glad to see a blog post. Since you didn’t do Canada Day, I will just say that I much prefer your PM to our POTUS right now. Go, Canada!
I also came looking for the Canada Day post! (and I have been very slowly knitting the same pair of socks for close to a year now. Sometimes, it happens.)
I’m with you on intarsia. Many moons ago I knit not one but *two* elaborate intarsia-infused sweaters for fund-raisers. And a pullover for my then-teen daughter (now age 45) that had cat faces on the front and tails weaving up the back. The last intarsia torture test I made was a pair of kilt hose in the colours of the fellow’s family tartan. I was well paid for that but — nope. Never again. Not even if I had a cute grandkid who wanted it. Sorry, eh?
I am impressed by your writing abilities. I reviewed each of your articles; they were quite captivating.
You’ve got off lightly – my grandson has requested a jumper with rugby goal posts on the front and a rugby ball and people playing rugby on the back for his 7th birthday.
Last year his brother wanted a cardigan with Tour de France jerseys and bikes on it….
I love them very much and am thrilled that they want to wear my knitting, but…
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Reading another delightful update on Yarn Harlot brings so much warmth and laughter to the crafting community! Perfecting intricate knitting patterns and managing creative life takes genuine dedication, far beyond taking quick breaks to play casual Easy Games during personal downtime. Thanks to Stephanie for sharing another hilarious story!
This is a fun and relatable look at the struggle between starting exciting new projects and finishing the ones already on the needles. Besides, you can take a look at bad time simulator
The way you described “startitis” is so relatable! There’s always something exciting about starting a fresh creative project, especially when you have so many ideas waiting to be explored. I love seeing how creativity can take different forms, from knitting unique patterns to experimenting with Brat-inspired text design for fun digital projects. I hope Elliot’s dragon sweater makes it across the finish line soon!
I get the startitis thing, it happens to me too. The dragon hoodie for Elliot sounds like a lot of work, especially with the intarsia. I probably would have set it aside by now. The argyle socks with the old Shibui yarn sound frustrating. Good luck getting through both projects. VizVero