Thursday, September 30, 2010

Musings

I mentioned last week that I've been going through some of my old posts lately, and it's been a hoot, like going through old family photo albums, only narrated. Looking through 3 years worth of old yarn pr0n pictures, enthusiastic cast-ons, and countless knit-fantasies has made me realize that knitting - and writing about it - has been a very important source of joy in my life. So thanks for reading. I promise I'll keep knitting and writing about it :)

That's not to say that I've ONLY felt these warm, touchy-feely feelings about my knitting while going through the archives. Nope, many things have popped into my head as I've been going down virtual memory lane, such as:

I'm about as fickle as a (insert your colourful metaphor of choice here - after staring at the screen for 5 minutes, I've given up): Reading about how over-the-moon smitten I am with projects that ultimately wound up hibernating (and in some cases, frogged), I can't help but shake my head and chuckle at my over-the-top enthusiasm about certain projects. I'm not like that now though... No, I'm totally commited to every project I buy a pattern or yarn for (SHUT IT).

I plan too far ahead: this isn't really a shocker to me, I've known this for years. If I see a pattern and/or yarn that hits my "Go" button, I'm completely obsessed, think of nothing else, and by the time everything arrives in my mailbox, I've got all my ducks lined up in a row...? I'm sorta done. The actual casting on often doesn't live up to the hype of the dreaming about the casting on. Hmmm, this one's kind of linked to the fickle bit...

I have a LOT of yarn: now, grown-up knitters might say my stash really isn't a big deal. Or if they DID think it was *cough* bordering-on-insane *cough*, they've reached enlightenment when it comes to the natural evolution of the stash, and can accept it for what it is without all the guilt-trip drama. Rationally, I know that these are the tools of my art, and as long as I'm not hurting anyone or taking food out of my kids' mouths or clothes off their backs (or my own for that matter), I should be able to rejoice in the stash. Sadly, I'm not quite there yet. I still have the guilt.

I'm addicted to knitting books: I'm compelled to buy them, I'm deeply smitten by them. Do I actually ever - oh, I don't know - KNIT from them? Not so much. They live happy lives on my bookshelf, and that's good enough for now.

So yeah... I think I might be onto something with this whole "Tara likes to Knit" thing. Go figure.

Happy knitting everyone!

p.s. : the last 2 realizations are all the more ironic in that I bought yarn AND knitting books yesterday... *Sigh*

4 comments:

Sinéad said...

You do know you're not alone, right? I think it's inbred in knitters DNA to lust after yarn, projects, books etc and have to have them NOW. Just browse Ravelry for stash sizes & you'll see. Whenever I feel the stash guilt I sometimes do that & feel much better about my measly little wardrobe full :)
And anyway, if we didn't have that passion for our craft, why would we bother doing it?

Knit and Purl Mama said...

You are 200% not alone. My yarn stash & my knitting book collection are way out of control. I probably have more yarn in my stash than I could ever knit in a lifetime.

Can't wait for lunch tomorrow! See you then!

Maryse said...

I never would've thought that knitting could be such a great and fulfilling hobby! At least, you're not alone in that ;-) Happy knitting (and buying) to you too!

Laurie said...

I think we were separated at birth. LOL!