Red light green light
Friday June 04th 2010, 11:41 pm
Filed under: Knit

Looking at the project I haven’t worked on today, and the one over there that got stopped and put aside for such a good, temporary reason (I promised myself), and the one I wish I could get going on over there, it hit me–I have startitis.

I never have startitis anymore.  As a point of pride.  One thing about writing a lace shawls knitting book and knitting every shawl multiple times before publication to check again and again that there were no errors to be inflicted on the innocent means that there was just no time nor room for startitis. None.  You start a project, you plow through it till it’s done and then you can go do the next one, and if it’s a project that’s not going to get done it’s not ever and it’s over.

And then there’s right now.  So many cool ideas want to jump onto the page and the needles all at once, to the point that they’re all getting in each other’s way.  Because–and this is the biggest thing, always was, always will be–I also have so many people that I want to knit for, so many good reasons to do so, and a stitch for you and a stitch for you and a stitch for you and a stitch for you gets nobody clothed.  Come to think of it, there are precious few people on this planet that don’t deserve something handknit with love just for them.

This is the point where I toss my yarn in God’s general direction and say, heck, I can’t figure it out.  You know the territory more than I do and I need a traffic signal at this intersection.

As for tonight, He laughs and says, It doesn’t matter whether it’s a green light or a red if you don’t turn the car on, dear.

(edited to add: I wrote the above, went well okay, then, and sat down with my baby alpaca scarf, just a little thing, and made some good progress after all. Is it the most perfect thing to work on right now? I don’t know. But it felt wonderful to get at it, it’ll finish quickly, and having something completed and available and DONE for whatever moment for whomever, ready to go–yes. Sometimes I need semi-instant gratification like that.)


9 Comments so far
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I think that’s what I need too… a little win in terms of a knitted FO. It’s nice to hear that even more prolific knitters suffer the same problems.

Comment by Channon 06.05.10 @ 4:24 am

Remember that just as soon as you finish one project, you will get antsy to start another one.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 06.05.10 @ 6:05 am

I always enjoy the knitting more when it tells me it is time to knit on that piece. Startitis is definitely a problem, but I do love hearing all the little voices.

Comment by twinsetellen 06.05.10 @ 9:07 am

Startitis — Yeah, I’ve heard of that. If I have several (or even just two) things that need to be done, and I get that dread disease, I say to myself, quietly, PICK ONE!!! That usually works.

Humor –

What happens when you cross a lollipop with a rabbit?
A sucker’s born every minute.

Comment by Don Meyer 06.05.10 @ 10:07 am

I hear you! I am crocheting my newest pattern, not out yet, a small summer scarf. I want it done badly before leaping into the larger projects, but I keep having foggy brain days. But I work a few rows on it every day, and there is progress. I am almost half done now! If I have two good days in a row, I think I can finish!

Comment by Diana Troldahl 06.05.10 @ 1:38 pm

You have a knack for always taking a step in what turns out to be the right direction after all. I’m sure you’re knitting on just the right thing at any given moment.

Comment by Marlene 06.06.10 @ 9:54 pm

I guess your yarn and patterns need to be disciplined a bit huh?

I suppose it’s not easy putting any of it in time-out when the causes are so good and love flows… 😉

Comment by Suzanne in Montreal 06.07.10 @ 5:33 am

Startitis is good for the soul. It means you are inspired and enjoying the knittng. And that you are happy in life. I can tell when I am tressed cause I don’t want to knit. Or read. Or…anythng really. It’s a sign to figure out what the problem is. So, startitis is GOOD.

Comment by Carol 06.07.10 @ 10:41 am

I tell the kids who knit with me, that looking at knitting does not make stitches; thinking about knitting does not make stitches. Then sometimes I have to give myself the same advice.

I have a hard time with deciding, unless I have a date associated with a project. And the date, unfortunately, means much more when it comes from someone other than me. A drag.

Just finished one with a date, working on another with a date of tonight, midnight. Ack! I want my non-knitting life back.

Hugs from beautiful, green Michigan.

Comment by LynnH 06.08.10 @ 10:20 am



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