Finish Knitting Something...

You don't have to feel bad if you are the sort of knitter who doesn't finish a lot of stuff. Many of us are in it for the process rather than the product, and this has only to do with personality differences, rather than moral superiority. Sure, it's hard to remember that when other knitters sit smirking in their new sweaters and you are starting your 57th first sock of a pair, but keep this in mind: It's called "knitting", not "sweater-making".

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee noted in her 2009 Calendar quoted above, that many knitters are the sort who don't finish a lot of projects. While others actually complete a pair of socks, some of us tend to start several pairs and a new sweater at the same time. As Steph reminds us: it's called "knitting", not "sweater/sock making". Whoa! Has she been looking in all my knitting bags? That comment spoke to me in every way possible! The old "process vs. product" discussion and you can guess on which side I fall. I am a great "starter" of projects... the queen of starters... I have a bad case of "startitis". I start things really, really well. Finishing? Not so much. What I know is that I have approximately 7 unfinished projects on the needles and that's a lot. Too many, in fact. It was a shocking day in January when I decided to go through my stash for an update and found 7 projects in the queue... 7 projects that I love but apparently got distracted. It is a common syndrome. You start that darling baby sweater in the new Cabin Fever cotton/acrylic blend that is simply fabulous and you are a happy knitter. It is zipping right along. Then the distraction... you are chatting with a friend (imagine that) about Brooklyn Tweed's to die for scarf using Noro and striping beautifully with a simple K1, P1 stitch pattern. OK, let's just start this and use it for my "travel knitting". Then there are 2, count 'em, 2 socks on the needles, one with a mate, one without. That's fine... I can use them for my "waiting at the doctor's office" knitting. Did I mention the scarf for my sister-in-law and the scarf for my daughter? Oh, not to mention the Creston vest, which is moving along with glacier like speed. Thank heavens for the knit along group to prod me towards completion. You can see my predicament clearly... lots of process, not too many products. It's a new year and high time for a new mantra... Finish Something! Last year I was a fearless knitter and jumped at every new idea and yarn. This year, for the love of all that is alpaca, I must FINISH SOMETHING. Don't tempt me with your fancy ideas of a shawl. Do not mention a new sock yarn in the shop that I must try. Don't shove a new pattern under my nose and exclaim that it is the best written pattern ever. I won't be swayed. I am knitter: hear me scream... "I just finished a second sock!" --Suzanne P.S. I will be attending the Finish It weekend party, April 3 and 4 and would love to chat with all of you knitters and crocheters who also suffer from the common condition, "startitis". We will have medical personnel on hand as well as our fabulous teachers for this party with a purpose. Hope to see you all there. Please don't look in my bag. I might find another treasured projected that I dust off and add to the group.