~Raise you hand if you’re too embarrassed to truthfully tell people how many wip’s you have on needles. Thought so, both of my hands are raised. I know sister Barb has some, but I really can’t tell her how many I have – my dirty, little secret. So, sister Barb has given herself a mission and that is: she can’t start any other BIG project until she finishes a big project. I mentioned this a few days ago. Big projects are like sweaters, shawls, vests, etc. Little projects fall into the hats, gloves, and scarves categories. My problem is, except for shawls, I tend to stick to little projects. Every time I walk into a yarn shop or look at knitting blogs online I become enamored by the patterns, yarn, colors, etc and just have to try something new. I think I should officially call my syndrome “Knitters Attention Deficit Disorder” or KADD. If there were medals for oldest wip, I probably win the gold. I started this afghan when I was sick with pneumonia my senior year of high school. I fell in love with the pattern in Good Housekeeping magazine. It think it was the “holes” that did it. My sweet mom bought the yarn and needles for me. When was that you ask? Back in 1966! And, yes mom I still have 4 more balls of yarn to knit. This wip has followed me thorough 9 moves! Unfortunately, the pattern was lost long ago. There were two rows, I just remember it was something like K3, *K12, (yo, k)3x* repeat * across row end k3. The next row was k3, *k6, (yo, k)3x* repeat * across row end k3. Knit until you get tired then quit! I have added to it off and on for years. Maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll finish it and put and end to the saga.
There actually is another knitter’s syndrome called “Finisher’s Attention Disorder Deficit” or FADD. It apples to all of us who don’t like to weave in ends, block, sew parts together, etc. Sad to say I have that disorder too! Count my mother-in-law in the ranks with that disorder. After her death, my sister-in-law Les gave my m-i-l’s two unfinished knitting projects to me. Geri had taken the projects off of the needles, she just hadn’t done the finishing touches. Les said since I knit and she doesn’t I could have them. I’m glad! One project was slippers. Luckily, there was still enough yarn left so I was able to sew the parts together. I gave them to my granddaughter, Maddie. They fit so beautifully and she was excited to get them.
The second project was an afghan. There were a bazillion ends to weave in. It was a knit-across-the-row, cut-the-yarn, add-a-new-yarn-the-next-row type of pattern. I have been weaving in all of the ends, I just have a small portion left. I’m giving the afghan to my son Michael because those two had special parts in their hearts for each other. I’m going to surprise him with the afghan. It is the most boring job EVER but I’m doing it as a labor of love. It really is quite a striking pattern. She began it in the 1970’s, but I don’t know when the actual project was taken off of the needles. And yes, I have been weaving in the ends off-and-on for over a year.
I can’t blame these syndromes on my mom (dang it) because she never left projects on the needles and she always finished her projects so nicely. What both Barb and I inherited from mom, who in turn got the gene from grandma, is our collection gene. We both have fairly hefty collections of yarn and fabric! Ala mom! But that is a different story.
I have made a promise to use sister Barb as a role model and try to finish some projects. Please, where is Knitter’s Anonymous (KA) when you need it? I did finish the Maja Shawl last week. I’m on a roll!
Thanks for stopping by. Now go have a crafty day.
Curls and Q 