Friday, May 25, 2007

Where has my mojo gone?

I used to be a knitting addict. My knitting bag went with me everywhere, so much so that my sister dubbed me “the bag lady.” I knit beautiful sweaters for myself, my mom and sisters, my granddaughters, and my brother-in-law had a drawer full of my handknit socks. Knitting was my joy, my passion, my love. I haunted yarn stores and spent all my spare cash on yarn, needles, and patterns. I anxiously awaited the arrival of all the knit magazines and subscribed to them all. While watching a movie or the TV, I would blurt out “look at that gorgeous sweater!” Now, I hardly notice. What’s wrong with me? I want my mojo back!

Last year my completed objects consisted of one pair of socks (for my sockapalooza pal). How sad is that! I vowed this year would be different, and in January I had already met last year’s quota. Well, guess what! I have not completed one thing since. I have begun so many things just to get 4 or 5 inches into the project and realize I hate it. I hate knitting it, I hate the yarn, I hate the color, the size is wrong – something always annoys me.

Take for instance my monkey socks, I began to knit them with some beautiful Claudia’s Handpaint sock yarn. I love this yarn! Several inches into the pattern, I discovered the pooling. In some other pattern I may not have minded it; but in this pattern, I hated it. Rrrrrriiiiipppp!

I began knitting the socks again in Socks that Rock Footzey Foo. Much better. The pattern definitely showed up better and the yarn felt good in my hands. I knit one sock to just an inch from the toe and decided I didn’t like how they fit – they were too baggy. Rrrrrriiiiipppp!

I love Cookie’s sock patterns, and decided to try one of her new ones and let go of the monkeys for a bit. I began to knit the Gothic Spire socks with Gems Pearl in a Terracotta shade. My first attempt was with the wrong needle; my second attempt was better, but I didn’t like how my wrapped stitches were looking. I began a third time, and they were looking pretty good; however, I’m not sure I like the color. It is too orange, and I do not like orange. Rrrrrriiiiipppp!

I need a new office sweater for when the air conditioner is blasting, and loved Cara’s and Margene’s Arianns by ChicKnits. I dug out from my stash some Beaverslide yarn in a pretty blue and cast on. On my first attempt, I noticed a mistake several rows below in the lace – a hole was off by a stitch. I attempted to fix it but made a mess of it, so unraveled the thing and began again. I have knit approximately 6 inches and it is looking better, but I’m not sure I really like it. It’s now hiding in a bag behind a chair until I decide what to do with it.

My Hidcote shawl is beautiful! I was going full speed ahead on it and have completed the first section of pattern and should be starting the next section. You would think this would excite me enough to get working on it again, but eh! I don’t want to.

I signed up for Sockapalooza 4 because I love to receive something handknit from someone else, and I need some motivation to urge me to knit something. I have been scouring the internet for inspiration but so far, eh!

What is wrong with me? What do you do when in a knitting slump? What inspires you? Is there a counseling group? I want my mojo back!!

posted by Kristy @ 11:43 AM Comments: 3