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April 14, 2007
confession
Actually what I write today is knittery issue: relation of yarn and stash.
When I knitted CactusFlower sweater last winter, there are two things I don't like: circular knitted, and the substituted yarn. Finally now I admit I was beaten about this sweater...I cannot anymore knit this, even I finished the whole body and one sleeve. It is just too irritating to knit it...and for the designer's honor's sake, I want to say clearly that it is NOT AT ALL the pattern's fault. Even now I dream one day I could knit again this sweater with delicate silky mohair cowl. I sadly reached at the point where I could not bear anymore: I hate so much the yarn(the pattern calls Kid silk haze and Summer Tweed togather throughout, and I substituted summer tweed to another crappy yarn).
For the same reason, I cannot make pair for Roza's socks. The yarn was my first experiment yarn for dyeing and it EVEN contains some cashmere, but it hurts my fingers! It is itchy yarn and I though completed the first sock, now I cannot anymore bear to knit with the yarn.
Another example: currently, I am knitting very plain stockinette socks with handpainted yarn from quite famous handdyer, and I like the color's gentle appearance, her creation, but I just don't like the yarn's feeling...it is normal superwash wool. Not at all bad quality.
So far seriously I am in trouble...does my yarn requirement go up unbearbly outrageously unreachably high?? How could I be so judgmental and arrogant? It really annoying me, but it is true, it looks I became quite fussy about yarn...
The real problem is, if once I pick up "wrong" yarn for a project, I can never ever complete my project. You know what I mean...the life is short, we don't want waste our time, we should use what we love the most anytime.
But can you? I mean, can you use the most precious stuff for you always?
I can't.
I confess now that I posess so-much stashy self, I guess...desparately. I stash my most precious stuffs. I'm not brave enough to consume it, quite regularly. As a result, I use always something kind of "second" for me (the mentioned handdyed sock yarn isn't second for me, though) and sometimes it works out, sometimes not, and recently quite often it doesn't work.
It makes me think maybe I am not knitter, simply I am a yarn obsessed dark stasher/collector...if I am just happy to get them and stash it without knitting.
Please let me know how you handle that kind of self? Or, maybe it never occured to you ever?
Under this depressing situation, my arangansey is very slowly progressing.
I like the yarn. Jo sharp's Silkroad Aran Tweed.
Posted by trico at April 14, 2007 01:51 AM
????
No, I don't think your standards are "unbearably outrageously unreachably high," I think your tactile sense is stronger than average. Some people are driven to knit with certain colors, or can't resist good variegated combinations, and it sounds as if, for you, an essential part of the pleasure is FEELING the yarn pass through your fingers. Nothing wrong with that, and as you become more aware of your preferences, you'll continue to be more successful in selecting the yarns that are right for YOU.
Saving up the really precious yarns is something I do too, partly because I'm not sure if my skill is worthy of the yarn, and partly I'm waiting and hunting for the perfect project. You say you're "not brave enough to consume it," but at the same time you know that "life is short...we should use what we love the most." Probably a lot of people feel that conflict.
How do you think this would this work: buy one batch of yarn that is so absolutely luxurious, expensive, and gorgeous that you can barely imagine yourself knitting with it. You tremble at the thought! Maybe that would make the other yarns in your stash look less intimidating by comparison, and you could start to work on them with more confidence.
A lot of the time, I too am a "yarn obsessed dark stasher/collector." And we're not alone! You are definitely a normal knitter, and a very productive and talented one at that.
Posted by: Judy M at April 25, 2007 08:11 PM