Tuesday, November 17, 2009

I Wish I Knew How to Quit You

I'm going to out myself here...

...I have a problem with finishing projects.

Hello, my name is Rudee, and I suffer from sweater interuptitis.

To be sure, some are mistakes that I can't rip out because either I've put too much time into them, or I'm in a deep state of denial. Take your pick of excuses, I know I do. Sometimes, I get an inkling that something isn't quite right very early on when it would be easier to rip back and start over, but for whatever dumb reason, I soldier on putting the needle into one stitch after another. By the time I face facts, the entire thing is done. Other mistakes don't reveal themselves until the end of the project and then end up hidden at the bottom of a bag or box. If it's yarn that I'm spinning, it'll languish on a bobbin until I need the bobbin, at which point, I'll skein the mistake and tell myself I'll use it for something.

Oh for goodness sake! It only needs a few more inches on one sleeve and 2 sleeve seams. It would take about 2 hours...tops.

Right now, I have 4 socks that have no mates: one pink, one blue, one green and one is Dream in Color in Chinatown Apple. One is a hard lace pattern, and the others are plain. Perhaps I should donate these singletons to a woman who has lost a foot. Seriously. I also have a half finished sweater (Juliette), because at the time I started knitting this, lace flustered me. Now I look at it and know that the entire thing needs to be ripped out and started over. Subsequently, I stuffed it in a bag at the back of the closet. Same for the ladder and gate lace shawl. And the baby blanket I began and knit halfway before deciding the yarn was all wrong for the pattern. What in the hell is wrong with me?

Weave in the ends and block me, or you'll have nobody to blame but yourself when it's 20 below zero and your head is cold! This is my second Fair Isle hat. Laurie won the first.

A few of the things that are incomplete are inexplicable. I don't know why I haven't finished them, other than to say I have no project loyalty, or quite possibly, the attention span of a gnat.

For crying out loud! Would you felt me already?

Time to finish this one? Oh, 10 minutes. Tops.

The photos I've included are not my mistakes. Soon though, we'll need an addition on the home to house them all. These photos are items that are so close to being done and have not one thing wrong with them, other than the fact that they belong to a knitter who can't seem to finish anything.

23 comments:

Jeannette StG said...

I think every knitter has those unfinished projects, and looks at it with the same thought: why in the world don't I finish this and be done with it!! So, don't be hard on yourself -just stash 'em or recycle or give to the goodwill (or any charitable organization -there will be someone who gets inspiration to do something with it!)

Brenda said...

They all look like they are coming along nicely Rudee. And all are so near completion...good for you. I can't figure out why I continue to buy yarn and fabric when I have 8,000 things I haven't completed?!?!? (And probably never will)

clairedulalune said...

All your hard work looks beautiful, you will get it done some day!

Celia said...

We need a support group. Since, I am terrible at doing test gauges, I have a sweater that I was knitting for my hubby. I got all the way up to the neck of the back side before I decided it's way too big for him. I was making a sweater for my daughter when I figured out it was too small. Both projects are sitting in my knitting basket and have not been ripped out.
I don't even want to get into how much stash yarn and fabric I have. Sheesh!

SkippyMom said...

Welcome to the quilt world where we have UFOs - I swear I have 20 quilt tops floating around ready to be done.

Yeah, right. Love the green sweater! Finish it! :)

Jane said...

AHH - the UFO problem. We all have them, Rudee and yours look better than most. (BTW - love your mannequin)

Miss T said...

I seem to be suffering from the same disease.

Jane said...

Join the club. Think most of us are the same. I love that first one, you must finish that, the colours are wonderful. (And I will get to the circular needle holder-soon!)

Stephanie V said...

Are there knitters out there who like to finish the seaming and weaving in of ends? Could we match up some of those folks? That's where I stop every time. Wait, there are those things that just aren't working, too.

Ruth said...

UFO's - resting projects - have so many when do you start to finish - I've promised myself when I've finished this one I won't start another till I've finished another - BUT IT NEVER HAPPENS cos along comes another project that just has to be started!Right NOW.
Goodluck with the UFO's

Anonymous said...

Gotcha a nice lookin' "tiger tail" goin' in that third picture!

Quiltluver said...

Appparently UFO's are not just a quilting problem. One of my fellow quilters created a UFO challenge in which anyone could sign up and pledge to finish a certain number of UFO's. She is posting our progress. I've pledged to complete 2 UFO's by the end of the year. Do knitter's have similar challenges?

Gail said...

It is not just the knitter, it is the crafter, the quilter, the seamtress...need I go on?

They are beautiful, finished or not.

Rose said...

I didn't know you had these too; it seemed like you always finished your stuff. Thanks for sharing, now I don't feel like such a knitting loser :) Speaking of which, the FM cardi is still on hiatus while I work on small Christmas gift projects. Maybe Thanksgiving weekend? Maybe Christmas break? Only time will tell.

Rose said...

And I'm with Brenda; why do I keep buying yarn? And printing patterns? And buying books? I act like I'm going to be stranded without access for a long, long time. It was the same when I used to sew. Fabric hoarding for lean times. Now it's yarn. At least it's a decorative item.. . . ?

Kathleen said...

Well, as long as we're confessin' I have gobs of beaded fragments. I'll attempt a new technique, then realize I don't like it and just abandon it. I've got a drawer where I keep those ragged unfinishees in hopes one day I'll be inspired to assemble them in to something.

A girl needs hope!

I have managed to stop buying new beads. But that's only b/c I'm collecting dogs now. =:^}

Finding Pam said...

Rudee, I am so impressed with your work finished or not, it is lovely.

Long ago when I was just a teen, my grandmother taught us how to crochet and knit. I never really could sit still long enough to finish it, but I do so appreciate the beauty and long hours it takes.

I am sure you will finish when you are ready? I on the other hand an so goal oriented that I won't stop any project until it is finished and believe me that drives me crazy. It is insane for me to stop everything for just one project. Guess you could say I am a little OCD.LOL!

Rudee said...

Misery loves company y'all. I can see I won't be alone when I go down in the knitter hall of shame. Who is bringing the beer?

Miss376--no hurry on the circular needle holder. If you look closely at the photos, you'll see all of my circs are busy holding stitches I have no intentions to complete any time soon.

sue b said...

It's fine to not finish things and to throw them out or give them away to anyone who wants to unravel and use the yarn. It's the process that's fun for me, and I don't really care about the finished product. I gave myself permission to not finish things, and clear out my craft closet just like I clear my clothes closet of things I haven't worn in a while. It's a great weight off when all those guilt-inducing "I'll get to this someday" things are gone!

NCmountainwoman said...

Perhaps you need to enlist three other knitting friends. Each of you takes a challenge to "finish three" in a given time. At the end of the time you all go out to lunch to celebrate. If someone didn't finish the three, she buys lunch for everyone or prepares it at her house.

Darci said...

You should have friends over and finish some projects together!

Sue J said...

Hi Rudee, I came via Crusty's blog. You might like Freeform knitting which seems to be finished when you say it is. I've not done any myself - not really a knitter - but love the idea.
http://www.knotjustknitting.com/
I have done knitting in the past but seem to have a problem with sewing it all together!

Rudee said...

Hi Sue,

I've never seen that site. Thanks for the link--her work is intriguing!