Knitter's block

When I was looking for my Amaryllis photo from last December, I came across a photo of what I was knitting for Christmas. And that just brought it home to me that I am suffering from a full- fledged case of knitter's block.

I used to own a yarn store, years ago, and I should know what knitter's block is but, more importantly, I should know how to avoid it.

Last fall, on vacation at the ocean, I started a pair of fingerless gloves for my daughter. Well, actually, she was supposed to knit them but she found that knitting with double-pointed needles to be counterproductive to rest and relaxation. So, with yarn, needles, time and a purpose- I set out to make a pattern for the gloves. I loved the results- and so did she- and so I made more pairs. One for my son who wore his before I could sew in the ends and another pair for Kate. The gloves took just a small bit of yarn- less than a ball- and knit up quickly. The problem? I haven't gotten around to sewing in the ends yet. Unless someone wanted to take a pair with them- they went into a pile. And there they sit (11 pair!). (I would take a photo of the pile but my camera has been tucked into a purse and taken to Portland for the weekend.)

Another project sits waiting- this time to have the edges picked up for button bands and a collar. But, I think that the outdoor sweater is too big for me and since I didn't knit a swatch- I don't know for sure. The black and white yarn is fairly stiff and heavy and doesn't want to drape very well. But, the yarn also carries an emotional weight for me. I used it to knit one of my first projects- a sweater for my brother that he wore for a couple of years before he died. I took the sweater home and rolled the yarn back into balls. I wanted to knit a sweater from it that I could use as a jacket- maybe lined and with a zipper. I've found that even a bulky wool sweater doesn't keep you warm if there is a wind, so I've been thinking about linings.

Part of knitter's block is feeling that you can't start something new when you have unfinished projects. And, you don't want to finish the projects for all kinds of reasons- the wrong fit, the wrong use of the yarn or mistakes in the knitting that you hope to forget. Or, you put off doing a small task, like sewing in ends, until you have the right kind of time and light- which never seems to come.

Often, I think that it's best to listen to your heart. Try to figure out what's wrong, take the knitting apart and try again. That's what I'll do with my brother's yarn and this time, I'll knit a proper swatch and make a proper pattern. The stack of fingerless gloves I'll tackle today while I watch a video. I promise.

What's good about knitter's block is that one of the best cures is to go to a yarn store and fall in love with a yarn. And after doing up your swatch, just start knitting.