Is there a pattern or skill that you don’t yet feel ready to tackle but which you hope to (or think you can only dream of) tackling in the future, near or distant? Is there a skill or project that makes your mind boggle at the sheer time, dedication and mastery of the craft?
Well, there's nothing that I don't feel I'm ready to tackle, but there are a few things that I don't particularly want to tackle now, although I'd like to try 'em in the future. Does that sentence make any sense at all? For example, Fair Isle/Stranded Knitting. If someone said "I'll give you $200 if you knit me a Fair Isle headband," I'd be all over it. I know that physically I can do it. But is it something I particularly want to do? Eh, I could go either way. I actually do have a FI headband picked out that I'd like to make (this one), and I think I even know which yarn I want to use (yay stash diving!), but do I really want to extend that much brainpower on knitting? Not right now.
For posterity, a list of skills I'd like to learn/things I'd like to accomplish, knitting-wise, at some point in the future:
*Fair Isle/Stranded Knitting
*Large scale Intarsia (I've only done small scale before)
*Finish a sweater for myself!
*Complicated lace shawl made out of laceweight yarn (e.g. the Swallowtail)
Seeing as how I'm entering into my dissertation writing year (that is freaking scary just to write, FYI), I don't see myself picking up a lot of new knitting skills any time soon, but who knows!
Go for the lace! If you pick a pattern with a simple repeat that's easy to read on the needles, lace really isn't that hard. "True" lace that is patterned on every side (ie, no purl back row) is when it gets really tough. But Swallowtail and several other patterns are simple enough that you can do them while watching some TV or carrying on a conversation.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand your reluctance to tackle the really big projects. I know you could do any of those you put your mind/skills to, but it's great to keep your knitting enjoyable and relatively easier while work/academia is super stressful! ^_^
ReplyDelete@Gena - I didn't realize Swallowtail was purl back. That's nice! I've got some gorgeous laceweight yarn my professor's wife gave me...it would be good to use it before I move away, haha. I really want to make Amy Pond's red scarf from mid-way through Series 5, but it is lace on every row, and my brain said no way. The one later on in the series is more like a horseshoe cable...much more manageable!
ReplyDelete@Manda - You're too sweet! =)
I can well imagine not wanting to tackle anything major right now, given the year you're going into. I have no doubts that you could do it, though
ReplyDeleteThank you for the vote of confidence, Nae! =)
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