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August 03, 2005

Fear of Finishing

Knitting

(The New York entry will be coming, I promise. It's just rather long and labor-instensive and I'm tired. And besides, I felt like writing this tonight instead.)

I knit a lot. Not as much as many bloggers, perhaps, but still. A lot. And the amount has been increasing, I believe. But there's something odd going on. Even as I'm knitting more, I'm not coming up with any more finished projects. What's going on?

Basically, the problem is this: I seem to be afraid of finishing things. I also think there are two aspects to this. On the more obvious level, it's the actual finishing process itself. I've gotten better at seams, but they're still far from my favorite thing in the world. And blocking? I've never done it. It terrifies me. I finally have some space, though, so I'm willing to learn. Basically, I think I could get past the technical issues if I could get past the pyschological ones.

I've realized that I've somehow gotten it into my head that I should make projects last as long as possible. I think this is a holdover from when I first really got into knitting, in college. For the first few years, I had little money and no regular transportation to yarn sources. This meant that I tried to make sure projects stretched out long enough so that I wouldn't run out before I could buy more yarn. And I think, on some level, the feeling stuck.

Even now, I find myself thinking things like "I'd better slow down so I don't finish this too soon." Ummm, what? I have way too many projects started. I have tons of yarn waiting to be knitted. I have (mostly) reliable transportation and enough money to buy yarn more or less whenever I want. (Within moderation, of course.) I clearly have no reason to want to prolong projects, and every reason to want to finish them.

So. Now that I've realized all this, will I be able to do anything about it? I'm certainly going to try. And Alison says fall is for finishing, so maybe there's hope.

Posted by Kat at August 3, 2005 06:32 PM
Comments

I'm glad i'm not the only one!!! I have all the sweater pieces. DONE. but blocking scares the heck outta me. I've never done it before, you know. And all I have to do is use the iron to steam it after I do the shoulders & then after I do the side seams/sleeves. I can do that. . . I think.

Posted by: aisling at August 3, 2005 10:07 PM

Kat! Bring your pieces to the spinning meeting and I will bring my blocking paraphernalia and we will get you over your fear! It's all in having the right tools and knowledge. You'll see!

Posted by: Judy at August 4, 2005 07:25 AM

I'm a horrible finisher too. It's not fear, I think it's because I don't have the patience for it. I have the patience for knitting, but to pin something out, block it, seam it and be particular and exacting about it? Not my thing. I want instant gratification. Anyone have a magic wand (or knitting needle) that I can wave over the pieces of a project to make them finish themselves? I haven't even woven in the two ends from a pair of socks I made. Pathetic.

Posted by: Kat (the one in Boston) at August 4, 2005 01:18 PM

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