Feeling brave today

GrumpyGramma · 11-06-2011, 06:02 PM

Dogs that need sweaters! My DD's family has 2 chihuahuas and they need sweaters. I decided to try to knit one today...without a pattern.... and I'm a new knitter. Anyhow, I got to wondering what other people did/do when feeling brave.

MrsPilgrim · 11-07-2011, 12:12 AM

Well its not knitting GG but its still damn scary to contemplate. The first is bookkeeping and tax, I do both of them myself and always leave the lot of it til the cut off date (3mths after the end of the financial year). I just finished that about a week ago but the panic leading up to it was enough to keep me up at night. Still, by the time I was done, like every year, I was saying to myself, "That wasnt so bad."

Today, and over the next few days I have to tackle another task requiring bravery, a huge toss out. Between 2002 and 2006 my parter and I had a number of relatives pass away, my mother, my stepfather, my sons father, my partners two grandmothers and his father. We were left a number of things in their passing, at one point we had 3 vaccume cleaners, 2 washing machines, 2 microwave, 3 sets of couches, 3 double beds, the list goes on, now we have to get rid of the other bits and pieces

To top it off my oldest son is now out on his own and my younger son has gone to live with his father fulltime.

So to cut a long story we have a lot of crap. You know how some houses have a room full of s#*t, well we have 3 rooms full of s#*t, drawers full of s#*t, cupboards full of s#*t and lived in rooms full of s#*t. Once a year our council has a hard rubbish removal day where they pick large items we cant fit in our bins. This year Im going through all of my rooms, giving what I can to charity and the rest to council. Our period of grief is over so I have run out of excuses. My motivator is one room will become a guest room for when my father visits and another room can be converted to a hobby room or home office, Im thinking about finding some work to do from home. So here I am sitting here chatting with you my dear finding yet another excuse to procratinate, but will soon be off my butt and takling this mammoth task one room at a time.

...........next week is the filing cabinet

GrumpyGramma · 11-07-2011, 12:45 AM

I'm so very sorry for all your losses. That is way to much to have to go through like that. I hope that getting rid of some of the stuff will end up helping you feel better.

I need to clean out some overabundance of stuff myself. I do not, repeat do not, procrastinate. How do I manage that? Easy. I put "PROCRASTINATE" on my to-do list, which of course I never get around to.

My doggy sweater looks like it just might work out.

MrsPilgrim · 11-07-2011, 01:44 AM

Originally Posted by GrumpyGramma

I do not, repeat do not, procrastinate. How do I manage that? Easy. I put "PROCRASTINATE" on my to-do list, which of course I never get around to.

Well I have to admit my faith in the Lord has brought me though that and then some GG, for the first time in my life there is no crises, Im not drama queen by any stretch, but sadly those deaths were mere bumps along a very mountainous and rocky road. But I wouldnt change one moment of the downs I've been through, they have taught me so much and I have learned to be greatful for the trials I have had. The real beauty of it all, if a small bit of good occurs on my walk Im overjoyed and thankful, its sounds clique but I really mean it when I say I love the simple things life offers and seek no more. Put me in a tin shack with clothes to warm me, provide me with food and loving people of like mind and I would be even happier than I am now.

I do hope you are going to show us your finished puppy jumpers they look so darn cute when theyre all snuggled up in their winter woolies.

Ive decided to start my clean up on a small scale today, I'll start with my walk in robe, its choka with things that dont belong there, paintings, books, old letters, and shoe boxes full of things I havent seen in years....could be some lovely surprises to start my day with

Jan in CA · 11-07-2011, 01:46 AM

Good for you GG! I guess I'd say changing a pattern or working w/o one are my attempts at bravery. I have to remind myself it's only knitting and half the fun is the journey.

Antares · 11-07-2011, 05:09 PM

When feeling brave, I love to walk ledges. I guess I missed my calling in life. I shoulda been a tightrope walker instead of an editor!

Knitting without a pattern (and modifying existing ones) is par for the course for me. It may be a daunting task for me, but I'm so used to making mistakes and undoing my work that it no longer takes much bravery to give something new a try!

GG: I applaud you for attempting something new. It's always a great way to stretch your mind.

MP: Cleaning out the clutter has been happening slowly around here, but I need to speed it up and get things GONE! It's helped that for the last two years, I've told family and friends that I don't need anything for Christmas, so please don't buy me a gift!! What hasn't helped is when I start setting things out to give away and my husband says, "You're going to get rid of THAT? We might need it someday!" Ha!! And he's the one always complaining about the clutter around here!

GrumpyGramma · 11-07-2011, 08:39 PM

Mutt mitt finished. If I get a picture I can post I will. I hope it fits. Great for working on how to do things in the round. I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting over this bug I've been fighting for weeks and should get started clearing out clutter.

Wanda Witch · 11-07-2011, 09:23 PM

I've knit off and on for years and have yet to attempt something without the written pattern in front of me. I

for making a doggie sweater. Maybe one of these days I should throw caution to the wind and just try something without a pattern.

GrumpyGramma · 11-07-2011, 09:53 PM

Thanks, Wanda, it was really a matter of desperation. I wanted to make mutt mitts but every time I went to look at patterns got lost in trying to figure out what would work, what wouldn't, taking measurements, doing math calculations, getting a headache, and finally saying to heck with it and heading off for a hot shower or saok in the tub. When I realized a mutt mitt was basically the same as handwarmers but with two thumb openings, the light came on. I could do this! It will be really great if the dog can wear it.

Experimentation can be interesting and rewarding, if not necessarily fun.

Having made several people sweaters I could now do one sans pattern. My next biggie is a top down sweater so I can see how that works out in knit, I did one or two in crochet, realized that everyone giving instructions made it harder than it needed to be and finally came across someone's blog that said you don't have to do all that math and measuring and pulling out of the hair and tried their way; it worked for me. Patterns are great, I love patterns, but so often I can't find what I want.

Wanda Witch · 11-07-2011, 11:03 PM

I gotta say you have some inbred knitting skills. I guess, don't know, the need for patterns with me comes from the years of sewing with a pattern guide sheet under my nose. I have found some interesting patterns, a gillion in fact, on a site called patternfish.com You might want to check it out sometime. Have made one top-down cardigan sweater and it was a breeze but then a simple pattern.

Good luck with the forthcoming top-down sweater.