Not for those faint of heart

[JessicaR]

I did nothing but talk and listen at SNB tonight, it wasn't so bad

[amy]

This thread cracks me up. pitchforks! y'all are too much.

I find that the biggest thing that keeps me from my needles is when I go through periods when I don't want to think or plan a project. I won't pick anything up, because I just don't want to think about it!

Well, I don't worry about it if I go for a stretch without knitting (yes it does happen!). But I do find it frustrating to not have anything on the needles when I just want to sit down and not think and just knit. So that's when it's time to work on something repetitive, or random in pattern, where I don't need to think or plan it at all.

One project which I think I saw in a knitting book once, which is so cool, is to keep a basket of random yarn leftovers and a set of needles by your couch, and just cast on for a simple scarf, then forget about it. In the book, the project was actually something you leave set out for guests to tinker on, a few rows here, a few inches there, changing colors and stitch patterns on a whim; and you can even teach people to knit on it, which ads to the playful irregularity and specialness of it! It's a great way to use up scraps, play with new stitch patterns, or just zone out and do some garter stitch when you feel like knitting a bit. You just make this random, wonky scarf, and the less you worry about color coordination, regularity, perfection, etc, the cooler it will come out! If a scarf is over too fast for you, make a bunch of them and turn it into an afghan!

I did nothing but talk and listen at SNB tonight, it wasn't so bad

Yay!!

Amy's suggestion about knitting something random is a great one! I keep a little mindless project around for times when I just want to play with a pattern or with cables, or when I want to do something that doesn't require counting stitches or staying in a pattern. I've practiced cables on this thing, and I've done other stuff as well. It's about a foot and a half long now (only 30 stitches wide!) and looks really bizarre, but I love it because it's totally mindless and it has no specific purpose, no deadline (real or imagined), and no gauge. This for-play piece will not become anything later, though, mainly because I don't want it to! That might stress me out and undercut its very purpose.

[Jan in CA]

I love that idea, Amy! My mind is already thinking about what to put in the basket!

[Pixywhispers]

Oh Jessica! Have you been reading my diary! I few weeks ago when I attempted some very easy lace and majorly screwed it up, rip, rip , rip, etc. I cried for two days. I even told DH "I"m never knitting again, I cant have a life and knit." I had pressure from trying to challenge myself with the KO. I started some mindless projects, but heck I screwed those up too. Rooky mistakes. So I am taking a break. I'm still yarn shopping, ha! So I know Ill pick the needles back up soon. And my mom who has never asked me to knit anything asked me to knit her a booga. So know your in good company. Good luck at snb. I will say its been good for me, cause I'm refocusing on somethings that I hadn't been able to do.

[JessicaR]

I think maybe I'll just take this down time to learn some new stitches, I found my 32 stitch book. Or watch Amy's video and learn the star. I'm home sick today, maybe it's a good day to expand my knitting knowledge. If I don't fall back asleep.