Monday, May 28, 2007

LOST: reward if found

LOST: One Knitter's Knitting Mojo.

I don't know why, but I'm so blecch with my knitting right now. I don't know if it was having my butt kicked by Jane, or maybe the fact that Jane was followed immediately by the stupid realization that I knit too much first sock to be able to knit a second sock, but I'm just not feeling it these days.

After all that, I knit a whole Sweet Georgia sock in less than 3 days (fast for me!), including my first short row heel, but nearly 3 weeks later I'm barely a few inches into that second sock, and just uninspired.

To inventory, here's what's currently on the needles:
I have a pretty green Swallowtail shawl on the go, that I TOTALLY don't feel like knitting on.
I have an EZ sweater on the go, that is grey, grey, grey stockinette for days and days and days.
I have a mohair shruggy-sweater on the go that is lovely, but totally useless for the season we're in, so I don't much feel like it either.
There's always Jane to finish ripping and re-knit. I'm not really feeling that one either.
Oh, and that Sea Wool debauchle. I'm still kind of hoping (in vain) that I will come across another skein of the same Fleece Artist so I don't have to rip anything else out.

I don't think Startitis is the answer, because I feel pretty lame for all the temporarily (?) abandoned projects listed above... and as much as I want a Cardigan for Arwen (and have gorgeous yarn for it!), I don't want to knit it right now if the gauge gods are going to be so cruel. I don't have any more ripping in me at the moment.

So it's clear that after a fairly knitterly and productive summer/fall/winter, that spring really can hang you up the most. Or, to quote a beloved blue friend, "I lost me cookie at the disco".

If anyone's seen my knitting mojo, could you please let me know? I miss it.

13 Comments:

At 1:32 a.m., Blogger Jeanne said...

I saw it drive by about an hour ago--I yelled at it and told it to get itself back home immediately! :-)

 
At 7:08 a.m., Blogger Andrea said...

Here are my suggestions to get back your mojo:
- join some other knitters for a knit night
- spend an hour or so browsing in a yarn store. Pet the yarn. You don't need to buy anything
- find a new knitting book or magazine with inspiring pictures
- do some serious blog (or flickr) browsing
- listen to a podcast or two. I can send recommendations
- take your stash out and pet it for a bit

 
At 8:14 a.m., Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sounds like you have too many projects to avoid! I hate that too, when you just want the physical good sensation of knitting but everything on the needles takes brain power (and honey, that's in short reserve around here these days!). These specific projects may not be right for now, but yarn will not let you go...

 
At 9:22 a.m., Anonymous Anonymous said...

Andrea's suggestions are great and I totally concur. The fact that summer is coming and it's getting frightfully humid (it's not the heat, it's the humidity) doesn't help either. I usually lose my knitting mojo around this time of the year, as my gardening mojo starts to kick in.
One thing you can try is to do is pick the project that has the least work left - maybe the sock? - and finish it. That will give you that satisfied "I finished something" feeling which might bring back your mojo.
Or...come up to Montreal on June 9th for the knitting guild's garden party - that's sure to bring back some of your mojo!

 
At 3:27 p.m., Blogger froggiemeanie said...

I agree with Andrea too. I also think it sometimes helps to put all the stuff you don't love anymore into a grocery bag and stuff it into the back of the closet and forget about it. Then find something fun and completely new to do...you know, a new technique, yarn, something that isn't socks and act like you don't have a bunch of other stuff on the go.

 
At 12:02 a.m., Blogger Heather said...

I think I saw it line ahead of me, buying coffee this morning. I shall send it back home!

 
At 9:34 a.m., Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe when your passing through Burlington you can check out the several woolstores in the area to find the wool to your sock dilemma.I think finding that wool would get your MOJO back.

 
At 6:03 p.m., Blogger Alison said...

If you're having trouble getting through second socks, I wouldn't recommend starting Clessidra! A pair of knee-highs is a whole lotta sock knitting. (They're pretty, though, so you never know. They might provide the inspiration you're looking for.)

 
At 7:13 p.m., Blogger Karen said...

Mojo, get your a$$ back home! ;-)

Now, in your shoes, I think I would either take a break, or finish the smallest project. Or I would drink with friends. Looking at what I just wrote, drinking with friends would definitely come first. Maybe I would consider teaching someone else to knit, in order to show them just how wonderful I am. But not after I had been drinking! LOL

Hang in there, Kate!

 
At 11:10 p.m., Blogger Elinor said...

Oh, so sorry to hear your mojo is on vacation. Mine always flees after the winter holidays or after long stretches of gift knitting. Although, the one thing that can bring mine back is when someone I know asks me to make them something, particularly if it's something I like.

 
At 2:33 p.m., Blogger the secret knitter said...

Work on something quick and easy. A project that can be knitted in one or two sittings helps me get my momentum back.

And if the mojo isn't there, wait a day. I find that I'm usually better off putting something aside rather than making a rash decision.

Good luck!

 
At 2:39 p.m., Blogger Elysbeth said...

Your mojo is hanging out with the lying gauge swatches. It will return home in the guise of the perfect project. In the meantime, enjoy other things you love.

 
At 7:00 p.m., Blogger Violiknit said...

Sorry about the mojo...maybe it's off somewhere having a mojo mojito to cool of from this heat....

 

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