Rows, Can Ya Count 'Em?

After freeing myself of the projects that weren't doing it for me by either cutting them from the yarn source, frogging and rewinding or filing in the UFO box, I returned to my extreme comfort knitting without guilt. I started another pair of socks, plain stockinette on one US 1, 32" long circular, letting the coloring of the yarn do the work.

The yarn isn't colorful, just neutral. It's wool with a little nylon, 75/25% give or take. I think it's Opal. The ball band got misplaced during windings. It had been wound from a skein to a cone for using on the CSM. However, such a light color might not have fared well on a machine that has been turning out dark wool socks. The color (or lack there of) is good for summer and good for hand knitting and mental therapy. So I wound it from cone to yarn cake, bought a hot pink GoKnit pouch to carry it around, as if I don't already have enough sock totes, and started striving to reach my zen. Buying the pouch was also a good excuse to boost a KnitPicks order up to free shipping level. I finally ordered that super-duper electronic row counter that I decided is the answer to all my problems when it comes to remembering what row I'm on in a pattern, or in plain stockinette for that matter.

Concentrating when the need to count rows arises, which seems to be all the time when I veer from sock knitting, is a major downfall for me these days. So much so that I have become obsessed with acquiring row counters of varied and sundry sizes, shapes and systems. I have a few of those red Kacha-Kachas; however, I just ordered a mini one, a green frog from Patternworks. He's just the right size to keep me in line while using my GoKnit pouch. To round it out, I ordered an indie-made beaded row counter. Not a bracelet, more of a stitch marking row counter. I can't explain it any better than that. Go see for yourself. Hurry, they sell as soon a they are listed on Etsy. They are mainly one of a kind right now. I ordered a red Chinese crystal number. Let's hope my fried brain can follow the directions for using it.

Bona Fide Knitter

How's that working for you?

How's that working for you?" That question is one of my favorite Dr. Phil-isms. I've been asking myself the question about my knitting quite often recently, each project I start anymore, it seems. My answer is, "It's not." My knitting is not working for me! I have started many projects that became UFO's. Those from six years ago (I'm talking six or so years ago not 30!) were the result of my taking on something beyond my abilities as a rank beginner of knitting, I mean really knitting, the year I learned I was purling backwards, corrected the problem and my knitting took off! In recent weeks I have started many projects only to find they were not working for me.

Lately, nothing takes off for me. The flirty lacy skirt took off for me in the beginning, until I reached the lacy part and ran into some yo's before and after knits and purls and got flummoxed. I wove in a life line with scrap yarn and went back to where all was well. I haven't gotten back to it. It's not working for me right now because I think I need to lose 10 pounds to fit in it. That's about how much I gained while staying off of my tedonitis ridden ankle and watching my belly get bigger.

I've swatched and started an afghan, a sweater, and a sock. When I can't get through a sock, something is definitely wrong. When I don't have at least one sock on the needles I am really in bad shape. I. don't. have. a. sock. on. the. needles. at. the. moment! I finished the mini marathon of Kureyon Sock socks. The lastest pair are these: (a little faded out from the flash)

They have been off the needles for weeks. I don't want to make another pair of Kureyons right now. I don't want to go back to those three projects I started. They are not working for me. They give me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about them. I don't like them. I'm feeling peevish. I need a change. It's time for: Now you see them . . . Now you don't. And off to the frog pond with them.

I feel better already, just making the decision. I'm falling in love with the the flirty lacey skirt again. I'm feeling the urge to finally block and send my samples in for Basics, Basics, Basics. I am not feeling an urge to start the afghan again, or the holey sweater, or the waffle socks after I frog them. I need NEW on my needles. But I'm not ready for the Vivia Hoxboro or the Hanne Falkenberg. What will it be? When will I do it? You'll just have to wait and see.

Bona Fide Knitter, just trying to make it work for me once again