Thursday, July 5, 2007

the neverending object

There comes a time in every pattern where I get into a funk with the pattern. It happens at least once, sometimes more. I'm not talking about the angsty funk that occurs when I'm frustrated with a particular pattern (like Mesilla, for example), but more a specific area in a pattern that I Just. Want. Done. in an otherwise beloved pattern.

Ribbing at the tops of socks is one of these area every time. While I understand the merit of ribbing as a whole and certainly at the tops of socks, doing its job by holding them up snugly against a calf, I cannot help but loathe ribbing. I'm not fond of the way it looks in most cases, but more importantly I hate knitting it. Ribbing is tedious and fiddly and there never seems to be an end in sight with it. I often have to use the "reward method" when knitting ribbing: after this round, I get to have a Teddy Graham and a sip of tea!

There is also a boredom issue that comes into play in these instances. Ribbing doesn't technically fall into this category for me because I need to pay pretty constant attention to it. Take, for instance, my Jaywalker socks. I LOVE this pattern. I LOVE this yarn. I will LOVE wearing these socks when they are finished (well, I will when the weather cools). But I am sick of knitting the leg.

It's not a case of SSS because it happened on the first sock as well. I knit the leg about an inch or so shorter to the pattern because I couldn't take it anymore. I'm about 2/3 done with the second leg and I'm having a case of severe startitis, but I keep telling myself to just chug through this leg and it will pass. I'm itching to pick up several a new project.

It happens on the foot of a sock frequently too. That part where you're past the gusset, but not to the toe decreases yet. It seemingly goes on forever. This is why I will never be able to knit my brother a pair of socks (he wears size 14s!); it would feel like knitting a sweater rather than socks. But by that time, the feeling of weariness from the leg has passed and it's a newfound feeling of restlessness. Fortunately, socks are small enough to have this not last *too* long.

Mesilla was the complete opposite of this, despite the single color stockinette body. Every few rows there was an increase or decrease to keep it interesting. Just a slight change to keep me on my toes.

I chalk part of this affliction to being a bit Type A, despite my laid-back attitude. I can't sit still without doing something, hence the knitting, but when knitting the same thing over and over again, I feel the need to get up and start rummaging through my stash. I shall persevere though!

3 comments:

Mari said...

I am also dreading knitting socks for C. He also has size 14 feet. I know I will have to eventually, unfortunately.

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TheBlackSheep said...

You see? You need to learn to chat on the phone. I do the ribbing and the foot while on the phone, or lately at the docs/physio/MRIs etc. Thoughtless knitting so mistakes don't (often) happen. I save my more interesting projects for telly time.

The point of that being that I can actually get the whole leg of a sock done within one or two phone calls. I finished a half a shaft the other day at the docs when an emergency came in just before my appt. :D