As a handknit designer and knitter I have plenty of initiative (dictionary definition: ‘first step in a series of actions’). I am often inspired to pursue a creative idea, usually resulting from seeing a textile item that somebody else has created, particularly historical ones. However, I have a significant deficit of ‘finitiative’ (my definition: continuing with energy until complete). In other words, I struggle to keep myself focused on projects beyond the initial burst of motivation that I began them with. Because of this I have many incomplete projects, including some that I began many years ago. This year I plan to complete many of them (I think it’s overambitious to plan to complete them all this year). Do you have any tips to help me achieve this?
My knitted WIPs (‘works in progress’) inventory:
Field Study:
I’m knitting a Field Study for myself in Blacker Swan 4ply. Cast on was Christmas Day 2015, so this has been on the needles for 7 years now. I’m at the underarms on the body and have begun a sleeve. Here’s a blog post about it from when I had just begun.
York Helmet Cardigan:
Last year, or maybe the year before, I finished knitting a cardigan for myself featuring a cable pattern based on the Viking York Helmet. I have only to sew the buttons on. I have the buttons. Why haven’t I sewn them on?
Scrollwork Stockings:
I cast these on in December 2021, completed one and reached the foot on the other. Only a few hours of work left on them, yet I keep stalling on them and switching on to some other knit.
Dales Gloves:
I have a couple of pairs of Dales style gloves for myself on the go, as well as a glove (the second of a pair) for Marie yet to knit. I have also planned many more pairs in traditional patterns and my own riffs on the theme. And there’s a book in the pipeline to present the patterns and the results of my Dales gloves research. Lots of discipline will be required to get complete with this huge endeavour.
Where’s My Cow:
I have a lilac coloured Where’s My Cow on the needles, originally cast on 10 years ago! It was intended to be for my niece, who recently started high school. Oops! However, I could finish it (it’s nearer to the finish than the beginning) and hold it in reserve for some future infant in the family?
The curtain:
Begun in January 2018. This is the project that went missing that June, prompting a Yorkshire-wide crowd hunt! I occasionally pick this up and knit a few pattern repeats. It’s currently around 80% complete, which means I’ve knitted over 4 feet in length of a wide lace curtain at a tiny gauge. Alas, on such a time-intensive project, that means there may yet be another fifty to a hundred hours of knitting required to complete it. Yes, really!
Sheet/pillowcase edging:
I invested lots of time in devising a Victorian style lace edging that is to my liking, settling on the pattern pictured below in September 2021. Alas, after knitting on it for several hours, I stalled. I don’t think I did any work on it last year. Yet I still dream of having a complete bedding set featuring my own hand-knit edgings.
Piped cardigan:
Early last year I cast on a relatively plain (stocking stitch, v-neck, with contrast piping next to the button band) cardigan for myself in Yorkshire Warmth dk/sport. I’ve completed the body and am on the second sleeve (top down set-in sleeves).
Clover Leaf Jumper:
I cast this on in November. The body is complete and I am beginning the first sleeve. I love it, and think others will too, so plan to launch the pattern at Yarndale this September. I’m confident I’ll finish this WIP very soon.
Wessenden:
I started knitting a Wessenden shawl for myself about 6 years ago, wishing for a lovely lace shawl in a dark raspberry shade. However, because of the nupps this too is a very time-intensive project. Therefore, as it’s an already published pattern I am severely reluctant to continue it. Send it to the frog pond (rip it, rip it)?
Bellerby:
I have knitted myself a larger version of the Bellerby shawl (as below but with more repeats in the diamond pattern section) in the darker green shade of my Yorkshire Warmth 4ply (Liggin’). I completed the knitting a couple of years ago, and haven’t yet blocked it. Why on earth not?
Springwood:
I probably started this in 2015, and I nearly finished it. Yet I don’t think I’ve worked on it since 2015. It’s in silver grey linen yarn because I wanted a cool top for summer. However, unlike the beautiful green wool Springwood in Lace Knits, my linen version is a bit ‘meh’, which is why I haven’t finished it. Frog pond?
Mustard socks:
Begun in April 2019 with an utterly gorgeous yarn I bought at Edinburgh Yarn Festival. This project is far from ‘meh’, and is simply a classic case of ‘second sock syndrome’ (quickly knit one sock, then take much, much longer to knit the other). When finished I could publish the pattern. Come on Ann!
