« Temptations | Main | The Cure »
May 18, 2007
The Black Hole
It has happened. You know...it. I've fallen into the black hole of knitting. You know Butterfly? Those of you who've been around awhile are rolling your eyes at that. Butterfly is that gorgeous fair isle I've been working on since...well, the dawn of time really. And I'll be the first to admit that my level of commitment has, let's just say, fluctuated over the last year and a half. First I was scared to start, then there were those gauge issues. I finally mustered up the courage to actually cast on and I was sure it would be smooth sailing from there. Ha. Why do I tempt the knitting goddess so? Right after I cast on I realized the error of my ways - right about the time I learned the joys, yeah the joys, of purling with two colors. Good times, I assure you. Ok, I'll admit that things got a little better once I got past the waist band. My tension evened out - mostly - and I was making progress. It may have been at a turtle's pace, but by the goddess it was progress. Then something happened. Hold on - let me go back and see if I can remember exactly what that might have been ... ... ... Oh right, it was a little bit of everything. There were some socks, and even some more socks, a clapotis, an hourglass sweater, some spinning. The list goes on and Butterfly got put aside for more pressing (or just more in the moment) matters. Time went on and other projects were started and completed, but Butterfly sat in her basket quite neglected. Until last summer. I went to my sister's - we drove 14 hours - and Butterfly made the trip. It only seemed fair since my sister gave her to me for my birthday - in 2005. I made marvelous progress and until a couple of weeks ago I hadn't touched her since. I have no idea why. Not a single clue. I love the sweater, I love the process, and I love the product - at least what I have done. I suppose it's somewhat like a habit and I got out of the habit of Butterfly. Sad and appalling, but true I'm afraid. Then came the whole business of quitting my job and the somewhat related idea that I needed to finish the projects I had in-process before I started something new. Just as an aside (and you might want to sit down for this), I haven't bought any yarn or fiber since January. I get a little queasy when I think about it, but I went back and double checked - it's true. YaiAnn did send me a lovely skein of Liza Souza Sock from Stitches West in March, but that's the only new yarn around these parts.
Ok, we have to stop talking about that or I may start to cry. Anyway, back to Butterfly. I started on her again as soon as I'd finished the knee-highs. There was some work on Jaywalker in there, but I was working on Butterfly too. I promise. So, here comes the black hole part. I haven't heard about it being contagious, but if you have a sweater in progress you may want to move it away from the computer just to be safe. You can't be too careful with these things. I swear to you and any knitting goddess that wants to take the time to listen to my plight that I've been working on this sweater at least 3 nights a week and a couple of times I've worked for 4 or 5 hours in a stretch. Here's the sweater 10 days ago:
And here's the sweater this morning.
Can you see the progress? Yeah, me neither. I swear I haven't seen any change. The black hole is upon me and I can't even see the light at the end of the tunnel. I believe that knitting equals progress, but my faith is being tested. I am hopeful that this weekend will yield much knitting time and while I hope for progress, I am afraid it will continue to allude me. Have a good weekend and do your very best to avoid the black hole. I really wouldn't recommend it as a nice vacation spot.
Comments
i looked closely - you are making progress.. I swear you are. as someone who looks at patterns for a good part of the job (tire tread patterns at that - just mind numbing at times), I could spot the difference.
and congrats on the new job. hope you are enjoying it.
Posted by: nancy at May 18, 2007 8:16 AM
I see progress! You're probably almost 10 rows futher on -cut yourself some slack -those are slow rows, I know!
Posted by: PumpkinMama at May 18, 2007 8:49 AM
there is progress there - slow and steady. If you are loving the process and the product, there is no rush to end it....it will be amazingly stunning when you are done, but I'm loving the in progress shots.
Posted by: stacey at May 18, 2007 9:01 AM
I can see progress but I know exactly what you're talking about. Good luck -- you can do it!
Posted by: Carole at May 18, 2007 9:03 AM
I TOTALLY see the progress. YEAH!
Dude, more and smaller paragraphs for the blind among us, Ms. Tiny-Blog-Type girl. ;-)
Posted by: claudia at May 18, 2007 9:39 AM
You're too tough on yourself! I see at least an inch more in the second picture. That's thousands of little stitches!
Posted by: Marina at May 18, 2007 9:43 AM
Like the others have said, there's definitely progress, but I can see how you could be frustrated. Anyway, it looks great so far. Hang in there, and you'll escape the black hole before you know it. Really! :)
Posted by: Cyndi at May 18, 2007 9:50 AM
There IS progress there - but with that being said, I totally understand. I was feeling this way a few weeks ago. I was in the middle of everything, nowhere close to finishing anything!
Hope you have a good weekend, S!
Posted by: Lolly at May 18, 2007 10:22 AM
I see progress too! Some projects just take time, hey, I have a blanket I've been working on for 16 years! I think it's amazing you're making something so intricate.
Posted by: Steph at May 18, 2007 10:24 AM
I see at least 5 or 6 new rows there. Try to enjoy the process and not look too much for the inches for a while, then come back to it and look, you'll see the difference. That's coming from someone who's writing down how many rows she knit a day on her Fair Isle sweater, just so she can see, there has been progress :).
Posted by: julia at May 18, 2007 1:28 PM
I do see some progress! You can do it!!!
Posted by: diana at May 18, 2007 6:23 PM
I can see progress! Really, I can!!
Posted by: Melissa at May 18, 2007 6:28 PM
Is the knitting hard to "read"? It looks like it is the kind of thing that takes a lot of pattern consulting, which always makes things seem to move slower. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised to see all the progress you've made. (I have a "Trellis" scarf that seems to be regressing every couple of months when I pull it out and put it away again!)
Posted by: Sulafaye at May 18, 2007 6:28 PM
I see about 6 more rows there which is probably a coupla thousand stitches I guess but yes i get what you're saying about that knitting blackhole. It was over here in OZ for a while, now I know where it's gone to.
and just btw while I hope it leaves your place soon please don't send it back here... okay?
Posted by: catsmum at May 18, 2007 8:47 PM
You know I am your biggest Butterfly fan. But I see no progress either, and I have no explanation.
BUT! It's beautiful anyway, and I love seeing pictures of it, and I want you to constantly photograph it and post the pictures, regardless of progress! Eventually (I'm pretty sure), it will get bigger. Probably all of a sudden.
Posted by: Katherine at May 18, 2007 9:47 PM
I can see it! =) It will be a labor of love!
Posted by: yaiAnn at May 18, 2007 9:50 PM
I too am working on Butterfly. She was started last fall and from your pictures, we are about at the same place. I keep trying to tell myself to just complete one row a day, but other projects (like socks) get in the way. Hopefully, you can be an inspiration for me to finish by the fall. Maybe we both need a little push!
Posted by: Amy at May 20, 2007 1:56 PM
Thank you for warning of the dangers of the blackhole. Yikes! Remain positive though. Hours spent knitting = progress. Even if you can't see it now, it will add up in the end. I was getting really discouraged with my current project, Kimono Shawl. It is 117 stitches across and even if I knit for 4 hours at a time, I cannot get through a full 24 row pattern repetition. After each session the progress seems negligible. However, over time it adds up to one big big shawl.
Posted by: Knittripps at May 27, 2007 7:58 AM
