Friday night I got a bee in my bonnet to knit something brand new for Rhinebeck. Sure, Clapotis is on my Project 333 list and was finished after Rhinebeck 2009, but I wanted something really new. At about 8:30 I cast on for the My Kind of Town Cowl, and at 12:30 it was done. Can't beat that for fast!
Tomorrow I'll post about my wonderful experience at the festival, but today I wanted to reflect a little on how my hand knits fit into the project. I left a space on my list for a sweater; I have several on the needles, and if I set my mind to it, I can probably finish one before December 31. I've been thinking though, about what I have chosen to knit in the past and why.
Usually I complete accessories: hats, mitts, shawls. I enjoy the process of knitting lace, and I sure love the product, too. I give a lot of what I knit away, but lately I've been wanting to knit more for myself. Maybe it is selfish of me, but I rarely feel like knits I've gifted (except those given to other knitters) are truly appreciated. They get tucked into drawers or meet hole-y fates at the claws of cats or get lost. Accidents happen, but my time is too precious to knit for the accident prone!
One of the things I'm learning through dressing with a minimal wardrobe is that the fit of everything I wear should be perfect. Those khakis that need to be hemmed…well, I haven't worn them once. That ill-fitting gray turtleneck is hanging all alone, unloved.
What does this tell me? Simply that if I'm going to knit garments for myself, I want to ensure that I do a fantastic job with fit. No more fudging. No more hoping for the best. I consider myself a fairly adventurous and unafraid knitter. Now it's time to develop my skills even more, especially in finishing items (I guess I mean both in completing them and in doing the finishing work such as seaming).
I wore the cowl on Saturday, but from now until December, I'll only wear it around the house or walking the dogs in the woods. One of the things Courtney tweeted last week was "Do what works best for you! #project333 is not a competition". I love that. I love it so much. Everyone participating has their own reasons, and it is silly to think the project will work the same way for each of us. So, now and again, wearing a new hand knit, just once, isn't going to make me feel like I've failed at the project. Instead, making each knit with care, knowing that it will become a staple (or giving it away if I don't feel the love) in my wardrobe…that's success.
If you're visiting from Be More with Less: welcome! I hope you'll swing by again on Friday and check out my outfits for the week!
And my fellow knitters…here's a question for you: what new knitting (or other crafting) skills would you like to develop?
