Sunday, July 10, 2011

Year of Projects: To Start a New Project or Not...


That is the question, right? As I sat down this morning, ready to knit, I realized that the few WIPs I've been switching back and forth to are at stopping points. Now, not good stopping points mind you.




You see, I'm working on my cowl (seen above), which is the Pedestrian Crossing cowl. I like this cowl, love the yarn but I'm at a crappy part. What's that you ask? Well, if you follow the blog for WIPW and FO Friday, you'll know it's the button holes. You see, these are the first button holes I've ever had to make, so I'm a little nervous. The instructions are a little funky and I'm afraid of ruining it. I know, I know, I can always frog back to before the button holes, but I'm scared. That's right, scared. I just need to get over it, because I seriously have the button holes and then a few rows of garter stitch before I can cast off. Sounds easy, right? Well, we'll see.


The second project is a monster I started awhile ago, and then when I joined a monster swap on the Knit Picks Ravelry group, it spurred me on. I've gotten to the point of needing to stuff the body, add the eyes and the belly button. I know it's not hard, and this isn't the first monster I've made, but I'm always a little apprehensive because this really determines if the monster will be cute or not, you know what I mean? I'm not going to share a pic of that one right now, because as I said, I'm doing a swap and don't want to ruin it for the recipient if she's checking this blog. I may just post a close up pic of him for WIPW this next week, but won't give too much away.




So, those are my two projects. Instead of just getting down to business on either, what did I do this morning? I cast on for the knitted skirt on my YoP list. I won't share a picture (though the pic above is the yarn I'm using for it), Knit Picks Stroll in Thunderhead), because all I have is the cast on, so not very exciting. Now I have to sit down and figure out the weird short row instructions before I get started. We'll see how it goes, but I figure once I get the short rows down, it should be easy since it's all garter stitch. ::crossing fingers::

I know I should just concentrate on finishing the cowl and working more on the monster, and I will...maybe tomorrow.

How are you doing on your YoP list? Have you cast aside a project for another? Are you working on multiple projects or trying to finish one as fast as possible to start another?

21 comments:

  1. Maybe by the time I finish my cowl you will know the secret to the button holes hehe!

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  2. Stopping and starting can cause problems. I tend to forget where I am in the process. Been trying to get better about leaving notes

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  3. Very respectable buttonholes Tami :)

    -Laurel

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  4. Good luck on the button holes, I haven't tried anything with those yet. The monster sounds cute, can't wait to see it finished. I would love to do a skirt but with my figure, I'm afraid it would look bad.

    I just finished project one in my year of projects but I'm not going to share a pic until Friday. I just cast on another one and I'm still working on my top.

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  5. A month or so ago Yarning For You-the local shop in San Marcos had a post for the perfect button hole. I never tried it but I'll find the link and post it.

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  6. Here it is: http://yarningforyou.com/site/2011/a-receipe-for-the-perfect-buttonhole/

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  7. I keep starting a little of this and that. It's resulted though in not having much to show at all this week. Good luck with your button holes.x

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  8. Button holes and I are not friends. I have however found a video on the Interweave site that explains other ways of doing button holes I now need to apply it to my next botton requiring project.

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  9. Such a knitting dilemma! I know exactly how you feel though--each project I have ever done has that one special spot that scares me! I have learned though, when I embark on something I am not sure of, especially towards the end of a project, to put a life line in. Then, when I frog back, it doesn't have a chance of getting out of frogging control and go too far back!
    Have a great week--I have finished one project this week and posted photos on my blog.
    *smiles*

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  10. Not sure if you've got or have plans to get "Little Red in the City"? There's a great tutorial on 1 row button holes that I've just used, which are pretty simple. Other than that, all I can do is say good luck!

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  11. Hehe, I do that too with projects! Sometimes it takes a little while to work up the effort/courage to try something new :)

    Good luck with the button holes, they're pretty easy once you've done them a couple of times!

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  12. I think you should put in a lifeline and knit on fearlessly! It's too beautiful not to finish!

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  13. I stopped a vest I was knitting because I'm so busy with the move...and it took me forever on Saturday to figure out where I was.

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  14. Ha! I know how you are feeling! I think you should just DO THE BUTTONHOLES! Then it's pretty much done and you'll feel so much better about it :)

    Looking froward to seeing your Wednesday progress xxxx

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  15. Sometimes you just have to let the knitting muse have her way with you! If she says "Cast on a skirt, mortal!" Best do it!

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  16. I suggest that if you're worried about the buttonholes you put in a lifeline where you are now so it would be easy to pick up the stitches in case you had to rip back.

    I've seen a lot of the knitted monsters lately and I'm interested in trying one out. I'm curious to try out a skirt too but I'm not sure I can wear one successfully.

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  17. You can do it, you can do it, you can do it!

    PS - my trick for buttonholes is to take matching thread or skinny yarn afterwards and reinforce the edges. This also helps correct any wonkiness.

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  18. Love that cowl, the colors are fab ... get on to the button holes, you can do it!!!

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  19. Good luck with the button holes! I was worried about doing them in the In Threes cadigan, but it turns out that reading a pattern and counting accurately to 37 were what I really should have been worrying about :(

    I did start a new project, as we have nursery summer holiday coming up and I needed to save my super-easy projects for those 6 weeks and try to do a more complex one beforehand. That's the plan, anyway. I get twitchy if I have more than two or three unfinished objects hanging around.

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  20. I also fear buttonholes, but i know someday I will just have to do them. I always have more than one wip.

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  21. Just do eeeettt!!! Love the color and looks like great progress.

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