A hint for my downstream Knitty Summer Lover...
I don't think the secret pal I was sending gifts to for the Knitty Summer Love swap, Knitting-Cat, has figured out my identity yet now that she's received her package, so I'm posting this picture of the bag I knit for her to try and help her out! Some of her other gifts are shown stashed inside.
The pattern is Elisa's Nest Tote from the Purl Bee, knit with two skeins of purple Berroco 02, yarn that had been living in my stash, waiting for inspiration, for something like 3 years. (It was included in a "grab" bag I bought on sale at Cloth & Clay, with other yarns I liked better.) The handle is done in Bernat Handicrafter gifted to me by Megan way back in Knitty SP4. I only cast on half as many stitches as the pattern called for, since this shoelace-style yarn was so bulky. Ravelry page is here.
And if I may interrupt my train of thought here for a moment to say how much I adore Ravelry! The pattern search feature is just such an incredible, amazing resource. I knew my pal loved purple, and I figured this yarn would work well for a quick gift, but I had no idea what to make. So I did a search on "shoelace" yarn, found this bag made by a fellow Raveler in a similar but thinner yarn, and poof, problem solved!
Anyway, I used these giant 19mm needles that felt like tree trunks in my hands. I looked rather ridiculous knitting in public with those bad boys, lemme tell ya! It made for rather large holes, so this shopping bag would not really be suited to carrying smaller items... but the top of the bag ended up being rather small and tight, so it's a bit hard to get larger items into it as well! I'm sure this would not be a problem if I had knit the bag to gauge in DK or worsted weight cotton like the pattern called for, given that I would have had twice as many stitches to pick up when doing the i-cord handle/trim. (I love how the i-cord came out striped in the variegated yarn.) Even so, I think this is quite a cute project, and I will be making that bag again in the future at the intended gauge, maybe for me this time!
While we're on the subject of knitting for me... I've noticed lately that I have been knitting nothing but gifts for what seems like months now. I'm starting to think that as much as I love knitting for friends (especially baby things -- I mean, my gosh, the CUTENESS!!!! Squee!!!), I'm going to need to put a stop to it soon, at least for a while, and focus on making myself some beautiful knitted items. My friend Julia commented to me in the car on the way to Stitch & Pitch (which was a blast, by the way, and for once, the Jays won), as she watched me working on a scarf for another friend, "You're a saint." She's smart; the only gifts she knits are baby items. The rest of her knitting is for her. And she's got some lovely things to show for it. The thing is, I'm really not a saint at all. There's a certain selfishness in wanting to give hand-knit things to my loved ones. Pride in saying, "I spent time thinking of you while making you this one-of-a-kind item." Almost smugness, you know? Vanity -- "look what I can do." But at the same time, it's starting to feel, I don't know, martyr-ish? "Look at the sacrifice in hours and energy I made for you." As Derek pointed out to me in talking about this tonight, there's a little too much approval-seeking in it. I know I'm a good, kind, thoughtful, generous friend; I don't need to prove it with the knitting. I don't want to resent my knitting. I don't want to resent my gift recipients -- and I don't, yet -- but this trend could lead in that direction, and I need to head it off at the pass. I'm starting to emotionally (and not just intellectually) understand why Kristen no longer gifts her friends with the gorgeous jewelry she makes. I only have so much time to devote to my hobby and craft, and I want to keep some of what I produce, especially since I am still quite a slow knitter. In the car on the way to work this morning, the thought crossed my mind, as fall approaches ever more quickly as this cool, wet summer flies by, that I should start planning my Christmas knitting. This thought was immediately followed by, "But when will I get to make something for me?" I have all this beautiful yarn I intend to turn into scarves, wraps, and sweaters for myself. (You should see my stash on Ravelry. Whoa.) The vast majority of my Ravelry queue is projects for me. I just never seem to get to them. Well, enough. Once I finish Margaret's birthday scarf that's on the needles (and do the fringing on Kristen's completed birthday scarf), it's time for me to cast on something for myself -- or get back to one of my hibernating projects, like my Party Lace scarf, my Cardigan for Arwen, or my sari-silk wrap. And then I'll start planning what Christmas gifts I'm going to BUY this year, not make, aside from knitting for friends who continue to make their gifts for me. Maybe I'll even join the "Selfish Knitters" group on Ravelry. ;)
ETA:
P.S. Knitting-Cat, please don't feel the above rant is directed at you! The Elisa Nest Tote was a very quick and enjoyable gift to knit. (Like I said, I'd make it again at the pattern gauge.) You were a lovely downstream, and I felt you needed an especially nice package since you were co-hosting the swap. :)
The pattern is Elisa's Nest Tote from the Purl Bee, knit with two skeins of purple Berroco 02, yarn that had been living in my stash, waiting for inspiration, for something like 3 years. (It was included in a "grab" bag I bought on sale at Cloth & Clay, with other yarns I liked better.) The handle is done in Bernat Handicrafter gifted to me by Megan way back in Knitty SP4. I only cast on half as many stitches as the pattern called for, since this shoelace-style yarn was so bulky. Ravelry page is here.
And if I may interrupt my train of thought here for a moment to say how much I adore Ravelry! The pattern search feature is just such an incredible, amazing resource. I knew my pal loved purple, and I figured this yarn would work well for a quick gift, but I had no idea what to make. So I did a search on "shoelace" yarn, found this bag made by a fellow Raveler in a similar but thinner yarn, and poof, problem solved!
Anyway, I used these giant 19mm needles that felt like tree trunks in my hands. I looked rather ridiculous knitting in public with those bad boys, lemme tell ya! It made for rather large holes, so this shopping bag would not really be suited to carrying smaller items... but the top of the bag ended up being rather small and tight, so it's a bit hard to get larger items into it as well! I'm sure this would not be a problem if I had knit the bag to gauge in DK or worsted weight cotton like the pattern called for, given that I would have had twice as many stitches to pick up when doing the i-cord handle/trim. (I love how the i-cord came out striped in the variegated yarn.) Even so, I think this is quite a cute project, and I will be making that bag again in the future at the intended gauge, maybe for me this time!
While we're on the subject of knitting for me... I've noticed lately that I have been knitting nothing but gifts for what seems like months now. I'm starting to think that as much as I love knitting for friends (especially baby things -- I mean, my gosh, the CUTENESS!!!! Squee!!!), I'm going to need to put a stop to it soon, at least for a while, and focus on making myself some beautiful knitted items. My friend Julia commented to me in the car on the way to Stitch & Pitch (which was a blast, by the way, and for once, the Jays won), as she watched me working on a scarf for another friend, "You're a saint." She's smart; the only gifts she knits are baby items. The rest of her knitting is for her. And she's got some lovely things to show for it. The thing is, I'm really not a saint at all. There's a certain selfishness in wanting to give hand-knit things to my loved ones. Pride in saying, "I spent time thinking of you while making you this one-of-a-kind item." Almost smugness, you know? Vanity -- "look what I can do." But at the same time, it's starting to feel, I don't know, martyr-ish? "Look at the sacrifice in hours and energy I made for you." As Derek pointed out to me in talking about this tonight, there's a little too much approval-seeking in it. I know I'm a good, kind, thoughtful, generous friend; I don't need to prove it with the knitting. I don't want to resent my knitting. I don't want to resent my gift recipients -- and I don't, yet -- but this trend could lead in that direction, and I need to head it off at the pass. I'm starting to emotionally (and not just intellectually) understand why Kristen no longer gifts her friends with the gorgeous jewelry she makes. I only have so much time to devote to my hobby and craft, and I want to keep some of what I produce, especially since I am still quite a slow knitter. In the car on the way to work this morning, the thought crossed my mind, as fall approaches ever more quickly as this cool, wet summer flies by, that I should start planning my Christmas knitting. This thought was immediately followed by, "But when will I get to make something for me?" I have all this beautiful yarn I intend to turn into scarves, wraps, and sweaters for myself. (You should see my stash on Ravelry. Whoa.) The vast majority of my Ravelry queue is projects for me. I just never seem to get to them. Well, enough. Once I finish Margaret's birthday scarf that's on the needles (and do the fringing on Kristen's completed birthday scarf), it's time for me to cast on something for myself -- or get back to one of my hibernating projects, like my Party Lace scarf, my Cardigan for Arwen, or my sari-silk wrap. And then I'll start planning what Christmas gifts I'm going to BUY this year, not make, aside from knitting for friends who continue to make their gifts for me. Maybe I'll even join the "Selfish Knitters" group on Ravelry. ;)
ETA:
P.S. Knitting-Cat, please don't feel the above rant is directed at you! The Elisa Nest Tote was a very quick and enjoyable gift to knit. (Like I said, I'd make it again at the pattern gauge.) You were a lovely downstream, and I felt you needed an especially nice package since you were co-hosting the swap. :)
5 Comments:
Lisa -- let me tell you, the best Christmas gift you can give me this year is to make something absolutely gorgeous and flattering for yourself to wear, and come by to let me admire how it looks on you.
I hear you on the approval-seeking trap; not only is it bad for the psyche, but it leads to self-censorship in the creative process. My vision is more progressive when the art is a conversation with my self.
You brave, beautiful woman! I'm so proud of you for thinking your way through this. I can't wait to see what you start--and finish!--for yourself!
Way to go Lisa!
you were at SnP? I was too... but we didn't see each other. boo hiss. Next year.
Oh I hear ya!
Knitting for others can be a real mixed pleasure. Sweet Pea (formerly Sprout) is racking up quite the collection of handknits - fortunately knitting for your own child is a lot like knitting for yourself!
I think everyone should take the time to indulge - make something incredible for yourself! Recharge the batteries. Then you can go back to gift knitting . . IF YOU WANT TO. Remember, you knit for pleasure, and because you're darn good at it. Not because anyone expects it.
Do it! Knit for yourself!
And take pleasure in it!!!! :)
You deserve it!
(and I'm giving myself the same pep talk...)
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