Getting myself back into the knitting mood has been a slow-and-steady process, but now my mind is raging with knitty ideas… and what is the reason for this rejuvenated point of view?
One word: HATS. I know. Hats, really? But hear me out.
A simple, slouchy, custom cap for my coworker.
- They’re quick to knit – and the gratification of cranking out a few FOs is a reliable way to get me back in the knitting mood.
- I don’t need a pattern – so, I get a chance to play around with the basics like texture, shaping, and stripes.
- I can try new techniques – and even if I don’t enjoy the process, it’s just a hat so it’s quick and painless enough.
- I enjoy making them for others – and since quite a few of the men in my life have been impatiently waiting for me to knit them hats (some for, dare I say it, years!), why not embrace the knitting jag and crank out a few more for my favorite gents? Well, and maybe one or two for myself, of course.
Recently, I’ve knitted a Rosebud Slouch for my mom (photographs forthcoming) and the custom cap pictured above. I have another simple stockinette number for myself on the needles, with plans in mind for another manly toque. By easing myself back into a routine, I’m remembering how soothing and relaxing knitting can be.
Have you been in the midst of a knitting jag lately? What pattern/yarn/style captured your heart most recently? Do you embrace the knitting frenzy or fight the urge altogether?
Thanks for the nice comment about my quilt! Your knitting is so beautiful – so uniform! I wish I had the ability to knit a hat without a pattern. I’m just not there yet. I can’t even get Calorimetry to work right! It shouldn’t be that hard for me – I am an engineer for crying out loud….but I suppose my brain has turned to mush. My knitting has taken a back seat to sewing – that or I don’t have as much tv time. I did get started on my Jane Eyre shawl and I have good progress on a sock for my son. I set aside the crochet rug. Ok, I stuck it in the drawer when we had guests and forgot about it!
You’re so welcome! And don’t worry – I often use other patterns as guidelines for my “patternless” hats, or at the very least, take some advice from the ever-knowing Elizabeth Zimmerman and her recipes for success. And it’s always fun to have a couple of yarny works in progress that you can turn to whenever the mood strikes. But there’s no way I’m admitting the number of WIPs I have lurking around my house at the moment.
Hats are my favorite thing to knit, I think. I fully support your hat making decision.
I think we’re kindred spirits. And I’ll take all the enabling I can get!
Brilliant!!! You know… With me… It was knitting little scarves and hats for the little one hat got me back into it. And now…. there isn’t enough time to knit in the day. I think the key is to crank out a few quick things so we can remember the joy of a finished piece. Then… Slowly work up to bigger projects
I love he slouchy hat. And I live that you’re customizing them. So awesome!!!
I’m taking your advice completely to heart – starting small and working my way back into the sweater queue seems like the best way to go. And baby knits are so impossibly cute and fun to make, that you can’t help but get itchy fingers again.
Small projects are a great way to get back into the swing of things again. Your custom hat looks great. Sometimes simple is the best way to go. As far as knitting jags go, I have been really into cowls lately. I might even try to design my own.
I love small projects! I have way too much going on at the moment to tackle larger ones. There are times when I want to, and then I know I’ll just be way too frustrated trying to remember my place or keep track of notes and whatnot. Still, I think I do catch the no-knit bug occasionally. But that’s when I kind of bounce around. I’ll try another craft and then before I know it, I’m challenging myself to relate it to knitting in any possible way, lol! Some things relate better than others. But it’s all fun in the end. Then, all of a sudden, there I go knitting again! At any rate, your hat looks lovely and it’s great to see your knits again!
small projects are definitely the way to get the mojo going again. for me, i tackled a pair of socks. i haven’t knit a pair of socks in at least a year. then the hubs and i went through my stash over the weekend to select yarn for future projects. this was so i could figure out what i’d be allowed to purchase when we go to stitches west this friday!!
Really nice to know that you are now back practicing knitting and having more and nice designs. i believe that in your continues practice it will bring you to be one of the famous knitter too. knitting can give you allot of money too. You can ask me and my friend Liz if you have some difficulties. Just keep knitting.