Instant gratification
Instant gratification and knitting.
I’m a huge fan of instant gratification. But when we talk about instant gratification and knitting we’re usually talking about “instant gratification projects,” the projects you can start and finish in a sitting, quick-y little projects that give you a finished object “NOW.” The projects that are the antithesis of big shawls on tiny needles, I like knitting.
But really even these tiny projects aren’t instant gratification.
Four or five hours for a hat is about as delayed as instant gratification could get.
And I like my gratification a little more instant than that.
I don’t look for instant gratification from finishing my projects (mostly cause I wouldn’t find it.)
Gratification and satisfaction? Absolutely.
Instant gratification? Not so much.
I much prefer the instant gratification I get from the act of knitting.
The yarn, the needles, the movement, the rhythm.
It’s kind of like instant happy brain.
Knitting isn’t so good for instant object gratification.
But it’s fabulous for instant feelings gratification. Which is what knitting is really about, right?
Because if what we were after, was really the hat (right now), we’d just go buy the damn thing.
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Announce! Announce!
I sent these coupon codes to the mailing list yesterday afternoon, but figured I’d share them here too:
For $1 off a single pattern, use the code: tinytreat
To buy 2 single patterns and get a 3rd pattern FREE, use the code: lotsoflove
These coupon codes apply to my individual self published patterns on Ravelry.
They’ll expire this evening at 5(EST), so treat yourself now.
Come over to Ravelry, browse my patterns, and brighten up your week.
eating up yarn. nom, nom, nom
I’m always working on some project or another, and most weeks I talk about what I’m working on Wednesdays as part of Tami’s WIP Wednesday project. You can see past WIP Wednesdays … right this way.
Half the works-in-progress from last week are sitting right where I left them, but the other half made progress in leaps and bounds.
I bound off the blue shawl shortly after taking the photos for last week’s post. Wheeeee!
The golden shawl is at the magical point where, it no longer needs to be magic looped, but hasn’t turned into a blob yet.
And the purple shawl is quickly eating up yarn (which I can’t say or think, without going nom, nom, nom) , while I contemplate edgings.
This was part of Tami’s WIP Wednesday project. If you’d like more WIP Wednesday posts, from other bloggers, visit Tami’s blog.
balanced unbalance
I’m always working on some project or another, and most weeks I talk about what I’m working on Wednesdays as part of Tami’s WIP Wednesday project. You can see past WIP Wednesdays … right this way.
I often have lots of projects on the needles, but four shawls, a coat, and a series of swatches is a little much, even for me.
It presents a bit of a dilemma.
Do you work a little bit on all of them, but not really see a huge amount of progress?
Do you focus on one of them, and neglect the others?
Do you come up with a “knitting schedule”?
I’ve been trying to give a little bit of attention to each project, but some have ended up neglected.
The oldest work in progress on the needles still hasn’t come out of it’s project bag, and the swatches haven’t been touched.
The coat got an evening of attention, and I attached the last ball of yarn for this piece, but it still looks like a big grey blob.
The golden shawl has spent the week perched on my desk receiving bits and pieces of attention, while the purple shawl has seen lots of attention, but is at the point where you can only measure progress by the diminishing ball of yarn. I did a quick review of the yarn I’m using in the gold shawl Monday.
The blue shawl on the other hand has seen the most progress. Between the loads of attention, and the fact that it’s three strands of lace weight held together on a US 7 (4.5mm) needle it’ll be done in no time. (Which is usually what I say right before projects stall.)
Maybe the best balance for projects is a sort of balanced unbalance?
This was part of Tami’s WIP Wednesday project. If you’d like more WIP Wednesday posts, from other bloggers, visit Tami’s blog.
