UFO sightings

The first time I saw the abbreviation UFO on a knitting thread (sorry, couldn't resist) on a blog, I thought the author had gone mad. One minute they're talking about techniques and the next they're banging on about aliens. Bonkers! I soon realised that I was mistaken and that UFO actually stands for 'UnFinished Object' in the world of knitting.

I'm sure that you can all think of a UFO lurking somewhere in your knitting basket... Regular readers will know that I have the Skirt of Doom which, I'm sad to say, remains a UFO and has been resigned to the cupboard again. However, I'm generally a completist and have always seen projects through to the bitter end every time. Or so I thought.

We're actually in the process of trying to sell our house so every school holiday I try to de-clutter another corner or cupboard. Well, Easter saw the both rewarding and depressing task of tidying my craft cupboard arise. Diligently, I sorted through bags, filled boxes and sucked the air out of vac-pack bags stuffed with yarn. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I found a carrier bag stuffed in the corner and (shock!) it contained a UFO. Memories flooded back; starting my first 'large' project from the Stitch N Bitch handbook of a hoodie over seven years ago. I can't believe I didn't finish it!

If I remember rightly, I got confused about how to knit the pocket and became distracted. I blame youth. But there it was again, half finished, and looking lovely. I wasted no time in finding the pattern and starting again. Looking back, I can't believe I ever found it difficult. To create the pocket on the front, I had knitted up to the line of stitches level with where the top of the pocket would be. The pattern then instructed me to pick up a number of stitches from the bottom of the work (between two stitch markers) and knit up. I then had to knit both rows of stitches together to join them and carry on up the front as normal, thus creating a pouch. It seems so simple now but obviously beyond the me of seven years ago.

This got me thinking - just how much do we actually improve every month? Every year? Knitters are always practising, looking up new abbreviations, watching videos on You Tube; our progression in constant. I know that I am far more confident now than I used to be.

So my message this week is to make mistakes and be adventurous. You'll reap the rewards.

(And I'll post a picture of my hoodie once it's finished!)

Peaks and Troughs

I don't know about you, fellow knit-fans, but I sometimes go through phases of not wanting to knit. I know <judgemental silence>, I know. It doesn't happen often and never lasts long but, occasionally, I'll have a spell where I sew or draw or make jewellery of an evening instead of knit. Which is what I've been doing since my last post.

Thankfully, the Skirt of Doom appears to be working. So I have conquered that demon, if only temporarily. I know that I should press on with it before I forget all over again how to do it, but it has been resigned to the UFO pile in my craft cupboard (probably because I can't really knit it and do anything else at the same time - impossible with a tiny hurricane running around).

Now though, the trough seems to be passing and I have come out of it eager to knit CONSTANTLY! First of all, I knitted a couple of Anna Hrachovec's Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi  (Potter Craft, 2011) just to scratch the knit-itch as quickly as possible with maximum satisfaction. I remember her posting a picture of the tiny hot dog and falling in love with it, so I started with that. I also made the cupcake and then a bunny and lion (slightly altered by me, I must admit.)

I also made these cute guys for Easter.

I then moved on to making a hat for my beautiful friend's birthday, although more of that when it's not a surprise.

Knitting is doing me a favour at the moment, too. My little boy is having trouble getting to sleep alone so I have been sat knitting in his room as he drifts off. It's fast becoming my favourite time of the day and I'm getting so much done.

At this rate, I may even pick up the Skirt of Doom and crack on with that.