Why is it that the most important part of a project can also be the most boring? For example; stringing the beads that will add the “WOW” factor to your project; swatching your yarn to make sure that you have the correct gauge; and in my case, knitting on the edging of a lace shawl!
My shawl Painted Butterflies needs an edging. I’ve found one I like. It looks great! On Saturday I got it started and knocked off 7 repeats of the edging (I need 33) and then started another project on Sunday and made sure that it would work out and went back to the edging on Sunday evening – I think that I might be working backwards! After 3 evenings of working on the edging I have only accomplished 8.5 more repeats – at this rate I’ll be knitting that edging for the next six days!
This is not the longest edging I’ve put on, nor will it be the last. But there is something about a lace edging – I even know what the “something” is – repetition!! It becomes incredibly boring, your (my) mind wanders and I start making stupid mistakes because I am not paying proper attention. Yes it is easy and repetitive, but it still requires some attention – it is lace after all and I am adding beads! But it is now at the boring stage – which takes twice as long as the interesting bits – if only in my head!
Have you noticed that the finishing of any project seems to take twice as long as the knitting part? I know that I am not the only knitter that feels that way – I talk to many in the store. They have projects all finished – the knitting anyway – and have never put them together or taken the final steps to finish, simply because those steps are not knitting, are boring knitting or they have lost interest in the project. The next projects is always more exciting, it is unknown and offers challenges or is simply a new colour or a new yarn to knit.
I am here to offer understanding. To share in the frustration of a project that is currently boring you silly, even though you know that when it is finished it will be the best one ever! So raise your needles to the best project ever and know that when you do get back to it – it will still be the best project ever!
Happy Knitting
Lynette
Dear Lynette,
you are such a brave and motivated knitter! I remember a tiny shawl I finished the other day. Nupps are the main design element on all the edges, and it was sooo fatiguing knitting 60 of them on one of the neckline rows… And many many more in all the other rows of the egdes…. But it was worth it – I will show pictures within the next couple of days.
Happy kniting
Martina
Hi Martina,
You are so right, knitting nupps are tedious, but the effect is gorgeous. I have been working on one of Nancy Bush’s shawl’s – the Madli shawl, off and on for the last couple of years! The nupps always slow me down! I will look for your pictures!
Happy Knitting
Lynette