Process versus product
I been thinking lately about whether process knitting verus product knitting. I think it's fair to claim that I am largely a product knitter - 11 pairs of socks and 11 sweaters as a yearly goal seems to indicate someone who is concerned with the endpoint more then the process. And some of the evidence holds up that conclusion; for example:
It's barely halfway through the month, and I've got 1.65 socks there. Not too shabby.
But on the other hand, it's T = -4 days to my theoretical River Run deadline, and I've got this:
The ribbing and almost 2 full pattern repeats of the body chart. That's it. There is no way this sweater is going to be done by the end of the month, much less by the deadline. And I'm ok with that. After deciding that I would enjoy this project rather then rushing through it, I'm finding that I actually am really enjoying it. The way the colors are coming together is working much better then I anticipated, and I really like the semi-arrowhead pattern. I find it very difficult sometimes to translate Fair Isle charts into actual knitting in my mind's eye, and it's always a relief to see what the chart looks like knitted up.
So I guess I'm enjoying my foray into process knitting. It's funny - I'm definitely a process spinner, as evidenced by the whopping pile of handspun sitting up in my guest room, but not so much with the knitting. It's nice to be able to sit down and knit a few rows each night (or each night that I don't fall asleep at 8:30, like last night) and see how the pattern is developing, how the colors blend in to each other, and not feel like I have to keep going when I get tired. Which is good, because with the new addition to the family, I've been getting waaaay less then my usual allotment of sleep. Good things he's so cute...
I guess the only two questions now are: when will it get done, and will my Dad like it? I might need to ask him that now before I get too much farther on, I think. If he doesn't like it, he can have something else and this can be IM's 40th birthday present - he's already made approving noises!