I am knitting for the first time in about 20 years. I saw this yarn that I paid too much for and a pattern I thought I could do. (I never been one for complicated patterns.)
It took me about three rounds of the repeating pattern to get it right, and then I reversed it or something, but I have got it now and it no longer feels hard. It is a shawl/scarf, it is for me, and I made the executive decision not to start over. I use wheelchair full time so if I am wearing it, no one will notice that one end is sort of screwed up.
I have made one. I frogged it about seven times. I won’t be making another - if that’s how emotional support feels, I’ll push through on my own thanks…
I actually bought the pattern, read through it, and promptly went looking (and found) an easier, simpler chicken knitting pattern. I've knit a lot of complex knitting over the years, but I could sense doom the second I looked at it! ha! :-S
It is absolutely okay to start a project and decide 'this isn't working for me right now.' I haven't been tempted by the chicken, but some years ago I jumped (or attempted to) on the Christmas gnome bandwagon. I selected my minis and started on the little fellow. And I enjoyed it, sort of. But them I decided to knit a project with a seasonal calendar I was opening, and threw in a couple of last minute gift knits, and found I didn't really care to go back to it. It is waiting for its time. Maybe this year, maybe never. And I'm totally okay with that. I treat books the same way. All in their time.
I’m so glad that someone else has the same difficulty at night! I usually have to put the knitting down by 8 so I don’t have to rip out a whole section the next day! Would love the pattern for the support snake!!!
I applaud your decision to abandon knitting your chicken. There are some things you simply must struggle through with faith that the pain and effort are worth it—my current course of physical therapy comes to mind. But knitting a chicken? Just because "everybody else" did? No. If there is no pleasure in the knitting, it's time to move on to a project that brings you joy. Simple stitches, delicious yarn, and glorious colors.
As an avid knitter I am totally with you! If knitting is a hobby it is supposed to be fun and relaxing!
I have not knitted the Emotional support chicken, although I ofcourse have the pattern in my pipe-line. 😉But thanks for the heads up. This is not a pattern for a foggy brain.
Its definitely okay to stop and take a break when things are getting to be too much. It should definitely be a fun activity. However I would encourage you to consider once you finish knitting your emotional support chicken to put a rubber chicken inside. It would give the most delightful squeezes.
I loved reading this. Honestly you had me at "emotional support chicken" but I kept reading because feel all too acutely the sting of disappointment in being defeated by seemingly simple patterns. I tried knitting a supposedly adorable teddy bear but gave up. I think animals are much more difficult to knit than people let on. Conspiracy?
It’s certainly not TV knitting but I enjoyed making mine. Stitch makers do help to mark the w&t points as they are difficult to spot in garter stitch and this does reduce the need to count quite so much. But if you are not enjoying a project my advice is normally to put it in the naughty corner and cast on something new. You may feel inspired to complete it in a few months
Thanks for relating this with lightness and humor, Louise, it was exactly what I needed to read this morning--not about knitting per se, but about writing! I keep starting and stopping my Substack, and I look to you as a role model of joyful writing about something you love. Thanks for the reminder that we don't always have to keep slogging on, we can change things up! :)
I saw some adorable knitted rabbits at the start of the year and wanted to make a pair but they're so fiddly! No chance of knitting and zoning out so I'm afraid there is the start of one on the needles which hasn't been touched in months.
I love the idea of knitted animals, they always look so cute. But I should know better by now - my patience levels aren’t best suited to the level of fiddliness required 🤣
A good knitting friend said ‘there are no knitting police, if you want to start something else do’. Makes a lot of sense - as you said it’s a hobby to enjoy (when you are not in work mode).
I have three cartons in my yarn closet with half done projects that turned out to be beyond my patience & willing ness to complete. Thank you for naming the haunting fear that I am somehow shirking off when not knitting something that frustrated and aggravated me. Going to look them over and then reclaim the yarn for other uses!
I am knitting for the first time in about 20 years. I saw this yarn that I paid too much for and a pattern I thought I could do. (I never been one for complicated patterns.)
It took me about three rounds of the repeating pattern to get it right, and then I reversed it or something, but I have got it now and it no longer feels hard. It is a shawl/scarf, it is for me, and I made the executive decision not to start over. I use wheelchair full time so if I am wearing it, no one will notice that one end is sort of screwed up.
I'm so pleased you have come back to knitting. May you have many happy hours ahead of you
I'm with you all the way with your idea of a simple emotional support snake! I laughed out loud when I read your thoughts on that. xx
And on the plus side in our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint we'll acquire a handy draught excluder for the front door 🤣
I might be too tempted to start whipping that thing around.
I have made one. I frogged it about seven times. I won’t be making another - if that’s how emotional support feels, I’ll push through on my own thanks…
Ha! This feels very relatable for me right now. I don't know why I thought something with so much counting and W&Ts would be relaxing.
I actually bought the pattern, read through it, and promptly went looking (and found) an easier, simpler chicken knitting pattern. I've knit a lot of complex knitting over the years, but I could sense doom the second I looked at it! ha! :-S
Yes, I had similar thoughts and ignored them - I should have known better 🤣
It is absolutely okay to start a project and decide 'this isn't working for me right now.' I haven't been tempted by the chicken, but some years ago I jumped (or attempted to) on the Christmas gnome bandwagon. I selected my minis and started on the little fellow. And I enjoyed it, sort of. But them I decided to knit a project with a seasonal calendar I was opening, and threw in a couple of last minute gift knits, and found I didn't really care to go back to it. It is waiting for its time. Maybe this year, maybe never. And I'm totally okay with that. I treat books the same way. All in their time.
I hear you and… Good on you!!! Recently I have found a number of projects that I hated knitting.
OMG.....a wonky chicken!!!!! i'm losing it here!!!!! lololol
personally, i like my chicken in the soup pot!!!!! lmao
I’m so glad that someone else has the same difficulty at night! I usually have to put the knitting down by 8 so I don’t have to rip out a whole section the next day! Would love the pattern for the support snake!!!
I applaud your decision to abandon knitting your chicken. There are some things you simply must struggle through with faith that the pain and effort are worth it—my current course of physical therapy comes to mind. But knitting a chicken? Just because "everybody else" did? No. If there is no pleasure in the knitting, it's time to move on to a project that brings you joy. Simple stitches, delicious yarn, and glorious colors.
Exactly. I might come up back to it at some point. Or might not 🤣
As an avid knitter I am totally with you! If knitting is a hobby it is supposed to be fun and relaxing!
I have not knitted the Emotional support chicken, although I ofcourse have the pattern in my pipe-line. 😉But thanks for the heads up. This is not a pattern for a foggy brain.
Absolutely. It's a pattern for a clear head and time to focus
Its definitely okay to stop and take a break when things are getting to be too much. It should definitely be a fun activity. However I would encourage you to consider once you finish knitting your emotional support chicken to put a rubber chicken inside. It would give the most delightful squeezes.
I loved reading this. Honestly you had me at "emotional support chicken" but I kept reading because feel all too acutely the sting of disappointment in being defeated by seemingly simple patterns. I tried knitting a supposedly adorable teddy bear but gave up. I think animals are much more difficult to knit than people let on. Conspiracy?
I think there's a real skill in getting animals to look cute and not demonic (a skill I don't think I have, sadly)
It’s certainly not TV knitting but I enjoyed making mine. Stitch makers do help to mark the w&t points as they are difficult to spot in garter stitch and this does reduce the need to count quite so much. But if you are not enjoying a project my advice is normally to put it in the naughty corner and cast on something new. You may feel inspired to complete it in a few months
Thanks for relating this with lightness and humor, Louise, it was exactly what I needed to read this morning--not about knitting per se, but about writing! I keep starting and stopping my Substack, and I look to you as a role model of joyful writing about something you love. Thanks for the reminder that we don't always have to keep slogging on, we can change things up! :)
PS An emotional support snake sounds awesome!
Oh wow, such kind words. Thanks so much, I really appreciate you saying that.
I saw some adorable knitted rabbits at the start of the year and wanted to make a pair but they're so fiddly! No chance of knitting and zoning out so I'm afraid there is the start of one on the needles which hasn't been touched in months.
I love the idea of knitted animals, they always look so cute. But I should know better by now - my patience levels aren’t best suited to the level of fiddliness required 🤣
A good knitting friend said ‘there are no knitting police, if you want to start something else do’. Makes a lot of sense - as you said it’s a hobby to enjoy (when you are not in work mode).
I have three cartons in my yarn closet with half done projects that turned out to be beyond my patience & willing ness to complete. Thank you for naming the haunting fear that I am somehow shirking off when not knitting something that frustrated and aggravated me. Going to look them over and then reclaim the yarn for other uses!
Yay, I love this. Free the yarn! And yourself.