Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Commuter Knitter - Finish-a-long

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts the other day, Commuter Knitter, and she mentioned the idea of doing a knit along (called a KAL in the knitting world) for finishing all those projects that have been languishing on the needles for awhile. Now as a listener with three projects that seem to be taking forever and a day, coming up on fall when I'd like to actually be wearing them...that sounded like a great idea to me!

Here is Jen's introduction to the as yet to be named "-along," but which I've been calling a finish-a-long (a FAL?) in my own head, as follows in her ravelry group:

Do you need some extra motivation to finish some of those languishing WIPs off the needles? Did you start a KAL and then run out of steam when you didn’t finish by the end-date? Have you found a long-lost project that fell behind the couch? Or do you get distracted by the shiny to cast on ALL the things? Then feel free to join us for a year-end finish-along.
Guidelines:
WIPs should have been started prior to 9/1/2014 and finished between 9/9/2014 and 12/31/2014
One post per person in this thread - just add all of your FOs to the post
Please include a photo and a link to your project page with all the details of your project
Feel free to double/triple/whatever dip into other KALs as applicable
Prizes will be drawn just after 1/1/2015. More details to come.
 So basically, get motivated to finish the things I've been working on anyway, and have a chance to win a prize? Well ok!

Here's the status report on my never-ending works in progress. All 3 were started back in June, so I guess maybe they haven't been going on forEVER....but it still feels long. Note to self, don't cast on so many things at EXACTLY the same time!


I've been putting the most effort in recently on the Wonderful Wallaby sweater. I joined the sleeves last week, so all that's left is to knit the shoulders, collar and hood.


As for my troubled Bleecker Street Cardigan, which I would LOVE to have finished, I'm mad at it again. The sleeves and back are finished, so I just have the fronts to go. I absolutely would have started them....but I noticed ANOTHER MISTAKE on the sleeves. Argh! Why does this stitch pattern keep biting me?! I got one stitch off again, right at the decreases. I pretend I can't decide if it matters enough to rip them back....but it totally bothers me and I probably will. Bright side I guess is that it's on the decreases....so the rows are getting shorter. Still annoying, still can't believe I biffed it up again.


The last project is just a simple pair of socks. They aren't anything exciting, but I'd just like to have them finished! It's getting cold little by little, and I can't wait to wear them!


Now, the only snag in my finishing plan is that knit season is heating up, and so is my Etsy shop! I'm starting to get the first orders of my busy season rolling in, so I've got some business orders on the needles and those always come first. (These are the always popular cottage slipper socks - they are seriously the coziest thing!) I don't mind it at all of course - it's exciting and flattering every time someone chooses me out of all the hundreds of shops out there! It just means that I have to knit like the wind!


7 comments:

  1. I tried to knit many years ago and my boys looke like little orphans in my sweaters I did for them. I am a crochet gal cause those needles just don't jive with me. You do a beautiful job - I am totally envious.

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    1. Thank you! I crocheted first - knitting took a while to really click for me

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  2. Wow! You are so talented! I would love to get into knitting. It seems like it would be so relaxing!

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    1. It is! Once you get the hang of it of course. I remember having such tense shoulders because I was holding everything so tightly at the beginning!

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  3. Such great stuff you knit! I tried knitting years ago and enjoyed it, although I never made more than a pot holder! I wouldn't even remember how to do it anymore!

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  4. I have NO attention span when it comes to knitting! But occasionally I get on this kick, and can knit something big in a couple hours, other times I can't knit more than two rows all day. HOW do you motivate yourself to knit things to sell?? lol

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    1. Because it allows me to watch all the netflix I want guilt free - I'm not a couch potato, I'm being PRODUCTIVE!!! Haha. Really I just love it. I love the process and showing off my work, so that's where the sales stuff comes in, and I love having and giving cool things that have had a lot of time and love put into them. Switching back and forth between personal and Etsy projects keeps it interesting for me!

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