Saying YES to knitting...

The library is pushing saying YES to patrons.  This is all well and good, as long as the patron regularly returns their items and doesn't want to peek into their neighbors' account information!  Tease.  Really, it's all about customer service.

So far, my knitting has not been about customer service.  One commissioned item, and all the rest has been up to me to do or not.  It's freeing, in a way, but doesn't help me complete things.  Maybe I'll get that ribbon yarn purse finished for Christmas, maybe next Christmas!  Who cares!

Well, I do.  I'm horrible at start-itis, and it's rather unfulfilling to have so many works-in-progress languishing.  So, I thought, Michael's best friends' daughter is getting married, I'll offer to make her a lacy scarf!  Sure, it'll be after the wedding when it's done, but someone else will be counting on my work, and thus I will be motivated to Keep At It.

Of course, the entire week of the event, I'm sniffly and achy and in no condition to celebrate.  So, Michael takes this lovely book to the wedding:
I love that he got me this book.  It's beautiful, informative, and has some killer projects in it!  I just... didn't think he'd give the blushing bride free rein on the patterns!  A scarf, dear, just a scarf... nope.  She picked out the Queen Silvia shawl.  Almost 12 square feet of lacy delicate nuppy goodness.  To be completed in fine fine lacy yarn.

Oh, if I didn't love him so much... or think so much of the girl...

So I got him back.  He's gonna have to budget for me to use a cashmere blend yarn!  HAHAHAAAA!

Procrastination and Knitting

So, I'd set a goal for myself: finish five of these cute lil coffee mug sleeves for the Knitting Olympics (promoted by the Yarn Harlot). Get a little gold medal to put here on the blog!

It didn't work so well. I had a commitment to finish some mittens before I started the sleeves, and that went a week into the Olympics. Not to mention a trip to see my family! I'm never gonna turn down a chance to see little Jackson, my nephew. He's growing up too fast for me to risk not seeing him for long periods of time! I finished the mittens a week into the Olympics, and I have to say I'm very proud of them.

However, there always seems to be this downer effect after finishing a big gorgeous project. I think of it as the "Nothing Will Ever Match This" depression. I don't want to pick up needles and yarn for a while! This is a hobby, and I never want it to be like work. Not even when someone is paying me to make an item for them.

So, rather than push through and hate my project, I decided that this year was not going to be a successful Knitting Olympics for me. Next time, I can plan better and truly challenge myself with an awesome project for the Olympics. After all, an athlete has to train too, right?