Frustration

Bank holiday weekend comes with the gift of an extra day's respite from ordinary life, so I didn't expect to feel frustrated today, but I am.

See these stitches in all their gorgeousness. Part of my attempt at a shrug which is finished, but doesn't fit. Before casting on, I knew the amount of yarn I had was a bit on the skimpy side, but I figured if I knitted faster, it would be enough. Stretch the space-time continuum or something . It looks lovely, just not on me. Actually, probably not on anyone who doesn't resemble a weeble.

The thing that distresses me the most is that the time invested in making it has been wasted. Spare hours are the most precious commodity as I try to shoehorn everything I want to do and need to accomplish into the allotted 24/7.

Megan was right the other day, what I need is a wife.

Comments

[tiel]

can you give your knitted frustration to anyone? don't let it ruin your holiday. write yourself a list and if be happy if you achieve half of it.

[Momma Pajama]

What is it with the "if I ignore it, it doesn't exist" mentality?! I do that too! Oh, well - chalk it up to experience and move on. Looks like you're doing beautiful work! ((Hugs))

[Louise]

Yes, I've been there, too - knitted items that don't fit or else I just don't like, coupled with some appalling time management!Your shrug looks lovely - put it away and come back to it later. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and at least it's a short week until the next weekend!

[julia]

Time is such a precious thing I treat it like a gift given by the god of time - old father time. If it's used well, there's always enough. I find that people who waste their own time, have no qualms about wasting the time of others, which is why I now have a problem with working in offices!!

[miss chris]

I think I need a wife, too. :)

[kirsten]

i don't want a wife - i want an ALICE. like on brady bunch?

yeah, that'd be sweet.

[Dragonfly]

That's why I don't bother knitting myself clothes anymore - they just never fitted. Babies stuff, even kids stuff, seems to work. Now I just stick to more housey stuff...

[Kajsa]

I love the "if I knitted faster"-part :) I used to be a passionate knitter and I can assure you that 90% of the sweaters I made fitted no one. The strange thing is that I could easily knit a whole sweater, but never rip it up a bit to make it fit me better. I'd rather start on a new one. My most famous piece of work was an aran sweater (lots of work), aka the monkey costume, for T that was too short and had too long arms. My mum turned it into a bag last year after approx ten years in the closet.

[Helen]

Argh! That is horribly frustrating. I've done the same on many occasions - and yes, I always tell myself that the faster I knit the more likely it is to be okay. It's a beautiful piece of knitting.

Thanks for your comment on my Juliet cardie - you really should have a go. It's a really straightforward pattern and has the bonus factor that you can try it on as you go to check the sizing.

[julia]

I'm terribly impressed by anyone who can knit but I understand your frustration. I can't read patterns to save my life so I often guess the next step which inevitably ends up with the whole thing going wrong!
Julia x

[monica]

hey don't talk to me about not fitting items... do you have a very small sister/friend you can make very happy?

Your knitting is soooo regular and neat...

[Lesley]

Such a shame about your shrug as the knitting is beautiful. I've given up knitting anything other than scarves for me as they never look or fit like the pattern says they should!!
Ha ha - so nice to know I'm not the only one who speed knits when the wool is running out!!!

Good luck with finding a wife - keep me posted as I may need one too!!

I want to keep saying 'Would someone just...' but I keep forgetting I'm that someone and everyone else is far too busy (making balsa wood tanks!!!!!!!!) to help me with boring stuff like washing/ironing/cooking/cleaning etc etc!

xxx

[mary]

Oh Ali what a complete pain in the bum! My dream would be to have an Alice (Brady Bunch Alice) - a housekeeper! Which is pretty much inexcusable when I am home full time!

Or is it?

[June]

What a shame about your project. And your stitches look just beautiful.

I've seen that book but not read it. I hope it's helpful but I do indeed wish I had a "wife", too.

[lina]

You have my sympathies. The work/life/craft balance is trickier than I ancticipated. How frustrating to have made something so beautiful that doesn't fit. Any chance you could repurpose it somehow (felt perhaps?) which might make you feel that it wasn't a total waste of time and energy?

[blackbird]

I don't really knit but I am well versed in the theory of knitting faster to make up for less yarn...I do it with paint, or soap, or food...
If you follow me.

[Allison]

It looks like very beautiful work, too. Which, I suppose, makes it more of a shame. Could you add a band of rib or something around the bottom of it to make it more suitable?

[joanna]

Laughing at the title of the book. Is it even possible? Oy yoi yoi. I'm running mine with no help, but not very well, I'm afraid.

[alison]

Every time I cast on a project for me I swear this will be the one I wear. It is frustrating but I also enjoy the whole process of knitting and that helps. Time is a precious comodity so I understand how you feel.

[julie]

oh poo - there's nothing as frustrating as putting all that time in and not being able to reap the benefits! That's why I stopped knitting cardis for myself! I like the title of the book, does it have any pearls of wisdom?

[Kristy]

I need a wife aswell in fact maybe 2!
Seriously how can we ever get it all done?We can't, so why do we beat ourselves up about it?

[tracey petersen]

The time wasn't wasted - sounds to me like some valuable lessons were learnt.

(how annoying is that comment!!)

[dottycookie]

Argh, that is annoying. But thanks for the weeble memories. I used to make them swim then watch the water come out of their eyes like they were crying. That sounds odder than it seemed at the time!

[Lori]

aw, sorry about the shrug - the stitches really are beautiful though.

what i want is the old couple that used to help out around the farm (in novels and stories - not any farm i was personally acquainted with) - the wife was the cook and did the laundry, and the husband was the handyman. that would be awesome.

[Anna]

I followed you from Eleanor's blog out of curiousity - I really love your photo of the hors d'oevre!

[nuttnbunny]

nuttnhubby and I have frequently discussed our mutual need of a wife. Let us know if you find one :-)

Love that knit faster idea. Luckily all my friends are smaller than I so when I run short of yarn = instant giftie

everyone wins. :-)