Slowly but surely
Some projects seem to go on and on, like the Doctor Who scarf. That scarf easily took up a month’s worth of my time, and it was only garter stitch. I thought I’d pick something easy after that from my WIP pile. After scouring through it, though, I found all of my projects were temporarily abandoned because they felt endless.
Let’s take the scarf I finally decided to work on on Monday. I think that’s half the problem with my current WIP pile, too — too many scarves. On March 22nd, I cast on the Linen Stitch to the Rescue pattern by Audrey Knight using a mystery fingering weight yarn from my stash. I like to hold onto yarn until I find the exact project it needs to become, and this yarn screamed to be made into this scarf. I just didn’t take into account how long of a process a linen stitch scarf knit in fingering weight yarn would be when I started.
It’s now August 28th, and I’m closing in on two feet long. I try to pick up the project whenever I need something relatively mindless but that still needs a little focus, like waiting at doctors’ offices or just watching TV. I think I manage an inch each time I sit down with it, but I haven’t really measured that. All I know is that it feels like it never gets any longer.
The cure? My cure is to just take a deep breath and keep knitting. I distract my mind with something else, like TV, and let my hands work. I know that when this scarf is done, it’ll be one of my favorite pieces for so many reasons. I’ll remember the hard work and all the time it took to create, and I can admire how beautiful the yarn looks in this pattern. It’s just going to take some time.
Do you have projects like this? What’s your cure to beat the exhaustion of an endless project?
For the Knit of It 
I too am working on a linen stitch scarf and its at the point of “it will be finished someday”!
Oh yes, I have several “too long in the making”projects. One is a bit cat mat that needs to be knitted with yarn I’m not too excited about… and it needs to be big because it then gets felted. Ugh… it will get done, eventually, but not if I don’t work on it 🙂
I feel that way about the sequel I am writing to Crossing The Line. It just goes on and on! My other ‘projects are now on hold.
I either hide them and proceed with denial or join a FAL (finish a long) so that I have motivation to power through the boring
i plod along regardless…boring i know. but it gets the project finished eventually! good luck & yes i agree, it will be one of your favourites when its done.
No cure yet! If a project feels super-exhaustive, I just set mini-goals for daily progress…like as long as I get at least 5 rows done each day, I’ll be happy.
But if a project loses the “fun”, I tend to just stop and (if I don’t abandon ship) re-design the project or add a variation to freshen things up for me! I love the scarf you’re making, by the way. The yarn/pattern is gorgeous!
When I get bored with a project I just start a new one. Then I will go back to the other.
The linen stitch is so pretty — your scarf will be gorgeous! I too have similar projects sitting around, like my very first knit cardigan. 😦
I am working on a garter stitch blanket with some yarn that is really touchy. I tried to crochet with it, but that was a no go. I have too many stitches on my needles, and it is so heavy that it makes my hands fall asleep after doing a row or two. I feel like the old woman in the Native American story who is knitting to the end of the world, it will never be finished.
lol – I did a linen stitch scarf this summer in lace weight – for crying out loud, it took FOREVER! – so I can totally relate. I finally just refused to work on anything else except that until it was done. One of the next projects I did was a loose open knit scarf, and it practically flew by. I think that is the trick – alternate the endless projects with the fast easy ones. And Hannah is right, it will be gorgeous. You will love it. I love mine, and (almost) can’t wait for the weather to get cooler so I can wear it.
With linen stitch I stick to dishcloths and facecloths – otherwise my head would explode. Good luck on your endeavor and imagine how sweet it’ll be when it is finished!
I like to work on those projects while watching TV. If marking your progress is encouraging, you could try putting a safety pin where you start each time to see how much you get done.
I think we all have projects like this. But you have the right attitude in knowing that it will be a wonderful finished item that you will love when finished. Keep on knitting 🙂 You will get there.
If a project starts to wear on me, I remind myself that finishing isn’t the point. I knit to knit, not to get a finished product. Sure, there’s always a sense of satisfaction at having made something beautiful and useful when I’ve finished a project, but I’m actually knitting to enjoy the process of making it. The creating is the important part, not the creation.
I thought my scarf was taking so long as I am such a slow knitter.
I just smile and keep on knitting.