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February 20, 2005
They look so harmless...
Pictured at right is a small, harmless-looking medieval torture device. Give it to a beginning knitter and say that it is used to knit small tubular things, like mittens, in the round. Watch as said knitter casts on and messes up a mitten 10 times before figuring out how the stupid things work.
There must be a better way. How about little tiny circular needles? Circular needles actually make knitting go faster because no rows are involved (you can knit FOREVER without thinking "just another row"). Part of the whole exercise of knitting seems to be to endure the same frustrations our (medieval) ancestors did. Isn't it time for a little technical innovation? The more I knit the more I learn, but the learning process is excruciating. You make half of something, then you rip it out and start all over again. And this doesn't seem to improve with experience -- the legendary Harlot is still plagued by the same problem. What was the POINT of all the concentration and focus you put into the first part? Was I learning anything? Getting some down time to think clearly why occupying my hands? Not really.
For me, knitting is procrastination. I don't have to think about it too much -- I just have to do it for hours and hours in order to gain any benefit. It's like playing poker for pennies. It fills up the time. It helps you feel like your life isn't totally pointless, and it's much more appealing than getting out of bed or dealing with the list of things you should really be doing instead. On a lighter note, it's also creative and can be really rewarding (I've made two tiny blankets, two and a half scarves, and a hat) but after my fight with double pointed needles yesterday, I'm a little resentful.
Posted by csageday at February 20, 2005 02:22 PM
Comments
See!?!?! I told you that if you keep knitting you will eventually have a mini breakdown and throw all of your supplies in the trash can as you storm out of the yarn-store class that you have already paid for and then your boyfriend will have to go and get it for you a half hour later because you'll be too embarrased to show your face there again.
Posted by: melissa at February 24, 2005 04:32 PM