Metaphorically speaking ONLY. I will clean the house, nay I’ll organize the SHIT out of the house and it will be a heavenly palace (cleanliness being next to godliness and all) but not yet. Baby steps. Itty bitty baby steps.
By the way, to clear up a few things from yesterday: I am fully aware of the goodness a cleaning person can offer me. I grew up with a cleaning lady. She came every other week and her name was Althea and she used to smoke. IN OUR HOUSE. Which when I think about it now is extraordinary. For years the smell of clean to me was cigarette smoke mixed with Lysol. Things were very different back then. My mother would pick her up at the train in the morning and she would eat breakfast and lunch at our house. Breakfast was toast and coffee, I think, I could be making it all up, but probably not and lunch was always a TV Dinner. God I wanted those TV Dinners. It seemed like such a treat. SNORT! Little did I know I’d be subsisting on frozen meals for most of my adult life. HA!
Anyway, I come from a long line of terrible housekeepers – and we fully admit and embrace our defect – and hired my own cleaning lady. When we moved into our new apartment (god EIGHT years ago!), which had 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and an office, along with the requisite kitchen, living room, dining room I told G we needed a cleaning person. Let’s just say that when we moved out of our old one bedroom/one bath the word squalor was used by our landlord. In my defence he was being prickly, but it was pretty bad. So we had a cleaning woman for five long years and then by mutual decision our time together ended. Turns out cleaning people are in short supply around here unless you want to pay through the nose or hire a “team” of people. I just want someone to come every other week and clean my house better than I would clean it myself. I’m willing to pay. Anyway – the house got so bad that we couldn’t hire a cleaning person any more without totally rehauling the house. I actually have a name, but I’ve got the get the house in order. So there’s that.
One other thing. The Oprah debacle. In my post yesterday I did not mean to imply that I was defending Frey in any way. The guy lied – and not only did he lie – he lied about stuff that was easily verifiable. In my mind he WANTED to get caught. I mean there’s a big freaking difference between three MONTHS in jail and three HOURS. And dude – you know – they keep RECORDS about that stuff. Now I’m sure his three hours FELT like three months, but still. A good writer could’ve conceivably evoked that feeling without the actual lie. No, my defense was more for Nan Talese and MEMOIR as a form. Given the dressing down poor Ms. Talese received from Oprah – don’t you check EVERY FACT in the book? Well, again, I renew my argument that MEMOIR is about memory – which is never wholly accurate. I think Oprah’s call for fact-checkers in every corner (and I think fact-checkers are very important – one of my favorite jobs EVER) is unnecessary and needlessly alarmist.
Okay. Back to what I really want to talk about today. Cleaning House. My knitting house. I said yesterday I was bored and I’m still bored. I didn’t spin yesterday. I didn’t knit really either. But I did read some of Barbara Walker’s Knitting from the Top Down. What a GREAT idea! How come no one told me what a GREAT IDEA knitting from the top down was? I want to make another Almost Everyday Cardigan. My Manos one pilled beyond belief so I never wear it – that and the fact that it’s like a guaranteed sauna and the weather is just not cold enough. I want another sweater I can ACTUALLY wear every day and never take off and will be like the sweatshirt that I wear constantly that is now so gross I’ve taken to wearing G’s because his is softer and nicer and rarely gets worn. Anyway, I went through the stash and took out some of my Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed that I have. Remember when this stuff was practically being given away on Elann? Yeah. I bought a shitload. So I started to swatch.
I know. About fifteen rows in I got bored. BUT I love the fabric this yarn makes. Have you ever knit with it before? It’s sticky, for lack of a better word, but soft and in the end the fabric – especially a stockinette fabric – feels like a great sweatshirt. I’m so making this! Top Down Raglan Cardigan. Because I can’t do pullovers. I want to cast on THIS MINUTE.
And then I remembered all the other crap I’m supposed to be making. Here’s where we get to cleaning house. I should’ve done this back in January but better late than never. I’m going to list my projects – the ones I’m giving up on – the ones I’m in the middle of and don’t want to turn back – and the ones I have every intention of making. Then I’m going to look at it and cry.
Stuff That’s GOT to GO!!
(Or at least come off the sidebar.)
Nona’s Gloves. Welp, the KAL is over and I hate the glove I’ve got so far. So rip, rip, rip.
Noro Silk Garden Wrap. I see a Lady Eleanor in my future. Not 100% sure of this though.
Ribby Cardi. All the pieces are neatly in the bag and I can honestly say I will never seam them up. This is the deal: I don’t like ribbing and more importantly, I will never knit with a yarn I HATE again. Peruvian Highland Wool doomed this project for me. KILLED it. Oh I don’t know. Never say never, but I’m saying maybe never.
Cuba Libre Socks. I found out that I despise purling in socks. Funny because I really love to purl otherwise, but I hate purling in the round, maybe? The Retro Rib pattern, while easy on the eyes, was INCREDIBLY tedious. The sock that’s on the needles will be ripped, as soon as I can find it. (Oh and Kay – if you click on the link for this entry and scroll down you’ll see the Army picture.)
Sunshine Socks. This is another case of I hate the yarn. One sock is done and one is on the needles and while I won’t be ripping these, I will be putting them away somewhere so they’re not sitting on the floor next to my bed taunting me. I started knitting these B.STR. (Before Socks That Rock) and you know – the yarn feels like crap compared. CRAP.
Pinwheel Baby Blanket. This will be done before Eli’s Bar Mitzvah. But I don’t like it. And I feel bad about it because it’s a great pattern and a great yarn and I don’t know why it doesn’t work for me but I’m sick of seeing it in the sidebar every time I come to my blog. So it’s going. But not being ripped.
Stuff I’ve Started and I’m DEFINITELY Going to Finish
Powell 106. Lace shawl – I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately – thinking it might be just the thing to get me out of my boredom. I will for sure finish this at some point.
Prairie Blanket. Hopefully this will be finished for Xavier’s first birthday – but I’m not promising anything honey pie.
Wendy’s Warm Hands Mittens. This is just
stupid because one’s done and one is half done and in a couple of hours I’d have a pair. I’m an ass.
Jaywalker Socks. I’ve currently got three socks finished for three different pairs. One mate is to the heel, one mate is in the cuff. I plan to have a pair of these in STR on the needles at all times. Of course I will.
Okay – now here’s where things get hairy….
Stuff I TOTALLY Want to Make and Goddamnit I WILL!
Crossed In Translation Cardigan. I’m almost ready to start swatching. G’s going to be gone a lot this weekend so I thought I might take the alone time to work out the charts in Excel so I can start to swatch and get a handle on the project. Also, I’m hoping SOMEONE will swatch some of the VY yarn I bought so I can know if it’s worth swatching. I so totally want this yarn to be IT.
Pirate Mittens. I’m making these for the Knit Olympics. Yarn has been ordered (Neon Pink and Navy Blue Dale of Norway Falk) and should be here this weekend. Defeat is not an option.
Jo Sharp Top Down Raglan Cardigan. See above.
Dad’s Sweater. I’ve got the yarn. Have to put the pattern together, but I will knit this for my father. Someday.
Diamond Fantasy Shawl 2.0. In black STR with beads in the center of the Diamonds. I think about this all the time!
Sockapalooza Socks. Looking for patterns as we speak.
My So Called Scarf. To match the Warm Hands Mittens. This is iffy. I’m not good at scarfs. I get bored super quick. But I want this set badly, so we’ll see.
Elizabeth Bag. I’ve got some gorgeous RED Donegal Tweed in the stash for this. It will happen. Sometime in my life.
Okay. Not as bad as I thought. These are the projects I think about all the time. There are others I promised and am trying to ignore. As well as others I keep in the back of my mind. And of course all those unknown patterns out there dying to be knit by me, I just don’t know it yet. 😉 Ahh. The life of a knitter.
Time to go procrastinate some more. Have a FANTASTIC weekend.
L, C
Wow, that’s a lot of projects Cara! I only have a Noro cardigan and the Jaywalker socks. 2 projects!
BTW, the socks are 1/2 done. All that’s left is the foot. I’m knitting 2 socks at the same time using magic loop. Interesting. I’ve also posted a tutorial on that. Just FYI.
When Claudia had her party we were encouraged to not only bring yarn we didn’t want anymore but also unfinished projects, etc. Maybe you could do something like that at that thing you mentionned yesterday – with those projects that have got to go. Someone might want to finish something. Just a thought.
And, I frogged my half finished Einstein coat las weekend and it felt fantastic! So glad to be rid of that project!
I don’t come from a long line of bad housekeeepers. I just am a bad housekeeper. However, someone told me I should organize(or clean) just one thing a day (doesn’t matter how big or small). This actually seems to be working for me
I have housecleaners… and could like without them!
I’m making the pirate mittens – they are FREAKING AWESOME. You’ll have a blast working with them over the olympics.
Those are a lot of project. I’m not sure I could keep track of that many. I guess instead of doing a stash buster, you could do a project buster along. It could replace the jaywalker knitalong, if you’re feeling bored now that it is finished 🙂
You were the cutest soldierbaby ever. xox Kay
Der. Mistyped. Meant couldn’t live without house cleaners!
Whew. I feel tired just reading your list… But top-down is completely wonderful, I will agree. 🙂
Too bad about the Silk Garden wrap. I think it looked great. I like all of Barbara Walker’s PAUSE… CONTINUE… Very cute.
mmmm, tweedy Jo Sharp goodness! I just finished a top-down cardigan (Knitting Pure & Simple) … I love those patterns. I knit a lot of sweaters from the top down, as I hate seaming. I can do it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
I used the Jo Sharp to make my Eris and it is a lovely yarn. It pills a bit (but is also easily shavable–my yarn shaver is my best new knitting tool).
I made Rogue with the Aran weight version and it is like a big old sweatshirt. You will love this yarn for your cardigan.
Holy, holy. I love your memory of your childhood cleaning lady. When my daughter was small, the “smell” of “Debbie Was Here” (our cleaning lady) was lemon oil. One day *I* used the lemon oil when Abigail was away. When she came home and came through the door, she took a sniff and said, “Is Debbie here?!” I could have died. But Debbie was awesome. I miss her so dearly. But I gave her up for the tuition money. And I’d do it all again in a heartbeat, squalor or no.
That is one HELLUVA long list of WIPs and to-dos. Now I feel a teensy bit better. Although I have not really sat down and written the “I wish fors” yet.
Oh no! I loved the color of that Manos cardi.
I think that’s a totally manageable list — a bunch of small-to-medium projects with minimal finishing, a few larger or more intricate pieces. If you do some Olympic Trials by finishing the Wendy mittens (you’re almost there!) before opening ceremonies, you’ll have at least two FOs this month (and maybe Short Rows, too? Please??).
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am just not a good housekeeper. And I’m ok with that, because there are a bajillion other things that I enjoy more than cleaning the house. My MIL cannot sit still, she’s always wiping something or sweeping the floors and washing clothes or folding clothes and I just can’t envision spending my life that way. I enjoy sitting on my ass and knittng.
I finished my Ribby Cardi in PHW and love the Cardi but HATE the yarn, too. It’s crap! That made me realize cheap yarn isn’t worth buying.
My house truly looks like yours. We do a little here and there and I do have a cleaning lady who keeps things sanitary. The problem is she doesn’t deep clean and neither do I, sigh.
Listing things will help you see what you really do want to stick with. I keep a little book with everything listed and check it off as it’s finished. If something sits for more than a month I just frog it or give it away. No guilt…do what feels right, good and is fun. Knitting is about having fun!
Cleaning-the more I clean the messier my house gets. It’s some sort of plot. Cleaning and my job interfere with my crafting, sigh. Thanks for sharing all your projects finished and unfinished. Lots of great ideas and yarns there:)
I’ve had this same list floating around my head for some time now, maybe this weekend I’ll make it “real” and write it down! 🙂 Don’t you love how you have to clean so you can have a cleaning lady? That always perplexed me as a child when my grandmother did that, but now it makes total sense to me.
Keep the Silk Garden wrap–it’s gorgeous and will be warm and so useful! or send it to me 😉 Seriously, I can see how it would be tedious knitting but I still vote suck it up and finish it. I just think it is so beautiful and you’ll get a lot of wear out of it.
you rock! made my day! ‘nuf said. 😉
Ah, the never-ending and ever-changing list. Good luck with your projects and with the house cleaning.
The thing i love about knitting and blogging (reading more than writing) is that you can renew your love of knitting and share your frustration at not finishing things or not liking the way they come out – all the while realizing you’re not alone!
Glad you “cleaned house” – I’m sure it feels better to have done so. I love your prospective knits! esp. my so called scarf! def going on my list too.
to echo another commenter… “YOU ROCK!”
My So Called Scarf is an interesting knit, for a scarf. There’s something really satisfying about the way it feels to knit it – kind of like a heel flap feeling. It does take a while to make progress, because you’re kind of going sideways – like tacking in a sailboat.
Chica we can put the ASS in procrASStination together.
In the end the only way I was able to get through my end was to 1. put down the knitting (BLASPHEMY) 2. Turn OFF the TV (painful in a way- and oddly, not in another!) 3. Make a MANAGABLE list of things to do 4. Get things done and say “WHERE’S MY GOLD STAR BITCH” 🙂
In the end it paid off. I have a relatively clean flat (I moved the hair pile behind the bathroom door two weekends ago- people coming over- does AMAZING things for a girl 🙂 and I got to pick the knitting back up when I had the Knit and Knosh at my place!
Now if only it wasn’t so repetative that whole cleaning thing. Not exactly worth it to get a cleaning lady for 19 sq meters (190 sq ft…)
Bises!
It takes a brave person to face her knitting stash projects like that.
I’m working on it, I’m working on it! 🙂
Send me ribby. I’ll seam it for you and then you can decide if you like it. If you don’t, I get to keep it. 😉
that purling thing is so weird. i’m exactly the same. purling in the round = evil. no idea why.
Yeah – but if we’re going to give Frey a bad time, well then, someone should go throw some tomatoes at Thoreau, too…he was a BIG liar.
My mom always made us clean the house before the cleaning lady got there which is probably why I don’t see the point of having one. 😉
I thought you made some very good points about memoirs and the whole Oprah debacle. Not to defend Frey, but the whole Oprah thing is about Oprah rather than Frey directly. Oprah acts as if all memoirs now need to have annotations at every juncture explaining that “2 weeks” was really “17 days”, etc.
Back to knitting: Boy, that’s alot of projects. I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Why, oh why did you have to utter the word.. *hushed whisper* elann? I was doing so good.. I only have 3 yarn packages in the mail. And then you said it. And of course it typed itself into my browser, and off we went.. and I saw the Peruvian Collection stuff… all of it. And I’m think I’m going to die because I can’t order it. But hubby’s not here.. I tell myself.. he won’t know.. until I have 20 friggin balls of beautiful, luscious yarn mysteriously make its way into my stash.No, he won’t know.. until next week.
*sobs*
Wait.. I reread this entry. Word for word. Peruvian Highland Wool is bad? Bad, you say? So.. I’m free.. so I don’t have to order it. I’m okay. As long as I forget about the Peruvian Alpaca stuff, I’ll be alright. Yes, that’s it. Just forget about the alpaca.
See, this is the BIG difference between knitters and weavers. Weavers have ONE (OK, maybe 2)looms and to get to the next project you have to a) finish the one on the loom OR b) abandon it and cut it off—only done if the yarn is shredding before your eyes or some other catastrophe. Knitters have unlimited number of needles, and you can always buy more…. So, a weaver becoming a knitter is (from my own personal experience) more likely to complete the item on the 1 set of needles (this means a full pair of socks) before beginning another project (even if it results in one pair of socks every 6 months). I think I would be overwhelmed into catatonia with as many projects as you have!!! Not saying one is better than another (I have been known to take MONTHS to get something off the loom if I didn’t care for it…) Different approaches by folks who love fiber.
I like the ribby cardi! Don’t frog it!
Wasn’t everyone crazy about the Peruvian Highland wool last year? I haven’t used it yet, but I planned to try it at some time. Glad to know it may not be worth my time!
Hi Cara! This is probably my first time leaving a comment. I’m not a big fan of the Peruvian Wool either. If you don’t like the ribby cardi maybe you should give it to someone else to seam up and then donate it to a charity. I’m sure someone out there is in need of a warm sweater.
Hey, you know it clicked with me when you said you were bored and then the next you listed all the projects you want to do. I get “restless bored” when I have so much to do that I don’t know where to start and it becomes almost overwhelming to me! Yikes your list is as long as mine and so I sure can relate my friend! Sometimes what works for me is to focus on one or two things only and tackle those and finish them or ditch them but iow, make a decision about them and then move on to the next. Now this has proved to be fateful for some projects as they get the “big hook” as my bro would call it but others get finished and I can “check them off my list”, whew!
Knit ON in faith Cara, you rock and so does your blog, your honesty and the way you write..love, love love it!
chat soon
Wow. What a list! Some beautiful things there. I love the pics of your first Diamond Fantasy Shawl. That one is on my “to knit” list for this year (as a gift actually). I’m thrilled to see how beautifully yours worked up – and to read how much you like it. (I’m planning to try it out of Koigu unless I change my mind. That’s a bit thicker, but I’m guessing it would still work.)