I have been knitting for a long time and while I am not a fast knitter, I am an obsessed knitter. (Big surprise there to anyone who knows me) I have often thought that if I could knit faster, I could knit more.
Recently, I went to the Make 1 retreat at Kananaskis and signed up for a class with Stephanie Pearl MacPhee AKA the Yarn Harlot. I signed up for the class not knowing what the topic was going to be so I was very excited to find out that it was a class on Knitting for Speed and Efficiency.
After a timing my knitting, I quickly realised that, yes, I am average. I spent the day examining my technique and learning new techniques to speed up my knitting. Stephanie insisted that if we practised for 15 minutes every day, after 28 days we would feel comfortable with the new techniques and be able to knit faster. This may be the longest 28 days of my life.
I am now undecided if I really do want to knit faster. I am comfortable with the way I knit and do accomplish a fair number of projects(see sidebar for 2008 list)
With the alternate techniques, my ability to knit evenly has disappeared.
My shoulders are sore and I'm missing shows on TV because I have to watch what my hands are doing.
I knit in my usual way for 16 hours on Sunday and only managed to get through 30 rows on this. I was sure I was going to be able to finish it but I didn't complete it until Monday.
Yes I know there are many, many stitches in those final rows of a triangular shawl but I really thought I should be able to finish it faster.
I have more projects with deadlines on them. I will admit that they are deadlines that I have set in my own warped brain and they can be delayed...especially if I see a new project that insists that I cast on immediately.
I was looking at my Stash this morning and it actually made me sad, knowing that there are so many wonderful yarns that I want to knit but that I don't have enough time to knit everything that I want to knit.
If I learn how to knit faster, I can finish more projects, but will I enjoy the process.
Oh Hell....I think I'll just go bake a batch of muffins and avoid the whole issue. Banana chocolate chips muffins solve all the problems.
