WIP Wednesday: Don’t Tell Me I’m Crazy
For as long as I can remember, just over half a century give or take, I have had a running commentary in my head. I don’t know if this is “normal” or if it comes from years of spending time alone. I am an only child so entertaining myself was a necessity. The commentary isn’t a narration of what is going on but more of a continuous stream of thoughts that may or may not be related to what is happening at any given moment. On a day when I don’t feel like a 9 year old discovering physics while riding a bike without brakes down a steep hill, I feel like I’m still 15. You remember that gawky self conscience tripping over your own feet time. Yeah, most of the time I feel like that. So when I’m knitting something I often have thoughts racing through my mind and self doubt tends to be a theme.
Enter the current sock. It looks really nice. The yarn is pleasing and the pattern a fun knit. I really like the way the yarn looks when knit in this pattern. All good things but the thoughts disagree. The thoughts seem to think that the whole thing is some sort of joke. I have cast on 78 stitches to knit a sock for myself when I normally cast on 64 stitches. I have tried to explain that yes, it’s a lot more stitches but the pattern travels around the sock making it a bit narrower than a sock knit plainly. Then the though talks about the heel. It’s a fairly plain heel flap knit with 50% of the sock stitches. It is way more than what I would normally use for a sock. But it seems like it might be fine with the way the leg of the sock is knit. Then the though talks about heel wear and how there will be a hole more sooner than later. I turned up the sound on the TV at that point and began to hum but the thoughts continue. The only way to solve this is to finish the sock and I intend to do that just as soon as I can just to prove that thought wrong.
The yarn is Premier yarn Serenity sock weight in lavender. The pattern is Red Vine/Blackjack by Rachel M. Blaine.
If you’d like to read more WIP Wednesday posts be sure to check out Tami’s Amis blog.
Trust your years of knitting experience and tell the thoughts to take a hike! When the thoughts see that gorgeous sock all finished and fitting perfectly, they will be shamed into silence!
I thought I was the only one who did the commentary thing! Mine is always making fun of my outfits, probably because she came of age wearing a prep-school uniform and watched way too many 90s tv shows.
Ignore the thoughts. Your sock looks lovely!
Heehee, I love your thoughts in this post. I frequently feel the same way! I would like to think that it is a sign of higher brain processing speed : )
I enjoy being able to ponder on things as I knit. Sometimes my thoughts nag at me too. I love the look of your sock and I’ll bet it works out just fine.
Lovely sock, lovely color! I’m also an only child and have a constant stream of commentary running through my head. I do think it has something to do with being an only child. I think this is why I’m very seldom bored and why, a lot of the time, when given a choice, I prefer my own company. Really, I’m not a recluse or a loner, I’m just really, really good and entertaining myself.
I really hope it fits you, it’s so lovely! I know how those thoughts go though, I get them a lot too, especially when I try something I haven’t done before, like modifying patterns.
I say stick with it and give it a try. My thoughts always try to lead my astray. Except when they are right
Not crazy in my book. I get a lot worked out talking to myself internally while knitting. Or. Yes, Maybe crazy.
l)
Have you tried the sock on? It doesn’t look very stretchy and your needles look small, so it may be okay! Otherwise, I have large feet and they’d probably fit me just fine. They’re much to nice to not be put to good use
I think that you are correct. The pattern doesn’t have as much give due to the spiraling stitches, so there are more stitches on the needles and more used in the heel flap. After knitting some socks that were too unforgiving for people’s feet, I tend to accept the questionable pattern directions. That does free up my inner voice to chat about other things, so it works out well.
The experience is always good, hear it.
Lovley project.
The pattern directions sound fine to me (and I’ve made a LOT of socks). Tell your thought to be quiet and watch a lovely and likely well-fitting sock being made.
You’re not crazy. I have those conversations aloud with myself! The sock will be fine. Tell yourself to shut up, but, in a nice way.
I have an internal dialogue somewhat frequently. I think a lot of people do. ;-D The sock is beautiful! The yarn is really stunning.
Lovely sock. I think it’s totally normal, but I’m an only child, too. *L*
The sock is super…tell your thoughts to take a nap and when they wake up you’ll have this sock finished and you can put their thoughts at ease!
Relax! It’s going to be okay! Regula
I am sure everything will be fine with this sock. I sometimes doubt a pattern but stick it through to see what happens.
Bummer that you have doubts but the sock looks great. I have faith that it will work out in the end,
It looks beautiful! I have to say that I have the same thoughts sometimes. I’m already making adjustments to the pattern in my head half way through the piece. I usually make some notes, finish the version as-is see how it turns out. Sometimes its just fine, but you never know until you finish the piece