Knitterly Infidelity


Knitting many things at once is the way to go!

I cannot imagine a better moment in a knitter’s life than the one when that huge shawl is finally bound off, the last seam is sewn and the last end is woven in. Now our piece only has to be washed and blocked, and soon, very soon we will take it out to knit night (which is, as we all know, our equivalent to New York Fashion Week). But as soon as the last pin is set and the shawl lays there in all its beauty, there is this tiny feeling creeping up: What now? I will have to take my son to Judo practice later on – and I will have nothing to knit while I sit there! Should I stare at the screen of my smartphone just like all the other parents? No way! I will have to come up with a new project, and fast. Okay, there are the obvious candidates: I could finish that sock that has been lingering in the back of my yarn shelf for quite some time. Well. Couldn’t hurt to finish some projects that are just gathering dust. On the other hand, we should not forget that most of the time I had good reasons to abandon them: That purple sock is obviously too tight, that pretty pink cotton yarn is hurting my fingers, that chart is just too complex for a comfort-seeking knitter like me, or the color really does not speak to me. Very good reasons to rather start something new (and to frog all those unfinished socks and things). And yes, of course I always have a pair of children’s socks on the needles, because my son refuses to wear other socks than the ones his mom knit – I might have spoiled him a little, I admit. But a simple sock will not do the trick when I have finished something truly beautiful and am looking for a replacement.


Sock knitting is just not the same as working on a brilliantly pretty new shawl…

So my guess is that I am like most knitters on this planet who tend to have multiple projects going on. But there is always only one I am totally in love with. One shawl or cardigan or hat that I really, really want to finish because I cannot wait to wear it. The one I am looking forward to knitting all day, the one I want to lovingly stare at during our date at night. And when it leaves me (because after binding off we really did not know what to talk about anymore), I feel sad and lonely. I need another project to fall in love with, and I need it fast. Luckily, as in the world of human relations, online dating is very common in the knitting world as well: We can admire yarns and patterns on our computer screens until we finally invite them to our homes. And we can use the internet to find a new love while there is still a beautiful striped shawlette waiting for us on the sofa. And that’s my resolution for my knitting: I will become the Don Draper of knitters. I will be unfaithful and look around for new knitting projects. No matter how attractive the one is that’s sitting on my needles right now – I need to think of the future. I will force myself to begin a little knitting affair with something else, so I will not have to be lonely when it comes to binding off. I am sure my shawlette will understand.

13 Comments on “Knitterly Infidelity

  1. Wunderbar geschrieben. Das könnte Eins zu eins von mir sein. Toll!

    LG Silvia

  2. Passt, toll geschrieben, und ich glaube, die meisten erkennen sich im Bericht wieder. Mir geht es auch nicht anders.
    Liebe Grüße

  3. This could be my story ;-) Most of the time I have several shawls/scarfs on my needles. I just finished Bellrose Saturday and I had the same sad feeling because I liked knitting it. But on Sunday there was a new shawl on my needles, the other ones that I already started to knit, have to wait for awhile.

  4. mit einem lächeln deine geschichte gelesen……so wahr

  5. Ist das nicht furchtbar?
    Diese Leere die einen ergreift wenn das Ende des Knäuel ‘s so langsam auf einen zukommt…
    Mich trifft diese Frage oft bei abketten:
    Was stricke ich dann morgen wenn ich heute fertig werde?
    Liebe Martina, zum Glück gibt es ganz viel Wolle und wenn man die Augen aufhält sieht man es auch:
    Die Shopping Welt hat ein ❤️ für Strickerinnen

  6. Super geschrieben, so herrlich zu lesen. Musste echt schmunzel

  7. Hab grad geribbelt. Es war fast fertig, bereits trotzdem hat es mir nicht mehr gefallen. Restart mit einer neuen Anleitung.

  8. Ich bin im letzten Viertel des “Corners, Edges, Stripes” und bin schon ganz hibbelig auf die Fertigstellung und aus dem Strickkörbchen winkt der “Smooth Sailor” – ich habe sozusagen keine Zukunftsängste
    Danke für den schönen Text! Mehr davon!

  9. …..wie wahr! Was wäre ein Leben ohne Wolle, Garne, Stoffe! Ich habe immer ein Projekt, ….ich habe schon halbe Nächte wie eine Suchtkranke an den Nadeln gesessen! Meine Kinder wurden früher bestrickt, Socken sind meine Leidenschaft! Was für ein tolles Hobby,…leider wird es an unseren Schulen nicht mehr unterrichtet!

  10. Wunderbar, Martina!
    Legitimierte Fremdgehen, ich bin ganz bei dir :-))

    Liebe Grüße Kirsten

  11. Hallo Martina,
    das hast Du sehr schön geschrieben! Ich bezeichne es immer als Vakuum, das entsteht, wenn etwas fertig geworden ist. Allerdings brauche ich eine Zeit, bis sich das Vakuum wieder füllt. Die ideale Zeit, die angefangenen Sachen wieder in Angriff zu nehmen :-)
    LG, Inge