I set focus times to work on things I don't want to finish by scheduling them in my calendar. Say 30 minutes - 1 hour every few days where I light my favorite candle and turn on my favorite instrumental music / favorite movie soundtrack and I do not move until that timer goes off. Then I treat myself with something (fav takeout, a candy bar, can buy that fancy skein I wanted, a guilt free hour uninterrupted to watch that trashy tv show I love, etc.,)
The encouragement is that your sleeves are done on the Timberlane! It will go faster than you think since you only have the body to do. Thanks for going thru WIPs, we all have them in our skeleton closet. 😂
I am a 2x-3x girl so big sweaters are the norm for me. In a large project like the cardigan for a loved one set aside specific time for two rows per day. Bang them out and work on other priorities.
Regarding your husband's sweater: I, too, have a languishing sweater that I REALLY want as a finished object but for some reason has become the red-headed stepchild of my knitting world. It has been on my needles for over two years. I recently decided I MUST finish it by Labor Day (as it will be a beautiful autumn garment) and here's the trick that seems to work for me: 1) knit on it for x number of rounds or rows per day where x is a single digit number; 2) knit on it at the same time of day each day...that is, in the morning with the first cup of hot beverage or the first thing you touch when you settle in for evening TV knitting, etc. Make it a new short-term habit; 3) set the project on a spare bed so you can plop on the bed, knit your x number of rounds or rows, and leave the room. Not having to take it out of a project bag and get the yarn, needles, and printed pages set up is a big help. Just set the beast back down on the spare bed and walk away until tomorrow. 🙂
What I find helpful to keep working on a 'low steam' project, is to keep it in an open, self standing container/bag next to where I'm gonna work on it. That way it's easy to reach for and throw it back in after those 2 or 3 rows! Good luck, can't wait to see the finished Timberline and your shining face to go with it 🤩☺
Love the matching his and hers in the socks. The easel or to flip your copied charts to lay out front and back for easy flips! Zoom your charts and instructions so that you can see and to make notes as needed and mark off where you are. Great Video!! Happy Knitting!😅😊🎉
I’ve knit two sweaters out of Wool of the Andes and it’s not just you - it is more rustic. It does soften with washing, but it is much better for a cardigan and not a pullover. I don’t have a great method for working on languishing projects. The most I’ve ever had at one time is four and I just hated having that many. Now I find my sweet spot is one large projects and one small project. One can be complicated but one has to be relatively simple. My husband really liked that cardigan too but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Good luck finishing it - you are braver than I.
Your friend has the right idea for your husbands cardigan. I knit a giant all over cable Afghan for my brother as a wedding gift. I ended up writing out how many rows it would take to finish, decided on 4;rows per day. As I kept going on, it helped keeping me motivated to get it done. It was a simpler cable, but as a strategy it is a good one. Good luck!
I made the Timberline for my husband in 2019/20 in the same yarn you are using. It’s beautiful, a work of art. It’s also very heavy and my husband has worn it exactly one time. I wish I had made him a simpler cardigan or made the smallest size and kept it for myself. I still love it and am so proud of it but I’m sad it’s not getting the love it deserves.
For your husband’s cardi, I would print out the cable charts again and organize them in the order you need them to increase your speed. Or you might take out some cables and add rib in those places to increase speed. Even if it comes out large, it will be cozy and lovely. You might even enjoy wearing it too!
The algorithm sent me! New subscriber from Wisconsin. 👋 Thanks for sharing your thoughts as you went through these. I am sensitive to wool and also not a fan of Wool of the Andes. I gave some away because I disliked the feel so much. The cabled cardigan for your husband looks amazing and there are a lot of great suggestions here. I like the “30 minutes a day” approach and have found that I can finish projects pretty quickly when I stick to that. I also learned about the Gideon Method from Wool & Honey’s blog, in which you work on one old WIP for 12 (non-consecutive) hours or until it is done, then move on to another WIP. The Viking socks look great and I’m glad you are keeping one pair for yourself. 👯♂️
Oh yay, welcome!! Glad to hear I'm not the only one sensitive to WotA. I love the idea of the Gideon method, that's such a great way to break up a tricky project. I might have to try that. Thank you!
I got into a gift blanket hole cause about 10 of my friends got pregnant all within the same year. And that stressed me and I was spending so much time being unmotivated about these promised gift knits. I found the one row a day has worked pretty well. A lot of days I’d do an extra row or two but even just one, then I can do whatever I want with the rest of my knitting time
Love the Timberline sweater!!! - was thinking of making but put it off and now glad I never started. sounds super difficult. Might find a pattern to streamline the cables but love that collar!! Hope you finish it for your husband!!
I used wool of the Andes for a champagne cardigan. It makes the cardigan almost like a jacket. It’s definitely toothy but because it’s a cardigan it’s not next to skin. I also have discovered I do not like mystery anything when it comes to knitting 😅 a couple boxes into a mystery skein box I had to cancel because I would just never use the yarn I received.
I love those viking socks! I'm wondering if maybe it would be a good idea for you to comb through some patterns that you think you'll like to knit and Thomas would like wearing, and ask him to pick a new sweater out of those. For such a complicated garment, if you don't like to knit it, it _might_ just be better to try a more fun pattern.
That's a great idea! We did spend a lot of time looking through patterns and he really loved this one, so part of me really wants to finish it for him. We'll see lol.
Your channel is quickly becoming one of my favourites when it comes to knitting. On the cable sweater, I am knitting up a cabled pattern from Brooklyn Tweed at the moment, and there are 7 charts which is already a lot ;) Thanks for the tip with the colour marking!
I'm in the same boat as you with your husband's sweater my fiancé also picked the timberline cardigan for me to knit for him. And like yours he doesn't own a single cable anything...
I have knit a pair of colourwork socks for my husband, and even though it had more stitches than I would usually cast on for him, he absolutely couldn't get his heel through them. But that was before blocking! I blocked them fairly aggressively, and now they fit him just fine and he wears them all the time.
I'm so glad they eventually worked! I can normally get away with doing that just by going up a needle size and it's fine after blocking. For his, I had to go up a needle size AND sock size and that seemed to do the trick. I think his heel-to-ankle width and the 3-color rows just made the fit quite tricky.
With the socks: you could Rip them to over the Heel, and do a heelflap heel and I am sure they will fit. Your Idea is also Great and my Kudos for the Timberlake Sweater
That's also a great idea! I ended up making a new pair for my husband, and I'll be keeping this version for myself (ripping out the heel to make a smaller one to fit me).
You should totally finish those socks for yourself, so much work already went into it, they're almost done! Plus it's such a good idea to make him another pair and have matching socks.
Incredible podcast and I think talking it out helps to make decisions. Regarding the Wool of the Andes yarn, sometimes once the yarn is washed it is totally different. You could always try that before frogging. It’s a beautiful pattern and it’s also a beautiful color yarn. Your hubby’ sweater, that’s such a shame and yes, it needs to be finished. The sleeves are one of the worst things to have to make. At least try to do the row a day or every other day and it all adds up. It’s a stunning sweater and after what you’ve gone through, I think your husband will wear it, just because. He may love it but I hope he dosen’t ask for a second similar one. I know you want to do it yourself but if you really can’t work on it, you have the option of your friend’s offer. You could then do the shawl collar and would have made half the sweater, at least. You are amazing to push through it. Your frogging choice on the pretty turquoise is probably a good idea if you are not happy with the fabric or knitting with it. Good decisions all around.
I agree with you with about Wool of the Andes. I find it too scratchy to wear next to skin, maybe for an outerwear garment would work. Yikes on the cabled men’s cardigan with 28 pages! You are a tenacious knitter. Only love could motivate me to finish that sweater. What a generous friend you have to offer to finish it for you. I agree with her about doing a row or two a day. (How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.) Matching Viking socks are adorable! Good for you going through your languishing projects. I have a lot more than five.
I actually love complicated lace and/or cables because I get excited to see how each new/upcoming row will look knitted up whereas I find things with a lot of plain stockinette quite unmotivating because the only progress is distance so for me with plain stockinette I have to get into a flow and if I don't it's quite dispiriting since each additional row change barely anything.
Same here! I recently banned myself from stockinette in the round patterns because they always end up languishing for months until I decide to frog it and use the yarn for a cabled or colorwork patterns instead
I usually do too! I especially love all over lace projects, and normally enjoy cabling. There's just something about this project that I've not enjoyed as much. I'll just take it row by row.
wow u r sooo specific. very interesting but also stressful. i imagine u end up getting what u want on many knitting projects. The timberlake cardigan is a gigantic project. i think u need to think of ur love for ur husband & try to work on it a little bit each day. U will get it done. Its mostly overcoming attitude & then thinking positive thoughts while u work on it. Its a loving sacrifice knit . . .
I like Wool of the Andies for outerwear - not for next to skin garments. It is ok for a guys mitts (my hubbie likes the ones I made for him - but he wears a thick shirt or turtleneck under the pullover I knit for him a few years back)
Dear Michelle, here is what I would do about that cardigan - I would go on Ravelry and look for a similar, but simpler pattern that you can knit with the same wool. I would frog that old annoying cardigan and start fresh, and I am sure once you have a pattern you enjoy more, you will finish it and you can surprise your man with a Christmas cardigan this year. I am sure he won’t mind if it is not the exact same pattern as long as it is similar. Good luck.😊
If your husband likes viking stuff look for a viking knits book. Great book with lot of men's sweater patterns. I am working on second sweater for my husband. I did storm hoodie and now knitting saga sweater.
With the cable sweater could you do just one panel of cables and do the rest stockinette? The sleeves would be the showcase and having cables just on the front panel would go so much quicker?
for knitting projects with different cables I like to combine charts and make one big chart. Let say there is cables with 4 row repeat, 6 row repeat and 12 row repeat, I would print 4 repeat cable chart 3 times, 6 repeat cable chart 2 times , 12 repeat cable chart 1 time and glue it together. Otherwise I have trouble keeping track of where i am in each chart.
100% with you on the Wool of the Andes and it makes me so sad -- I have a sweater's quantity in my stash :'( It was too scratchy for me to even knit up. I wonder if there's anything we can do while it's still in the ball to help?
I'm with you!! I still have a bunch and have no idea what to do with it. I even tried a shawl which is now a cat bed because I found it too scratchy to wear ON TOP of my clothes!
Did you block those socks before he tried them on? I had a tight pair once and after I blocked them they were still a bit snug but they did stretch out. I do like the idea of the matching Viking socks though!
I think that i'd probably have an issue with too. I can't do wools with micron counts higher than 24. Mohair and even some alpaca's are too scratchy for me next to skin.
You’ve already knit both sleeves of the cardigan, so in some way, the hard part is done? Anyway, try just a row every other day to start and then if you can get some steam, try for a row a day. No deadlines though. I’ve always found setting a deadline just makes me procrastinate more. You can do this. It’ll be so gorgeous.
Wool of the andes is itchy to me too. I've knit up a few sweaters with it, but they have 15-20cm of ease, 15 cm is my minimum ease for that wool, i think the itch would be too much at any less
I recommend that you frog the Jared Flood cable sweater. One of the least pleasant knits I ever did was a Brooklyn Tweed cable jumper. The designer (Emily Greene) is excellent but the pattern was put together so badly. Impossible to use the charts, so wordy that even I (a person who loves context) could barely be bothered to keep on. I never wore the sweater cuz I couldn't get over my irritation with the experience. I wish I hadn't wasted my time. Last BT pattern I ever bought. I don't think BT patterns that I've used are particularly well put together (esp the complex ones) - I think they're unnecessarily convoluted which is why I bought so many and never started them.
That's exactly how I feel about the Timberline, it just feels like they made it far more complicated than it needs to be. There is such a thing as over-explaining! I will definitely not be buying any future BT patterns.
Typically, I knit/crochet for my kids and myself. End of. But my boyfriend is SO supportive of and curious about my knitting, and he wants me to make him ALL the things. Knitting for him makes me nervous/gives me SO much anxiety. Invariably, I always make heaps more mistakes when I knit for him. Even though I know he could care less, so long as it fits, and is just excited to have it and wear it. It doesn't help that, given a choice, he wants the most complex and unique things ever. Maybe this is why so many of us don't knit for others or for other adults? It's inherently nerve-wracking. While we might make a mistake on something for ourselves, and know it's going to be fine, and keep moving forward, the pressure for a little more perfect feels higher knitting for our partners.
And yes, I do try to work a little at a time on projects I'm finding more tedious. I lay out row by row (or repeat by repeat) as a checklist in Notes. I add the date next to the row when I finish it, and then when I click the done box, it moves down to the bottom, and the Note itself moves to the top. It's positive feedback for my brain. And it feels more manageable. I've also learned to give myself a longer timeline for projects for him. I know I'm going to stall due to nerves, so it takes the pressure off to give myself 6 months instead of 2. :)
I think that's a great plan! I agree, it's always more nerve-racking when it's for someone else. If I make a mistake in my own garment, it's fine because I accept that it's handmade, by me, and that comes with the territory. But the moment you knit for someone else, it has to be perfect! So completely agree, a longer timeline is the way to go.
My favorite lys (in terms of general area and not necessarily closest to me) used to be Tolt, but unfortunately I don't think they're coming back, even though I was really hoping they might. Outside of that, I think Acorn Street & Fiber Gallery have a great selection/variety, and also enjoyed Wild Fibers. It's tough because I feel like each store here brings something very different, so sometimes the store I visit is based on the specific fiber or project I'm hoping to find! I'd love to know yours as well.
@@meeshyfrazzknits Fibers Etc, in Tacoma is the only one I know that has stood the test of time. Yorkshire, Sock Peddler, and Yellow House yarns have long since closed. I have to say that the selection a Fibers Etc is amazing.
Finish the Timberlane sweater. It is beautiful and will be an heirloom. Here's the approach. DO NOT SET A DEADLINE! You have already tried that and failed. It is worked flat. Therefore, work two rows a day. One kint row and one purl row. Of course you won't want to. When your brains says, I don't want to. Just do it! Lots of life requires powering through the things we don't want to do. And, it will be worth it. Two rows a day no matter what! Before you know it, it will become a habit that you will miss when the cardigan is done. Trust me! I have not done the Timberlane but I knit my daughter a giant cabled bedspread. Two rows a day... finihed it for Christmas "23.
Regarding Wool of the Andes, you are just sensitive. But that's not uncommon or bad. I personally can't even use Peruvian Highland wool for vests that go over tops. And for stuff next to skin, I need merino with very low micron count (usually labeled as extrafine or superfine). It's a shame since KnitPicks has great color range in Highland wool, but it's just not really an option for me.
Regarding your socks: While I love to knit with Cascade, and LOVE the colors, it just doesnt hold up over time. Cascade socks will really felt and pill and you’ll be very disappointed, especially after putting all that time into it. My suggestion is to frog it.
I set focus times to work on things I don't want to finish by scheduling them in my calendar. Say 30 minutes - 1 hour every few days where I light my favorite candle and turn on my favorite instrumental music / favorite movie soundtrack and I do not move until that timer goes off. Then I treat myself with something (fav takeout, a candy bar, can buy that fancy skein I wanted, a guilt free hour uninterrupted to watch that trashy tv show I love, etc.,)
I absolutely LOVE this idea. Thanks for the tip!
I love that. I’m going to take this advice and do it
The encouragement is that your sleeves are done on the Timberlane! It will go faster than you think since you only have the body to do. Thanks for going thru WIPs, we all have them in our skeleton closet. 😂
You're so right! I'm going to take it 2 rows at a time and hope that helps.
I am a 2x-3x girl so big sweaters are the norm for me. In a large project like the cardigan for a loved one set aside specific time for two rows per day. Bang them out and work on other priorities.
I think this is a fantastic idea, thank you!
Regarding your husband's sweater: I, too, have a languishing sweater that I REALLY want as a finished object but for some reason has become the red-headed stepchild of my knitting world. It has been on my needles for over two years. I recently decided I MUST finish it by Labor Day (as it will be a beautiful autumn garment) and here's the trick that seems to work for me: 1) knit on it for x number of rounds or rows per day where x is a single digit number; 2) knit on it at the same time of day each day...that is, in the morning with the first cup of hot beverage or the first thing you touch when you settle in for evening TV knitting, etc. Make it a new short-term habit; 3) set the project on a spare bed so you can plop on the bed, knit your x number of rounds or rows, and leave the room. Not having to take it out of a project bag and get the yarn, needles, and printed pages set up is a big help. Just set the beast back down on the spare bed and walk away until tomorrow. 🙂
I love all of these ideas! I might have to try this. Thank you!
It’s a beast of a project, but your husband does have great taste- it’s going to be a showstopper!
He does! One day, it will be 🤣
What I find helpful to keep working on a 'low steam' project, is to keep it in an open, self standing container/bag next to where I'm gonna work on it. That way it's easy to reach for and throw it back in after those 2 or 3 rows! Good luck, can't wait to see the finished Timberline and your shining face to go with it 🤩☺
That's a great idea! Anything to keep it easy and approachable. I will definitely try that!
Love the matching his and hers in the socks. The easel or to flip your copied charts to lay out front and back for easy flips! Zoom your charts and instructions so that you can see and to make notes as needed and mark off where you are. Great Video!! Happy Knitting!😅😊🎉
That's a great idea, thank you!!
I’ve knit two sweaters out of Wool of the Andes and it’s not just you - it is more rustic. It does soften with washing, but it is much better for a cardigan and not a pullover.
I don’t have a great method for working on languishing projects. The most I’ve ever had at one time is four and I just hated having that many. Now I find my sweet spot is one large projects and one small project. One can be complicated but one has to be relatively simple.
My husband really liked that cardigan too but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Good luck finishing it - you are braver than I.
That's good to know, I could see it working well for a cardigan/outerwear. I think that's a great approach for managing multiple projects!
Your friend has the right idea for your husbands cardigan. I knit a giant all over cable Afghan for my brother as a wedding gift. I ended up writing out how many rows it would take to finish, decided on 4;rows per day. As I kept going on, it helped keeping me motivated to get it done. It was a simpler cable, but as a strategy it is a good one. Good luck!
That's such a great way to tackle projects! Thanks!
Thank you for the wip show!
You can work on the sweater for 20 minutes before you knit on fun knits.
You're so welcome! I think that's a great idea and I will try that.
I made the Timberline for my husband in 2019/20 in the same yarn you are using. It’s beautiful, a work of art. It’s also very heavy and my husband has worn it exactly one time. I wish I had made him a simpler cardigan or made the smallest size and kept it for myself. I still love it and am so proud of it but I’m sad it’s not getting the love it deserves.
Oh no! This is exactly what I'm worried about, I feel like he won't wear it much.
For the yarns you don't like the colour, just dye it!!! I 've done it with some 10+ years old wool from my stash.
That's a great idea! I haven't tried that yet, but it might be worth it with this one.
You can do it! Do the socks and then 15=30 minutes every day on Thomas's sweater and it will be finished very, very soon!
Thank you!! That's my plan!
I know some projects are tough to finish. But they are so worth it when done. Keep plugging away. You’ll get it done 😊!
So true! A little bit here and there will go a long way in the end.
For your husband’s cardi, I would print out the cable charts again and organize them in the order you need them to increase your speed. Or you might take out some cables and add rib in those places to increase speed. Even if it comes out large, it will be cozy and lovely. You might even enjoy wearing it too!
Agreed, that's a great idea! Thanks 😊
The algorithm sent me! New subscriber from Wisconsin. 👋
Thanks for sharing your thoughts as you went through these. I am sensitive to wool and also not a fan of Wool of the Andes. I gave some away because I disliked the feel so much. The cabled cardigan for your husband looks amazing and there are a lot of great suggestions here. I like the “30 minutes a day” approach and have found that I can finish projects pretty quickly when I stick to that. I also learned about the Gideon Method from Wool & Honey’s blog, in which you work on one old WIP for 12 (non-consecutive) hours or until it is done, then move on to another WIP.
The Viking socks look great and I’m glad you are keeping one pair for yourself. 👯♂️
Oh yay, welcome!! Glad to hear I'm not the only one sensitive to WotA. I love the idea of the Gideon method, that's such a great way to break up a tricky project. I might have to try that. Thank you!
This was fun!
Love your podcast. You have lots of talent.
Thank you so much!
I love your friend’s idea of setting aside a time every day to work on the cabled cardigan.
Me too!! I'm going to try that.
I got into a gift blanket hole cause about 10 of my friends got pregnant all within the same year. And that stressed me and I was spending so much time being unmotivated about these promised gift knits. I found the one row a day has worked pretty well. A lot of days I’d do an extra row or two but even just one, then I can do whatever I want with the rest of my knitting time
Oh man, that's rough! Thanks for the advice, I think I'll try this.
Love the Timberline sweater!!! - was thinking of making but put it off and now glad I never started.
sounds super difficult. Might find a pattern to streamline the cables but love that collar!! Hope you finish it for your husband!!
Thank you! Let me know if you find a good alternative.
@@meeshyfrazzknits Here's one: Miehen palmikkoneeubtakki -
What a name! Another with collar style: the book exchange cardigan but no cables
I used wool of the Andes for a champagne cardigan. It makes the cardigan almost like a jacket. It’s definitely toothy but because it’s a cardigan it’s not next to skin.
I also have discovered I do not like mystery anything when it comes to knitting 😅 a couple boxes into a mystery skein box I had to cancel because I would just never use the yarn I received.
Yes! Completely agree. I'll happily pick out my own yarn and avoid the suspense.
I had no idea this was only your 10th episode! I think I have seen them all, then! I'm never this early! 😂I've really been enjoying it.
Thank you so much!! 🥰
I love those viking socks! I'm wondering if maybe it would be a good idea for you to comb through some patterns that you think you'll like to knit and Thomas would like wearing, and ask him to pick a new sweater out of those. For such a complicated garment, if you don't like to knit it, it _might_ just be better to try a more fun pattern.
That's a great idea! We did spend a lot of time looking through patterns and he really loved this one, so part of me really wants to finish it for him. We'll see lol.
This was so much fun! Thanks for sharing and talking it through. 🥰
I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🥰
Your channel is quickly becoming one of my favourites when it comes to knitting. On the cable sweater, I am knitting up a cabled pattern from Brooklyn Tweed at the moment, and there are 7 charts which is already a lot ;) Thanks for the tip with the colour marking!
That's so nice to hear, thank you!! Good luck with your cable sweater!
I'm in the same boat as you with your husband's sweater my fiancé also picked the timberline cardigan for me to knit for him. And like yours he doesn't own a single cable anything...
🤣 Hard to feel confident about how much it will get used when they literally don't wear anything like it.
I have knit a pair of colourwork socks for my husband, and even though it had more stitches than I would usually cast on for him, he absolutely couldn't get his heel through them. But that was before blocking! I blocked them fairly aggressively, and now they fit him just fine and he wears them all the time.
I'm so glad they eventually worked! I can normally get away with doing that just by going up a needle size and it's fine after blocking. For his, I had to go up a needle size AND sock size and that seemed to do the trick. I think his heel-to-ankle width and the 3-color rows just made the fit quite tricky.
With the socks: you could Rip them to over the Heel, and do a heelflap heel and I am sure they will fit. Your Idea is also Great and my Kudos for the Timberlake Sweater
That's also a great idea! I ended up making a new pair for my husband, and I'll be keeping this version for myself (ripping out the heel to make a smaller one to fit me).
You should totally finish those socks for yourself, so much work already went into it, they're almost done! Plus it's such a good idea to make him another pair and have matching socks.
That's the plan! We'll have matching socks 😃
I would make a cardigan out of the Wool of the Andes yarn. You can wear something under it.
That's a great idea, maybe that's what I'll do.
Incredible podcast and I think talking it out helps to make decisions. Regarding the Wool of the Andes yarn, sometimes once the yarn is washed it is totally different. You could always try that before frogging. It’s a beautiful pattern and it’s also a beautiful color yarn. Your hubby’ sweater, that’s such a shame and yes, it needs to be finished. The sleeves are one of the worst things to have to make. At least try to do the row a day or every other day and it all adds up. It’s a stunning sweater and after what you’ve gone through, I think your husband will wear it, just because. He may love it but I hope he dosen’t ask for a second similar one. I know you want to do it yourself but if you really can’t work on it, you have the option of your friend’s offer. You could then do the shawl collar and would have made half the sweater, at least. You are amazing to push through it. Your frogging choice on the pretty turquoise is probably a good idea if you are not happy with the fabric or knitting with it. Good decisions all around.
Agreed, I definitely want to (and plan to) finish it, I'm just struggling to find the motivation!
Good luck on the Vikings socks!
Thank you!!
I agree with you with about Wool of the Andes. I find it too scratchy to wear next to skin, maybe for an outerwear garment would work. Yikes on the cabled men’s cardigan with 28 pages! You are a tenacious knitter. Only love could motivate me to finish that sweater. What a generous friend you have to offer to finish it for you. I agree with her about doing a row or two a day. (How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.) Matching Viking socks are adorable! Good for you going through your languishing projects. I have a lot more than five.
Hah I love the how to eat an elephant approach! And yeah, one row at a time and one day it'll get there. Good luck with your languishing wips!
I actually love complicated lace and/or cables because I get excited to see how each new/upcoming row will look knitted up whereas I find things with a lot of plain stockinette quite unmotivating because the only progress is distance so for me with plain stockinette I have to get into a flow and if I don't it's quite dispiriting since each additional row change barely anything.
Same here! I recently banned myself from stockinette in the round patterns because they always end up languishing for months until I decide to frog it and use the yarn for a cabled or colorwork patterns instead
I usually do too! I especially love all over lace projects, and normally enjoy cabling. There's just something about this project that I've not enjoyed as much. I'll just take it row by row.
I really enjoyed this video! Also, you remind me of Donna from that 70s show (in the best possible way) 😊
Thank you so much! I've never heard that before, but I'll take it 🥰
wow u r sooo specific. very interesting but also stressful. i imagine u end up getting what u want on many knitting projects.
The timberlake cardigan is a gigantic project. i think u need to think of ur love for ur husband & try to work on it a little bit each day. U will get it done. Its mostly overcoming attitude & then thinking positive thoughts while u work on it. Its a loving sacrifice knit . . .
Agreed! It's a long-term knit that will get finished eventually.
I like Wool of the Andies for outerwear - not for next to skin garments. It is ok for a guys mitts (my hubbie likes the ones I made for him - but he wears a thick shirt or turtleneck under the pullover I knit for him a few years back)
Mitts are a great idea! Thanks for the tip.
I used the wool of the andies to make an emotional support chicken and I agree it's a bit scratchy.
That's a great use for it! Probably good for home items that won't get worn or touched often.
Dear Michelle, here is what I would do about that cardigan - I would go on Ravelry and look for a similar, but simpler pattern that you can knit with the same wool. I would frog that old annoying cardigan and start fresh, and I am sure once you have a pattern you enjoy more, you will finish it and you can surprise your man with a Christmas cardigan this year. I am sure he won’t mind if it is not the exact same pattern as long as it is similar. Good luck.😊
That's not a bad idea, I might have to do that. That pattern is still no closer to being done!
If your husband likes viking stuff look for a viking knits book. Great book with lot of men's sweater patterns. I am working on second sweater for my husband. I did storm hoodie and now knitting saga sweater.
Thanks, I will definitely check it out!
The Wool of the Andes tweed is softer than the regular Wool of the Andes IMO! It's definitely a little rougher than other workhorses like Cascade 220.
Oh, that's good to know!
With the cable sweater could you do just one panel of cables and do the rest stockinette? The sleeves would be the showcase and having cables just on the front panel would go so much quicker?
Hmm that's an interesting idea. I'll have to pull out the pattern and see.
I am so particular about yarn (color, fiber, construction, etc.). I have learned that I really don't like mystery yarn boxes/clubs.
Yeah, I find I'm just always disappointed so it's not worth it for me.
Wool of the Andes , I was told gets softer after a soak in wool wash
That's good to know!
I would like to have that yarn, I kind of live in the same area you do 😂❤.
One of my knit group friends already snagged it! I might do a giveaway in the future 🥰
Unfortunately, Wool of the Andes is scratchy. I found out after I knit a hat. ☹️ Love the cables of your Timberline Cardigan. 🧶
Oof yeah I can't even imagine wearing that on my head!
You could use it to make a vest over a collared shirt so it won’t be touching skin , I think wool of the andes is scratchy too
That's a really good idea, I might try that.
for knitting projects with different cables I like to combine charts and make one big chart. Let say there is cables with 4 row repeat, 6 row repeat and 12 row repeat, I would print 4 repeat cable chart 3 times, 6 repeat cable chart 2 times , 12 repeat cable chart 1 time and glue it together. Otherwise I have trouble keeping track of where i am in each chart.
That's a great idea!
Linen top yarn - could it be a lace shopping bag?
That's a great idea!
100% with you on the Wool of the Andes and it makes me so sad -- I have a sweater's quantity in my stash :'( It was too scratchy for me to even knit up. I wonder if there's anything we can do while it's still in the ball to help?
I'm with you!! I still have a bunch and have no idea what to do with it. I even tried a shawl which is now a cat bed because I found it too scratchy to wear ON TOP of my clothes!
Did you block those socks before he tried them on? I had a tight pair once and after I blocked them they were still a bit snug but they did stretch out. I do like the idea of the matching Viking socks though!
I did, I found the trick was going up a full sock size for him, I think it's because of his heel-to-ankle width and the need for extra stretch there.
I think that i'd probably have an issue with too. I can't do wools with micron counts higher than 24. Mohair and even some alpaca's are too scratchy for me next to skin.
Same here. I wish that wasn't the case, but I just can't do those next to skin.
Yes to the get more denim sock yarn , he’s going to be so happy.
Agreed! I went out the next day and bought it.
You’ve already knit both sleeves of the cardigan, so in some way, the hard part is done? Anyway, try just a row every other day to start and then if you can get some steam, try for a row a day. No deadlines though. I’ve always found setting a deadline just makes me procrastinate more. You can do this. It’ll be so gorgeous.
You're so right! I'm going to take it one row at a time.
Try using a study technique like the pomodoro (tomato) technique where you set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and just focus on that one project.
Oooh I love this idea!
Wool of the andes is itchy to me too. I've knit up a few sweaters with it, but they have 15-20cm of ease, 15 cm is my minimum ease for that wool, i think the itch would be too much at any less
I completely agree.
I recommend that you frog the Jared Flood cable sweater. One of the least pleasant knits I ever did was a Brooklyn Tweed cable jumper. The designer (Emily Greene) is excellent but the pattern was put together so badly. Impossible to use the charts, so wordy that even I (a person who loves context) could barely be bothered to keep on. I never wore the sweater cuz I couldn't get over my irritation with the experience. I wish I hadn't wasted my time. Last BT pattern I ever bought. I don't think BT patterns that I've used are particularly well put together (esp the complex ones) - I think they're unnecessarily convoluted which is why I bought so many and never started them.
That's exactly how I feel about the Timberline, it just feels like they made it far more complicated than it needs to be. There is such a thing as over-explaining! I will definitely not be buying any future BT patterns.
Hello from Swansea, Illinois.
Janet, I forgot to tell you that The Bead Place in Swansea has a knit group I heard.
Hello! Thanks for watching 👋
I LOVE THE icy blue! That is my go to color!! Beautiful color!
I have a similar issue with a shawl collar cardigan for my husband - it’s been lingering for two years now :|
Best of luck to both of us! 😅
Yes! I don’t care for mystery knit/crochet or yarn. I did a couple and wouldn’t have done it if I had known ahead of time. It’s just not for me. 🤷🏻♀️
Yeah, it's just never really what I'm hoping for. Lesson learned!
Typically, I knit/crochet for my kids and myself. End of. But my boyfriend is SO supportive of and curious about my knitting, and he wants me to make him ALL the things. Knitting for him makes me nervous/gives me SO much anxiety. Invariably, I always make heaps more mistakes when I knit for him. Even though I know he could care less, so long as it fits, and is just excited to have it and wear it. It doesn't help that, given a choice, he wants the most complex and unique things ever. Maybe this is why so many of us don't knit for others or for other adults? It's inherently nerve-wracking. While we might make a mistake on something for ourselves, and know it's going to be fine, and keep moving forward, the pressure for a little more perfect feels higher knitting for our partners.
And yes, I do try to work a little at a time on projects I'm finding more tedious. I lay out row by row (or repeat by repeat) as a checklist in Notes. I add the date next to the row when I finish it, and then when I click the done box, it moves down to the bottom, and the Note itself moves to the top. It's positive feedback for my brain. And it feels more manageable.
I've also learned to give myself a longer timeline for projects for him. I know I'm going to stall due to nerves, so it takes the pressure off to give myself 6 months instead of 2. :)
I think that's a great plan! I agree, it's always more nerve-racking when it's for someone else. If I make a mistake in my own garment, it's fine because I accept that it's handmade, by me, and that comes with the territory. But the moment you knit for someone else, it has to be perfect! So completely agree, a longer timeline is the way to go.
As I am also in West. Washington, I have to ask what your favorite local yarn shop is?
My favorite lys (in terms of general area and not necessarily closest to me) used to be Tolt, but unfortunately I don't think they're coming back, even though I was really hoping they might. Outside of that, I think Acorn Street & Fiber Gallery have a great selection/variety, and also enjoyed Wild Fibers. It's tough because I feel like each store here brings something very different, so sometimes the store I visit is based on the specific fiber or project I'm hoping to find! I'd love to know yours as well.
@@meeshyfrazzknits Fibers Etc, in Tacoma is the only one I know that has stood the test of time. Yorkshire, Sock Peddler, and Yellow House yarns have long since closed. I have to say that the selection a Fibers Etc is amazing.
Finish the Timberlane sweater. It is beautiful and will be an heirloom. Here's the approach. DO NOT SET A DEADLINE! You have already tried that and failed. It is worked flat. Therefore, work two rows a day. One kint row and one purl row. Of course you won't want to. When your brains says, I don't want to. Just do it! Lots of life requires powering through the things we don't want to do. And, it will be worth it. Two rows a day no matter what! Before you know it, it will become a habit that you will miss when the cardigan is done. Trust me! I have not done the Timberlane but I knit my daughter a giant cabled bedspread. Two rows a day... finihed it for Christmas "23.
Thank you! I think I will try this method.
I know how much of a slog that cabled sweater must be because you’re talking about what a slog it is while wearing a finished moonset tee 😅
Fair point! Yeah I'd rather knit 3 more moonset tees than finish this Timberline 🤣
Your husband's cardigan😂 I suggest you tape the charts In a row so that you don't need to flip pages.
That's a great idea!!
Regarding Wool of the Andes, you are just sensitive. But that's not uncommon or bad. I personally can't even use Peruvian Highland wool for vests that go over tops. And for stuff next to skin, I need merino with very low micron count (usually labeled as extrafine or superfine). It's a shame since KnitPicks has great color range in Highland wool, but it's just not really an option for me.
I completely agree! I was really excited to use it since I loved the color options, but I just can't do it.
Regarding your socks: While I love to knit with Cascade, and LOVE the colors, it just doesnt hold up over time. Cascade socks will really felt and pill and you’ll be very disappointed, especially after putting all that time into it. My suggestion is to frog it.
Oh no! I just finished those socks and was singing Cascade's praises! Curious to see how they'll wear now.
I often worry that I will have problems with WOTA, but then I wear it and am just fine. *shrug*
That's good to know!
Definitely have heard Wool Of The Andes is rough/rustic. Thus I have avoided it. Not interested in such yarns. Happy to let others buy it.
Yeah, can't say I will be buying it again.
😂 Do the socks fit you? 🤔😂
They do! We'll have matching socks 😂
Can you find an easier sweater pattern that isn't as painful to read lol
Lol that would be a better option for sure!
Girl, just bite the bullet and finish Thomas’s sweater.
🤣 I'm working on it!
@@meeshyfrazzknits I believe
Rip the socks out and start over.