I love to knit, no, I really love to knit. But I have a real dread of finishing a project.
It’s not because I don’t like sewing up or sewing in ends. I actually quite enjoy that process and mattress stitch continues to delight me every time I use it.
No, I think it has something to do with the sadness of finishing a project that you have really enjoyed, just like the end of a special love affair. You’ve had the honeymoon period of falling in love with the yarn, the excitement of getting in to the project. There’s the long period of where you have settled in to the rhythm of the knit and then it’s all over.
I regularly taught (and will do again, post Covid) at Black Sheep Wools near Warrington, and one of my favourite classes was Fair Isle and steeking. I had knitted a Marie Wallin cardigan called Orkney, which I would bring along to show what you could achieve with steeking the body and the sleeves. But only one of the sleeves was attached. I was deeply reluctant to finally finish the project until I was cajoled by Sarah into completing it.
But here’s the other thing. I was worried that, after all the hard work I wouldn’t love it or it wouldn’t suit me. And I wasn’t that keen on it to begin with, but now I wear it all the time and it is much admired.
I’m pretty sure this is why I have so many WIPs in boxes and baskets all over the house. As part of my yarn diet I am going to tackle some of these projects first.
