Mindless vs. Mindful Knitting

Introducing my End of December Cushion Cover -- this WIP began life as a hat (the End of May Hat)
I have always struggled between different types of knitting projects. On the one hand, I love challenging, unusual and complicated designs that require careful execution: think twisted-stitch cables, complicated lace patterns, unusual garment construction and beaded knits. These projects are mindful knitting for me, since I need to pay better attention when I'm working on this sort of thing.

Mindless knitting, on the other hand, is a kind of surrogate for smoking* for me - something I can do with my hands while I'm reading, watching television or zoning out on the streetcar. This means mindless stockinette, repetitive textures, basic cables or simple lace patterns: stuff I can do without looking!


The Argyle Cowl, knit over the christmas vacation in Nova Scotia.
Stranded colourwork usually falls more into the mindful knitting category, with the exception being simple repeating geometric patterns that have consistent stitch counts. The argyle cowl, for example, was pretty easy to execute while reading. The End of December project is more of a challenge: those charted images aren't as easy to memorize, although there are repeating geometric shapes. This means that I'm constantly checking the chart to make sure the stitches are aligning properly.

Usually my projects fall firmly into one category. I like having projects I know I can stuff in my purse to go out for a night of pub knitting, and sometimes I want a project I can really sink my teeth into. Usually I don't pick projects where I may be faced with long boring stretches of stockinette when I really want to be engaged or the prospect of charted knitting on the streetcar (it can be done, but its a bit fiddly).


Drops number 116-1

So why have I suddenly decided I absolutely must start something like this Drops Sweater, which seems to be both mindful and mindless? To the point where I've already broken my "no buying yarn in 2010" rule and ordered $73US worth of alpaca and glitter yarns? Because there is an additional factor: sometimes I just really, really want to have the item in question! This sweater is just gorgeous and I can't wait to wear it. Hopefully I can translate this desire into some serious project monogamy, and complete this project (to be knit on 3mm needles, by the way) before it ends up being too warm to wear it.

That, or I just hope for an unaturally cool spring like last year.

*I smoked for about 15 years and credit knitting with kicking the habit. I just need to be doing something with my hands, otherwise I fidget uncontrollably. Knitting actually helps me focus, and its a lot less smelly and inconvenient than smoking. I'm fairly sure its not cheaper though.