Friday, August 20, 2010

Craft Spring Cleaning

Unravelled

I'm not sure if it's the extra sunshine in the air, or fact that I have my usual amount of mobility back, but I have been taken by the sudden, not-to-be-ignored urge to do some craft spring cleaning. I look around our tiny home, and shudder at the wips and ufos that are lying about, adding nothing but an air of clutter and an atmosphere of crafting guilt at their unfinished states to our home. I feel like they are dragging me down, down, down to the very depths of a rut of incompleteness. And that, to quote Mary Poppins, will never do!

So this morning has been spent finding all these projects, and deciding what to do with them. The above was formerly the back of the lovely Cherry by Anna Bell, which for some reason that I seriously cannot fathom now was lying in a box under the bed with it's needles pulled out. Taking it out and shaking off the dust, I tried to read my knitting notes (I take copious notes when knitting - does anybody else?) but found them to be as unilluminating to my mind as hieroglyphics. What the heck was I jotting down? Unable to interpret myself, I frogged with a grim face, and decided that this project could be tackled at a later date, once other things had been completed and the weather was more suitable to wearing a cute summery cardigan.

I will admit to a slight twinge of sadness as I frogged - I remembered so very clearly beginning the cardigan as I sat next to Grumbles on the front stoop of our old home, I basking in the sunshine as I cast on and wrangled with my cable needle, Grumbles besides me slurping away on a succession of home made frozen yoghurt icy-poles, watching our hunky, usually shirtless neighbour berating his girlfriend at the top of his voice - even, at times, chasing her down the street as she sped off in his car - before turning to us, giving a friendly wave and saying "Hey duuuudes, how ya doin?" Apart from the whole yelling-at-his-girlfriend thing (and to totally honest, she ignored him completely, so she didn't seem to bothered by it all) he was a pretty friendly guy. I miss those days!

Oh, and don't fear, fellow knitters, about the frogging - to be honest, my tension was spectacularly crap, as I hadn't really gotten the hang of knitting with cotton at that stage, so it truly is all for the best! That's what happens why you focus more on the sunshine, Grumble's company and the street's spectacles than knitting with cotton. Lesson learned.

Back to spring cleaning: My other Yoga Wrap, which travelled around Europe with us, only to be worked on for a couple of rows at the very most before I realised that knitting on trains gives me motion sickness has been pulled out, with a pledge to finish it before the cool weather disappears. Likewise the coat and dress I have cut out and sitting on top of the buffet that houses all of my sewing gear - these too have been moved up the sewing queue.

And yesterday I finished the summer cardigan I have been working on for Grumbles (pics soon, promise!) so really, things are moving along at a cracking speed. And that, my friends, feels gooooooood!

If only I had such a can-do attitude to spring cleaning the dust bunnies under the bed...

8 comments:

  1. Feeling very inspired by your crafty spring cleaning! I too am feeling a bit weighed down by all the WIPs ... So to also quote Mary Poppins, "Spit, spot!" I better get on with some of it!

    Love the story of the yelling neighbour!

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  2. What an inspiring post , thanks so much ! I love your red photo .

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  3. You certainly do sound a lot better, yay for you!

    That red cotton is a gorgeous shade, can you tell me who it's by?

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  4. ...I don't have any UFO's. I like to finish everything ASAP.

    I hope you continue with your new energy and get those items done and literally dusted!

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  5. It must be the time of year. I went through my house yesterday collecting all the UFOs and collecting what was needed to get on and finish (or listing to buy). It does feel very virtuous to be able to clear those jobs away. Good luck Jorth!
    P.S. It has just started to get cold her in the UK (68F in my home at present) so maybe thats why I am nesting......(and thinking of turning on the heat!)

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  6. Oh i need to do that. There are quite a few UFO's laying around these parts.

    And i don't believe Cherri for one second ;) There must be at least 1 UFO.

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  7. I'm in the midst of a finishing spree. I've unearthed a project that just needs seams and bands and it is done. Just couldn't face it at the time. Maybe it's the weather or the impendingness of spring????

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  8. Great to hear that you have that "spring" in your step back. Yes, I think at this time of year the "cleaning, organising bug" is out there. In process of doing the same. Love your Cherry cardigan, and the color - Beautiful! Would love to see the finished product - not that I'm putting any pressure on you...Welcome back!

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