Back to the Process

The process has been part of the conversation on this blog for a long time…right from the start, actually.  Part of the reason I thought about starting this blog was to share how I felt about different techniques, stitches and problems that arise with knitting and how "the all of it" was part of the process…the good, the bad and the ugly.  Honestly I just didn't (and still don't) see how stockinette can be boring.  That isn't to say I don't get sick of some processes more quickly than others, but it's usually my mind that is galloping on from the desire for another PRODUCT, not another process. 

Recently Shelley, a long time friend of mine, found a vintage pattern she wanted to knit, the Crescendo Stole. To get the look she wanted she knew it was going to take some trial and error and the first thing she had to do was find the right needle size. The pattern called for size 13s, but there was no way to tell what type/size of yarn was used.  Shelley's chosen yarn was Cascade 220 and she quickly found 13s were too big.

She jumped down to a 9 which made a very dense, no-drape fabric. Next she went up to a 10 which was still too tight, then went to an 11 which was just a little too loose.  Using a 10.5 proved to be just right and she's now on her way.  Now, you must realize she wasn't knitting small swatches, as she wanted to see how wide the finished wrap would in the end. On every needle she knit at least 8" of pattern and, after finishing them all, they were laid out so she could determine the needles size and number of stitches needed. The process took her a couple of weeks and she was just as enthusiastic at the end stage as she was in the beginning.  Now that's someone who LOVES the process.  Her shawl will be exactly what she hoped and she is now enjoying the process of knitting miles and miles of cable stitches.  The smile on her face continues.

The smile on my face is growing as the end of CeCe draws near.  I've enjoyed the process of CeCe, but the idea of actually wearing her is more exciting.  Knitting the body went well...no problems, smooth sailing, few mistakes that needed more than a stitch or two of frogging.  But the sleeves gave me trouble...trouble caused by my inept counting and lack of attention.  One sleeve was completely finished when I realized it was four stitches too small and had to be frog back far enough to add the extra increases.

It was a very happy moment when all the pieces were correctly knit and joined at the armscye.  The yoke is now growing, the raglan decreasing smoothly, and a new sweater for sprummer wear is now nearing completion.  I can't help but think about the next sweater in the queue as lately I seem to be more about the product than the process.

Comments

[Kelly]

good grief she sure has patience. By the time I got done all that swatching i'd be ready to move on, and never see that sucker again.

[Carolec]

The process is key, even when the product is the desire. I sometimes wonder why we get in a hurry to finish when we're just going to start knitting something else as soon as we're done. And I sometimes think I enjoy the middle of the process more than the beginning or the end. Does that make sense?

[Lynn]

I wish I were as thoughtful as you about all this knitting. Sometimes I think I love the process, but then I find myself sick of the fiddling around necessary to cast on socks (especially when I have to cast on three times! for one sock1). Sometimes I think I just want the product, but then why don't I just go buy a sweater, a shawl, a pair of socks? The ready-made products would fit better, look better, probably be cheaper, and certainly would be faster.

Hell, I don't know. This may explain why I've cast on for four projects this week - I'm always searching for fulfillment. (but perhaps never finding it)

[Kim]

Sprummer...I love it...haha!

I look forward to seeing Cece finished :-). It is one sweater I think I might want to make this year too.

[CindyCindy]

I'm thinking it's process and product. You enjoy the process, but what the heck's wrong with wanting the product? Besides, I get a bit sick of each process before I finish the product. Repetition gets dull and when you're close to the end, it gets really dull. Oh, and Shelley? She has my undying admiration. I would be whining by that point.

[Ann]

I just love your friend's stole. I had just such a process trying to get Starmore gauge for my denim sweater. I like your ruminations on process. They aid my own. Thanks, Margene.

[Nancy]

Your friend is so patient. I can barely get a real swatch done, they drive me nuts. I am something of a product knitter I've realized, even though I love the process as well.

Interestingly I find I'm the opposite with spinning. I don't think so much about the finished product when I spin. I am just in the moment of spinning. There it's all process for me.

[ruth]

Sprummer! Would the end of winter/early spring be Wing? Summer into fall be Sumtaum? Autumn into winter be Aunter?

Beautiful knitting as usual.

[Knitnana]

Oh, YUMMY - I LIKE Crescendo! And we do need to remind ourselves (if we're process knitters) that product will arrive when it's ready...
Cece looks lovely!
(((hugs)))

[Chris]

Shelley's process reminded me of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

*sigh* We might have snow tomorrow.

[Anne]

Wow - yeah. That's gonna be a gorgeous stole when she is finished, but holy cow! A whole lotta knitting.

I love the pink color you chose for CeCe!

[Marcia Cooke]

Since I failed "CeCe 101" I'm envious of yours. I should try it again. As for the rest of it, I guess I'm a product knitter. The process is only what I have to do to get there. Same thing with spinning.

[Vicki]

Wow, no wonder she's smiling -- the stole looks terrific!

CeCe is going to be fantastic -- can't wait.

I have no idea what kind of knitter I am these days... except maybe bored. I need a SPARK!

[Laurie]

CeCe will be something.

[Wool Winder]

Process vs. product--it's all good.

[Teyani]

Process is an interesting thing. I enjoy the beginning - seeing how the pattern will unfold, and curious to know if it will match my imagination. Yet, I also enjoy step two, watching the pieces form - each row, a now familiar friend. The final 'sewing it together' is probably my least favorite stage, but it happens quickly, since by now I am anxious for the 'wearing' :-)
Can't wait to see Cece.

[Kim D.]

Shelley truly sounds like a wonderful knitter to me and it turned out beautifully. I find that there are some things that I am very process driven and some very product driver, occasionally the two battle it out.

However, I wholeheartedly agree, Stockinette is definitely not boring. I do find there are times for stockinette and times for something else, which is why I usually (okay, always) have at least a couple (okay, multiple) projects on the needles, so that there is always something around to suit my mood and ability to focus on the project.

[Heather Joins The Round]

Excellent reminder, Margene! Go, Shelley, go!

[Dianne]

I so admire Shelley's patience and perserverance..afraid I've not reached there YET~..age wise I should be there, but it seems the older I get..the patience dwindles.

[Laura]

Mmmm. Knitting really is SO mental. So thought provoking. So emotionally intimate for the person who truly thinks about their knitting.

Was your sock mojo hiding in there anywhere? :)

[ali]

Wow- that's a lot of cables! That's a project that takes some serious dedication.

Sprummer- love it, though it is a blink of an eye type of mini season around here. We get months of cold, a few days of warm, a couple months of hot and humid, then a couple days of cool, and back to frigid...

Happy knitting-
ali

[Mia]

The shawl is lovely. And it again reinforces the need to do a gauge swatch of some sort.

[marie in florida]

sticking to the basic process, i.e. knit stitch; i've made about a dozen grandmother's favorite dishcloth in the last week, plus, the basic grannie square crochet i a little bag all ready except the side seams. i need to be alone to figure how to seam it.

that shawl is way way too many cables for me! whew!

[Lorette]

Hmmm. I'm with Kelly. By the time I got to the part where I was happy with the yarn and needles, I'd have burned that whole mess in the backyard. But now that she's done all the work for us, we can just merrily start in with Cascade 220 and size 10.5 needles, right? :-)

[sandy]

Heh. Sprummer! :D I just love CeCe. It will look lovely on you!
Hats off to Shelley! Her stole is wonderful and the love put into it will be well worth it in the end! May she wear it long and proudly! I love her warm smile!
xo

[Jennifer]

She is very patient! I don't think I could do all that tinkering without losing steam.

I've been wanting to knit Cece for a while too. I like the color you've chosen.

[bellamoden]

I love the process. I love the product. I too don't understand how anyone can get bored of the process.

[Sharon]

Your friend is practicing what we all need to remember, that the process is part of the journey. We Americans are so impatient - we don't want to spend time on the journey. We want to leave and be there. See how happy she is? Her results clearly will be worth the time she invested in planning. She's a pretty smart cookie.

[KarenJoSeattle]

Shelly is my kind of knitter. I'm definitiely process - give me a good mindless and relaxing project to switch off with my what-the-heck-am-I-doing one.

But, then, I spent part of today wandering through Macy's looking at summer sweaters thinking of how I'd alter them to suit my tastes and buying nothing. I might be able to turn CeCe into what I was looking for. Hmmm.