I still think the terms "startitis" and "finishitis" are misused. I mean, "-itis" means that you have an inflammation in the prefix. Er, whatever the prefix is, that is. So "startitis" would mean that starting projects causes you inflammation (and, presumably, pain)... but it's used, by knitters, to mean you can't resist the urge to start new projects, and "finishitis" is used to mean you can't resist the urge to finish.
I call it "finishophily."
As many predicted, I finished up the stripey socks for me quickly. You can wear them uncuffed:
or cuffed:
And on my mother's birthday socks (note her birthday was 4th of July!):
These toes are ready to Kitchener just as soon as my mother assures me that the socks fit — because I've had to lengthen previous versions twice. Those aren't my feet making the unsightly bulges on the side — the socks are just too long for me. I wear a 8.5 or 9, she wears a 9.5.
Note the little "granny square" lace insets on the side, to save these from being too boring.
You'd think after finishing all these things recently, that I'd be up for finishing one of my many WIPs. And.. I am, up to a point. I'm working on a linen dishcloth, and I'll share more of my WIP distresses soon. But I am Very Distracted by this
(from Knitter's magazine — a rare win from them, I generally don't like their style). I'm swatching up the yarn I got from April as a gift (well, she gave me the Elann gift cert... I got the Peruvian Quechua yarn). It's really DK yarn, though, and the pattern calls for light worsted.
I can't get the called-for 5 spi, though maybe I could go up a needle size; but I hate to do that, because I like the fabric at the specified 5.5 spi (the larger half of the swatch above). If the rows per inch are not too outrageous (and note that I have Very Short Arms), I may go for making one size up, which should come out about right if I stay on gauge. I'm thinking I'll try one front, and if that looks good, go on with the sweater; if not, frog and pick another yarn.
But you can see from the pattern photo why this isn't a small undertaking.
You might notice what looks like a row of lace between sections of my swatch. This is a trick I've been using when I change stitches or needles on a gauge swatch, to keep the new gauge from stretching or shrinking the previous section; I just do (yo, ktog) across and then (p) back. The resulting mesh flexes better and keeps section integrity, yet I don't have to bind off and cast on again.
P.S. thanks for all the sympathies on the dental work (some of you are dealing with much worse than I am — ow) and kind comments on the sock and pillow :-)
2 comments:
Well ak-shully...
"-itis" means "inflammation of the"
So, you have "inflammation of the finished things."
I've always objected to using disease-related terms to describe the things that we're passionate about.
"-aholic" as a suffix describes an incurable illness. "Beadaholic," "Yarnaholic". They evoke images of desperate crafters huddling in doorways, shaking and quaking as they wait for the store to open so they can get their fix.
What we do is a passion. It should be embraced as an obsession that does not control us and make us ill, but as a drive that brings us joy, energy, and life.
This is why, a few years ago, I coined the word "chantraphile" to describe a bead-lover. It draws from the Greek word "chantra", which refers to the kind of bead you string and wear as jewelry.
I've had less luck finding a proper Greek term for "yarn" or "knitting," either of which would create a "-philia" word in the traditional way, using Greek roots.
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