One picture and one thought

I have finally connected this blog to my Google+ account, tired of trying to figure out how to share my posts. I was tired of "+1"ing my own stuff so it would show up for my circles.

Knitting without a pattern

People who see me knitting always ask what I'm making. It's inevitable. Even if it's obviously something like a sock. It doesn't bother me so much if it's a sock or a sweater or a scarf or a hat. It's when I'm free styling that it bothers me. I alway start with a goal in mind, but I don't always know how I'm going to get there or how it will end up looking. Sometimes you'll see me halfway in on one occasion, and on the next, I'll have ripped it all out and started again.

Knitting without a pattern is like cooking without a recipe. There's no guarantee that what you're making will turn out, or that you'll be able to duplicate it. And heaven forbid anyone else wants to make one too.

It can also be extremely frustrating. The third or fourth time you rip something out and start again, you start to wonder if it's worth it. The end product usually is worth the frustration, but it's sometimes hard to see the end when you're stuck in the middle trying to figure out how to shape the head or neck or wing. But if you can get through that, it only gets easier. Because of this, I can't always be knitting crazy things sans pattern. I have to take occasional breaks and knit somei more boring like socks.

The way I knit tends to be like sculpting. Only once have I written down instructions for he to make something I created. I have no idea if the person I gave them to was able to follow them. I suspect the answer might be "no". It was not a pattern for the faint of heart, or a casual or beginning knitter. There aren't any fancy stitches, but there's a lot of increasing and decreasing and counting of rows and stitches, and knowing where the heck you are in the process. You have to pay attention. And it doesn't take me terribly long to finish things, but I can see it taking a long time for someone else. And someone who is oriented toward finishing projects might decide it isn't worth the effort.

Why do I do it then? I know how to use Google to find patterns. There are books full of patterns. Ravelry is full of patterns. I'd rather just do it myself. Many of the patterns I've found to make knitted animals are even more complicated than what I do, and they often don't end up looking how I expect they should (or looking stupid). I decided I could probably do better, so I did

And that's the randomosity for tonight.

Some random stuff

1. New job is not so new anymore. I am very happy there and convinced that I made the right decision. Especially once I realized how crappy my old salary actually was. And I have my weekends back. I can truly relax on weekends, not spend the time stressing about what I have to deal with at work on Momday. It is magnificent.

2. Three weeks ago tomorrow, I broke my foot (which you probably already know). This is my first broken bone. Ever (that toe as a child was not confirmed as broken, and toes don't count). It turns out that cuboid bones don't appreciate bending that way. Fortunately, there was an urgent care clinic nearby that stayed open until 10pm. Thanks, Allina Clinics! And with my new insurance I was able to go see my doctor. The one I'm comfortable with. She had no idea about my broken foot, but she was able to pull up my urgent care info and refer me to orthopedics (to placate the insurance company). It was good to see her again. I hated having insurance that wouldn't let me see her.

3. Back to orthopedics tomorrow afternoon. Taking bets on if I'll need a regular shoe when I leave the doctor's office.

4. Playing the piano with a broken right foot is challenging. That's my sustain pedal foot! I haven't even tried the organ.

5. Most importantly, I got Cheetos at the grocery store last night.