I should know...

There are projects I love, and projects I don't. Sometimes I know before starting that a project is going to drive me crazy. Sometimes I'm totally and completely surprised that I'm not finishing something. This is happening to me now.

About a month ago I had an "AHA" moment where I decided what to make for a special someone. I was thrilled! Whenever I feel particularly thankful or pleased with someone it makes me want to knit for them. If I know them well I can pick something they would like, colors they'd approve of,  hopefully a style that works well. In this case I'd been in a conundrum because I don't know the recipient well. Then. Aha!

I picked slippers. (yay, right?) Everyone needs slippers - it's MN we live in and even if she doesn't LOVE them she can keep her feet warm with them at home where no one will see and there is certainly no pressure for her to show me she's using them because they are strictly for use at home. Brilliant.

I picked a pattern. French Press Felted Slippers. Cute, trendy, seemingly simple, and (based on many of the notes on FPFS projects ) positively quick and addictive. Truth be told I thought this was the solution for all the people in my life who I've not been able to pick the perfect knitted gift for.

I picked yarn and buttons. Even this went well. I needed wool (for felting) and had it on good authority that green would be the right color. Easy. Peasy. I found some white buttons which I believed would be adorable on the finished felted beauties.

I picked needles. Here is where I should have started to realize that though things were going extremely well with the project, I might hit some trouble along the way. Size 13. I don't like large needles. I generally use 3s, 4s, maybe 6s if I'm doing a sweater. Instead of thinking how I detest giant needles I focused on how quickly my project was bound to get done, based on the gargantuan needles.

A month (at least, lets not try to remember the actual dates of supply gathering) later I have this

This is actually pretty good. I have one fully assembled slipper and 2 of 3 parts of the other slipper made. One more piece and the assembly and I'm good as gold. After knitting for so long I should know that I don't like giant needles or piecing things together (and possibly more important, without a deadline I'm not highly motivated to finish said undesirable project).  Hopefully the next blog post will be finished slippers. *sigh*

I wish this was the only project giving me trouble. Sadly I'm also struggling with another project. Scrappie overalls. A trade I'm doing with an incredible seamstress (her store here)who made my daughters Easter dress (love love love).It hits another of my knitting buttons that I should know would be a problem. Scrappieness.

The total un-matchy-ness of scrappies by nature messes with my need for order in my knitting. My knitting friends would likely tell you that they know I can't handle this. My house is a mess but my knitting I can control. Another UFO (un-finished-object).

Sadly even the finishing (I've already admitted to not loving the finishing, right?) of these is even more a problem than the slippers. Here is the inside of one leg which needs to be dealt with.

 When will I learn what I already know about myself? Here's to hoping these two will get done so I can once again knit something I love. The finished pictures are more fun, right?