Monday, October 22, 2018

Why I Hate Knitting

Well, my plans were to go and watch my fellow Renegades cross the finish line of the Nutrabolt half marathon yesterday, but Jeff messed up his back on Saturday afternoon and couldn't walk, it was spasming so bad.  Even as I was giving him a muscle relaxer and an ice pack I knew, based on past events, that he was out for this race, and sure enough when his alarm went off early Sunday morning, he couldn't take two steps without massive pain.  So, no race for him, and I stayed home.

This has been a lesson - when you are in training, DON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE.  Or at least, don't work on the sump pump, have your feet mired in mud, and twist to reach for something.  Jeff's back is iffy too often; it's a shame he did this because the weather was perfect for the race - dry(!), cool, mid-50s - what more could south Texans ask for?  Cary and Julia ran together and it looks like they had a good race; Brian ran alone and finished 3rd in his age group...he's a Speedy McSpeederson.

So instead of spending the morning at the race, I spent the morning and part of the afternoon doing laundry and trying to learn how to cast on for a pair of socks in a stretchy method, top-down.  I always knit my socks toe-up but I foolishly bought some yarn that worked better top-down, so I was in a pickle.  After watching many tutorials on You Tube as well as consulting my knitting books, I gave up and am just going to cast on loosely and hope the socks will still work.  That IS one of the methods recommended; I just wanted to do something that was more of a sure thing, but my brain and my fingers were not connecting.  Also there may have been some throwing things out of frustration.  Paco was worried...but when is he not?

The carnage:
I still haven't wound that blue skein of yarn...

I used different yarn, bigger needles, a big needle and a small needle, sock yarn, non-sock yarn, all just to try and get the technique correct - shoot, I even pulled out a few knitting books!  I'm a fairly persistent person when it comes to figuring out knitting, but this got to me after a few hours.  I've always said that knitting should be fun, which is why I knit what I like and avoid things I don't like, such as lacy shawls.  But on Sunday?  I straight-up hated knitting.

That evening I went back to a project that was already on my needles, which was using my favorite yarn and a simple stitch.  I managed to forgive knitting for being such a stupid jerk to me earlier.   OK, it was the good yarn along with some chocolate that helped soothe my bruised knitter's soul...sometimes you have to throw a lot at it to make things better.

And I still haven't cast on those socks yet.

11 comments:

  1. Nothing worse than when your back goes out of whack! Hopefully with some rest, ice, then some stretches designed for bad backs he will get back to normal quickly only time will tell. We have bad backs around here so I know the drill well since my hubby just went through this not long ago.
    Hopefully you are back to enjoying your knitting, since your going to need something that makes you happy while dealing with a husband that is home with a "bad back". I tried to get mine to go to the doctor he wouldn't, and to a certain point I get it. The doctors give out drugs and tell you to rest. My husband has to work or we don't live so that was out during the week it took about a month before he was 100% again, and as his wife let me just say it was a lonnng month dealing with his bad back.

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    1. Oh Susan I am CRACKING UP at your last sentence. I can relate, my friend.

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  2. Poor Jeff. When I was training for a marathon, I was really careful not to do anything that would injure me. I even skipped waterskiing one summer. How dedicated was I? (you can't see me but I'm rolling my eyes right now). I hope Jeff feels better soon!

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    1. LOL, but I get it - you are putting so much work into training for a marathon that you don't want to screw it up!

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  3. I don't know what you were trying to learn, but I do know your knitting frustration!! I think just casting on with needles two sizes bigger than what you are going to do the actual knitting with should be fine. Which, by the way, I always knit my socks from the cuffs down and I was always able to get them on my feet :)

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    1. Lordy, what wasn't I trying to learn? So many techniques, so many failures. I am going to cast on with bigger needles - if I knit with sizee 1.5, do you think a size 3 would work for the cast on?

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  4. OMG I feel your pain with trying to figure that out and just getting so frustrated! GAH! I hate that part of knitting. It scares me out of starting. Then when we do figure it out it feels so good but gawd it just sucks.

    I hope Jeff feels better soon. Poor guy, that sounds like intense pain :(

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  5. Oh my - a disastrous day all around. I don't even understand what you meant about the knitting stuff but I completely feel your frustration. I do understand about a wonky back and hurting yourself prior to a race. Both SUCK! Here's to hoping both of you are feeling better in your respective areas soon.

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  6. Yikes to Jeff’s back!!! I hope he is feeling better!

    As for the knitting! I hate when something I love turns frustrating!!! Stick with what you love!!!

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  7. Oh no. Poor Jeff. And poor you. He was probably no fun to be around. That's my biggest fear. Doing all that training and then not being able to run.

    I am cast on challenged. It's the hardest for me to do correctly. So it's not me.

    I hard starting projects. I often have my knitting friend cast on because she loves to cast on.

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