Is it startitis, or …?

Before a retreat in early September, I cast on for a cardigan, skipping my usual planning and calculating. I “needed” a substantial project to last me through the retreat. Current status: stalled, waiting for a chance to figure out the armhole and neck shaping.

Before heading to Tempe in late September, I cast on for fingerless gloves. I “needed” a simple, portable project while on the road. Current status: one pair of gloves is done, and a second, improved pair is nearly done but lacks two and half fingers and a thumb.

Before heading to Stitches East—which was fabulous, by the way; so many eager, capable, happy students!—I cast on for a pair of socks, based on a pattern that I designed and sold last year but that hasn’t been published yet. I “needed” a backup project, since the gloves were so close to completion. Current status: the gloves got put aside, and one sock is nearly done.

It would seem that I have a terrible case of startitis at the moment. Every trip is an excuse to cast on for something new. Or is it startitis?

Sometimes I wonder if I have an aversion to finishing things. Not finishing in the knitterly sense of seaming, weaving in ends, and blocking, but in the sense of completing. Calling something done, turning its not-yet-done potential into something concrete and solid. Oh, sure, completed sweaters and gloves and socks are all Good Things, but potential? The ability to become this, or that, or something else entirely? That’s pretty sweet too. That’s why we stash, right? We buy pretty yarn, without a project in mind, for its potential.

Eh. I’m probably just kidding myself. I probably have a garden-variety case of startitis. After all, what could a glove sans a few fingers become, other than a glove?

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