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gone2seed
Warming Up
77 Posts |
 Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:13:30 AM
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I see books called "weekend knits" and from the forums it seems as though people knit up project pretty quickly. I barely finish a project in the same season I started it in. Am I alone here? Starting to get a little impatient with myself . . .
I've been knitting less than a year, will it get faster? |
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kimkrafty
Permanent Resident
USA
2145 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:22:14 AM
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Don't let it bother you.
Everyone is different. The more you knit, the faster you'll get, if that's your goal. Some people, however, have no aim for speed and just knit leisurely for relaxation.
Some people have a lot more time in a day to dedicate to knitting, also, so they get more done.
As long as you are enjoying yourself, you're going at the right pace. 
Kimberly, kniting in VA
FO for 2004: 1/2 :) |
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storiesr
Sustaining Member
692 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:26:00 AM
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I usually plan on close to two months to knit a sweater but I usually have a smaller project going at the same time; that way I have a diversion when I get a bit bored!!
I like to start a sweater project in the early fall knowing I may have it done by Christmas!!
Laura in NE Indiana
We may not be able to control the wind, but we can direct our sails! |
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gone2seed
Warming Up
77 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:42:07 AM
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ahhh good. I should just plan my projects in advance. Maybe I should look at the bright side, I'm impatient to finish this sweater because it looks like it'll be the first really wearable one I've made!
Thanks folks! |
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myshelle10
Permanent Resident
USA
2749 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:50:30 AM
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LOL-- I'm slow, myself. I was knitting "sonnet" from Knitty-- it took me about 2 months to knit (another month to learn to put together, but that's another topic). I wished I knit faster... but it has to do w/ how I learned-- and I'm not sure I want to invest the time to re-learn another technique at the moment-- maybe some day. I also work a TON... so I don't have as much time as I'd like to work on stuff I'm knitting... I think any sweater that had any sort of details (as opposed to sonnet, which was garter stitch) would take me around 3 months or so. And that's w/ me using *every* spare minute to knit on it. If I'm also working on a pair of socks or whatever (for commutes into work) it can take even longer...
myshelle (the slow) LOL |
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jade
Permanent Resident
USA
1543 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:55:13 AM
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If you're doing it, it's normal! We all lead different lives with different demands on our time, so don't compare what you do with others. Relax and enjoy.
Cheryl |
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knittykat
Seriously Hooked
USA
710 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 10:58:28 AM
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I think everyone knits at a different speed, too, just like some people are fast readers and others are slower.
Kat in Illinois |
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carols
Permanent Resident
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 11:26:56 AM
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Wow - and here I was thinking 2 to 3 months sounds fast!
I'm working on a sweater for my mom -- short sleeves, mind you -- that's taking well over a year. I work on other things, too; I switch and do a lot of smaller projects in between. (short attention span)
As long as you are enjoying the process, why worry about it?
Carol |
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of troy
Permanent Resident
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 12:10:06 PM
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i am not sure thee is a definiation of normal.
every knitter has a half finished sweater in their past.
some have frogged the whole thing, and turned it into something else, other have them tucked away in the back of a closet, other (me) wear them as vests!
i know knitters who have taken years to knit a sweater --i have whipped up size 4 (childrens size 4) sweaters in a week, and adult size (lets just say larger than large) sweaters in 3 weeks, but i have vest unfinished now since february.
if you want to learn to knit faster, (first expect to be slower as you learn) you can. but knitting isn't a race.
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frodosmom
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
480 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 12:29:55 PM
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Hi. I'm only making socks at the moment, and it seems to be taking forever. One reason is that I'm not used to using such thin yarn and size 1 needles. Also, I've got big feet! Those patterns that say you can make the sweater in a weekend are likely to be using super bulky yarn on jumbo needles with a small size pattern and assume you have nothing else to do besides knit. Please don't be dissuaded. If someone is in a hurry, I'd recommend taking up cycling or table tennis, not knitting.
Margaret in South Carolina |
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Jane
SustaYning Member
USA
4299 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 1:03:35 PM
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I try not to hurry! If I have a deadline for something, I try to get it out of the way as soon as possible so I can get back to the two or three (or more) projects that I always seem to have on needles. Whatever works for you is normal. The sweater I am working on right now is taking a long time, but I have a goal of finishing it sometime before September -- a non-deadline that I'll probably ace!
Jane
(on the end of
Long Island, NY)
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gone2seed
Warming Up
77 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 1:26:23 PM
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thanks for the encouragement. i'll keep going at my own pace . . .
besides, we may get a chilly day next month & i may get to wear this sweater yet! |
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Kelley
New Pal
USA
34 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 1:30:26 PM
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I just like to knit!! I have some projects that I knit that must be finished on a deadline. I make sure that I allow a decent amount of time to finish those projects. Everything else I just enjoy the process. I try not to commit to knitting for other people because I don't want my hobby to become stressful. The only exception is a golfing vest for my husband. But, he will get it when he gets it.
I find that I get into two different moods with my knitting. Starting and finishing. I tend to start four or five projects at the same time. After awhile I just want EVERYTHING off my needles so I focus on finishing everything. Then the process starts all over again. Right now I am in finishing mode.
Knitting is a delightful process. Let it be your own world that you can enjoy. Don't let other people's skills or expectations affect your art.
Hugs, Kelley |
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Julie914
Gabber Extraordinaire
481 Posts |
Posted - 04/22/2004 : 2:48:18 PM
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Yup, I once knit a sweater in three weeks, but have one that's been sitting here for a year. Cut yourself some slack, sit back, and enjoy.
Julie
I'd try recreational drugs, but they'd cut into my yarn budget. |
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fillyjonk
Permanent Resident
1127 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 2:07:19 PM
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It took me over a year to do my first sweater.
The most recent finer-weight (DK) wool sweater I made took me about 6 months to complete.
I don't know who these folks are that knit a sweater in a weekend, but I'd like to meet them!
(part of it is I never have more than an hour or two to knit at any one time - maybe the people who are super-productive don't have other things they need to do at the same time). |
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Julie914
Gabber Extraordinaire
481 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 2:12:29 PM
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Filly, many of these 'weekend' sweaters are in the super-bulky range. There's a nice one in "Weekend Knits" I could probably do in an obsessed weekend, but it's cashmere and I'd have to mortgage my husband to buy the yarn. And spend the next week on painkillers because of my hand.
I'm still irritated by the folks marketing super bulky to beginner knitters as 'easy'. Ah well. We all have our pet peeves.
Julie
I'd try recreational drugs, but they'd cut into my yarn budget. |
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kdcrowley
Permanent Resident
USA
4773 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 2:58:12 PM
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Depends on the sweater. If you are doing a sweater with bulky yarn that knits up at 2 stitches to the inch, well longer than a weekend would indicate that very little time was being spent on it.
Sweaters at finer gauges take longer as there are simply more stitches in them. Color work, textured stitches, lace and entrelac also take longer. Garter goes pretty fast for me, but I like garter stitch...
Anyway, you knit at the pace that you knit at, and so yes, 2-3 months sounds normal to me.
Kelley
Everywhere you go, there you are! Imagine that.... |
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Wen
Permanent Resident
Australia
3242 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 4:49:49 PM
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For 20 years I have knitted a maximum of 2 sweaters each autumn/winter....this year I'm enthused and have already completed heaps of stuff including one sweater for DS (7 yr old).
Of the people I know who knit 6 -8 wks would be average but there is not such thing as normal! As long as you enjoy it don't worry about it.
Wen
2004 stats: 8 FO, 5 WIP, 17 wool purchased. 2 frogpond |
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Tam
Permanent Resident
Australia
2810 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 5:10:20 PM
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I haven't knitted a sweater for myself in a long time, but I'm sure it takes me a couple of months; the biggest thing I have knitted recently is a shawl that was 18" wide and 6' long, and that took me 4 weeks.
As others have said, knit to enjoy, don't worry about how long it takes.
If you are looking at people's stats on the forum, the FOs for this year are more than likely not adult sized sweaters! Mine are 3 pairs of socks, 2 toddler sweaters, 1 toddler dressing gown, a bag and a shawl...so you can see the majority of my FOs are small projects.
Happy Knitting,
Tam in Melbourne
http://photos.yahoo.com/lillysmum2002
2004 Stats: 8 FOs, 3 WIPs
Women are like tea bags - you don't know how strong they are until they are in hot water. |
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Marg in Mirror
Permanent Resident
Canada
3204 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 7:01:19 PM
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Hey, I'm a quick knitter, but big projects (lots of parts, or long sleeved, or Aran patterned) will take me several months. Most of my knitting is done in transit, so in very small bits. I don't worry about it. I knit as constantly as possible...and when I'm not doing it, I'm generally thinking about it!
-- Marg in Calgary
TLWKOTB
http://knitsonthebus.blogspot.com |
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Ditzy Girl
Permanent Resident
USA
4718 Posts |
Posted - 04/23/2004 : 7:27:27 PM
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The best I have ever done is a month on a baby sweater, everything else has taken much longer. I am a big intarsia and colored knitter. I am also a very slow knitter and have already started my Xmas stuff to make sure it is done in time. Having just recently reired I will soon have more time to knit once the move and settling in has been taken care of.
Zola - Soon to be Seattle, Wash.
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