I was having an e-mail conversation with Tonni and we got on the subject of unfinished projects and she was lamenting over how many sweaters she would have to wear if she would just finish them.

Tonni, by the way, knits some of the most gorgeous stuff out of her handspun. And not only that, but she knits fast. And she finishes a hell of a lot more projects than I do. But I?m not bitter. Or jealous. Really. I’m not.

Anyway. Moving along.

I had this revelation about why we knitters have such a hard time sticking to just one project at a time or are sometimes *cough* unable to complete a project.

And as for sticking to projects…. if it’s not for me, I can finish it in a fairly timely manner. But projects for me? It takes me about 2 years to finish a sweater because I’ll get bored with it (usually when I get to the sleeves) and then I’ll start something else. I think it’s Thrill of the Chase Syndrome, you know? You look for the perfect yarn to go with the perfect pattern and then you start it. It’s charming for awhile, but then you feel like you’ve conquered the challenge so it’s time for something new. Next thing you know, you’re hot and heavy with another project.

Sometimes I feel like I can let go of all my inhibitions in life when it comes to knitting. Because, really, who’s going to know? Unless you blog about it, of course.

Which brings me to the dark side of knitting. Being a floozy. Knitting behind another project’s back. Screwing up projects, knowing they’re screwed up and continuing to knit on them anyway. Ignoring gauge. Things of that nature. But what is the fun of being a floozy without someone to share all your sordid tales, right? I?m talking strictly knitting here.

Plus, there are some fantastic cautionary knitting tales around the blogosphere that have kept me from doing something stupid. Sometimes. These tales are more like public service announcements than embarrassing stories and really, incredibly thoughtful of the knitblogger.

And really, isn?t that what most knitters are? Conscientious and helpful. And most of the time they?re willing to cuss right along with you after you make a stupid mistake. Once they?ve stopped laughing at your stupid ass.

And that is why I love my knitting friends.