The Right amount of 'whelm' in (knitting) projects
Complex, complicated and comforting in knitting, CraftDoodling Design updates, etc.
FEATURED PATTERN
It is almost spring here where I live. But this pullover still gets worn in some chilly mornings and evenings and never fails to get some appreciation. 🥰
Niyat is available on Ravelry and Payhip for download. ❤️
THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ‘WHELM’ IN (KNITTING) PROJECTS
Last week,in response to my thoughts on how Knitters refuse to fall into categories, so many of you shared about how you forged your own path into the craft of knitting. 🧶
Thank you for such lovely and insightful thoughts and comments. I was able to see how our choices in the craft become more tuned to our own comfort and expectations from the craft. This week I am continuing a bit more in that direction. 👉🏽
When I began knitting, working with thinner yarns was a daunting thought. I would avoid fingering weight like the plague and stick to worsted weight or DK. That was my sweet spot in knitting for a long time.
Until… a dear friend sent me the link to a fingering weight shawl and asked if I could knit it for her. Well, she imagined me to be a knitting super-star of sorts. 🙈
At that point I had to commit to knitting a fingering weight shawl. Once I was through that, I still remember thinking I was done with fingering and was safely back to my WW and DK.
And then there was an opportunity to knit a fingering weight shawl for commission. This one had a lace border. The next request was Find your Fade by Andrea Mowry - 1600 yard fingering weight project.🤯
It took me months, but by the end of it, I was actually beginning to love the feel and drape of fingering weight yarns. 🤟💗
I had a similar experience with color work and brioche as well. I am sure many of you reading this, have found your way through challenges and have so many inspiring stories to share. Please do so in the comments, if you like.
Apparently, our ancient brains are designed to fear the new and hence we avoid it at first. 😨
“Over time our avoidance reflex is activated less and less often as we learn that the new thing won’t harm us. At this point, the novelty bonus begins to outweigh our avoidance reflex. Our fear begins to dissipate. We start wondering if this new thing, or experience, could potentially be useful or valuable."
- Allen Gannett, The Creative Curve.
Don't we all love that knitting has such endless new learnings and experiences to offer?💝✨
However, I have also become aware of the fine line between complex and complicated. I find that a certain level of complexity within knitting projects is desirable for many knitters.
Learning, figuring and keeping track of so many things at the same time within a single project might make it overwhelming and complicated. 🫨
At the same time a project that doesn't challenge us enough and offers nothing to look forward to, can be too underwhelming. 😐
A pleasantly complex project has the right amount of 'whelm' that helps us keep going until we finish it. Most of us want something familiar and comforting, yet something novel.
A plain sock but just a little colorwork at the cuff.
A garter and lace shawl but with beautiful shaping details.
A cardigan with all-over texture that has fairly easy repeats.
A shawl with a simple garter body, but an exciting border to look forward to.
are some ideas that look appealing to me, at the moment. 💖
Often we might also have one project for the familiar and comforting category and one for the novel and complex category. But overall, I find it interesting that we constantly try to balance this need in our knitting choices.
Do you agree ? What kind of projects do you have going on currently? Complex or Comforting? I'd love to know!
CRAFTDOODLING DESIGNS UPDATES
I am currently working to update one of my earlier shawl patterns called Nasha. The shawl attracted a lot of attention when I released it in 2020. My pattern writing has come a long way over the years and some of my patterns definitely deserve a revisit 😅 and Nasha, probably the most. I will keep you updated as I make progress.
There are spots left in my upcoming Finishing Techniques and Intro to Brioche Class at Fillory Yarn. If you are interested, please check them out.
OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE
Currently reading 📚
11 / 22 / 63 - Stephen King
Until next time,
Kavitha. ♡
Currently, this newsletter is free to subscribe. If you like my work, please consider these other ways to support:
Click the ❤️ at the bottom of this post. If you are reading from your email inbox, this will open substack in web browser. Please allow it to open and make sure you see the red heart.
Share your thoughts in comments. I am here for the conversations. I hope you are too!
Introduce this newsletter to a friend!
Buy my patterns. I hope you find something you like.
I accept any of these with immense gratitude. Thank you!
Good one! the right amount of 'whelm' is what I am experiencing currently with my Tunisian hexagons. As for your thoughts on worsted and fingering, I love working with fingering. I think for me heavier yarns do not have much use in the place where I live. Basically I am a crocheter and heavier yarns when crocheted feel very heavy. Even fingering wt yarns when crocheted I feel they not only consume more yarn, but also feel heavy. Whereas, fingering yarn feels light and soft to knit. Complex and simple knit/crochet totally depends on the current mood for me. Also I think I love working with thinner yarns more as I started crocheting with the thinnest of thread before venturing into yarns.
Absolutely agree! Love the concept of the right amount of whelm! It’s interesting, I have found my preference for what I wear being shaped by what I like to knit more and more! I like to wear simple cardi’s but so boring to knit! Now, needing more complex fun things to knits has helped me expand my wardrobe!