Why I Won't Knit You Anything.

I love knitting. LOVE IT. I hate knitting commission pieces. Anytime someone asks me if I will knit them a sweater or mittens or anything, I get a little cranky. The only exception to this rule is my mom. My mom can ask me to knit what ever she wants and I will happily oblige.

Reason #1.
You can't afford my time. I'm really not trying to sound like I'm full of myself the fact of the matter is you really cannot afford my time. After working on Norma for the last two weeks I figure I have roughly 52 hours invested in her. She is a gift for a family member for Christmas. If I was to knit something similar to Norma for someone and charge for my time (say minimum wage) they simply would not be able to afford the piece. I'm uncomfortable quoting people what my time would cost blah, blah, blah. Stop asking me. I'm more than happy to teach you to knit though.

Reason #2.
Knitting is my hobby, not my job. I get paid to do things I kind of don't want to do, I like my job but it's not knitting. Knitting is the thing that I do when I get home from work since setting things on fire is illegal. When you start offering to "pay me" (see reason #1) my hobby starts feeling like a job. So, no, money never sweetens the deal.

Reason #3.
I have crafty ADD. Chances are if your asking me to make something, I've already made it. I've moved on to the next shiny object in my Ravelry queue unless I really liked making that object I probably won't make it again. Quit trying to drag me back to "that one thing" you saw me post on my Facebook page. I'm not exactly "loyal" to my projects. I have multiple things on needles and I switch between them often. I would hate to have you waiting on something because I saw a super cute something or other that I HAD to start. Also, only knitting one thing at a time because I have too makes me hate that thing and I no longer want to make it.

Yes, I know this sounds harsh and mean and I'm sorry for that (not really). I make things for people because I know they will love them and because I want them to have it.

Am I the only knitter that feels this way?

Second post of the day... Since the first one was so happy.

Felted mittens. I am making felted mittens. I got a lovely skein of Stitch Nation Highland Wool (would love to put a link there but the site is down or something). I have cast these on probably five or six times. Not because the yarn is terrible or anything, it's because I just wasn't happy. I'm using a random pattern as a guideline but I've knit so many pairs of mittens I figured I didn't need a pattern. I do the same thing with plain socks. I just make them. The first time I cast on I decided my needle size was wrong, ripped it out. Second time I decided that I had too many stitches, ripped it out.Third time I had the wrong needle size and too many stitches cast on, ripped it again. By this time the yarn is starting to look pretty sad but who cares I'm felting them.

So last night before I headed downtown to hang out with the always hilarious Betsy at the Twins game (they lost), I cast on one last time. I am finally happy.

I got to The Depot at like 6:15 sat down at a table by myself and ordered a Premium. Let me tell you knitting in a bar full of people while in Downtown Minneapolis having a beer was GLORIOUS! (that needed all caps) I usually knit on the bus where people try to talk to me while I'm counting out loud so knitting in public isn't new to me. Knitting at the bar however is. Nobody bothered me but I did quite a few curious glances. Then Betsy showed up and said "I love that you're knitting right now." 

I loved that I was knitting as well.