I’m unique, just like everybody else!
This entry is brought to you by a large pile of Silky Wool, currently angsting over what it wants to be when it grows up.
I did something shocking and appalling today.
I saw the new Interweave Knits on the magazine rack at the grocery store. I picked it up and flipped to the Tangled Yoke Cardigan that has been taunting me. Looked through the pattern. Totally my kind of pattern. Body knit in one piece, no yucky seaming apart from a little grafting at the underarms. Straightforward construction. Nothing complicated about the cable chart. I don’t have size 0 needles but that can be easily rectified. Looks just as lovely in the magazine as it does in the web pictures.
Then I put the magazine back down and left the store.
Well, okay, first I stopped at the Tim Hortons counter and bought a chocolate milk Iced Cappuccino. Then I left the store. My point is, I did not buy the magazine containing the lovely pattern. I think… I’ve gone off it. I think I was almost hoping it would be knit in eighteen different pieces and then seamed while blindfolded and listening to “Oops, I Did It Again” on an endless loop and then trimmed with bright purple fun fur (not pictured), so that I’d have a good reason not to make it. And I think I know why.
(Apologies to anyone still waiting for a Ravelry invite.)
Everybody wants to make it.
One of the nice things about knitting is that you can create a one-of-a-kind item. Even from a pattern that everybody and their dog is knitting. (If your dog is actually knitting something, please send pics.) You can modify the pattern. You can use an unusual yarn. You can add completely unnecessary ribbons and probably anger the yarn gods in the process. Lots and lots of ways to make a project your own. So what’s the problem?
Well, I don’t want to modify the pattern. I like it exactly the way it is. I wouldn’t be using the recommended yarn, but Silky Wool is probably the most common and obvious sub. My version of this cardigan would look exactly like everyone else’s version of this cardigan.
Trying to be different just for the sake of being different is dumb. I know this. Why does this bug me? So what if mine looks like everyone else’s; it’s still a gorgeous cardigan.
I may well go right back and get that magazine, because I am being an idiot. Or I may use the Giant Pile O’ Silky Wool for an idea that’s still floating around in my head, squeaking “knit me, nowwww, or at least sketch me before you forget me”. I’ve promised myself that I won’t start any new sweaters until I finish my neglected Fake-astanje Cardigan, so I’ve got a long time to decide. Because I am lazy. And will never finish that cardigan. Maybe moths have eaten it by now. Ugh, if moths get into my yarn bin, I am going to have to cut a bitch moth.
In other news, the awesome Webbo has given me a Rockin’ Girl Blogger award. Weeee!
It seems like everyone (and their dog… er… bitch?) has gotten one of these already, so I’m not sure who to pass it on to. Will have to figure that out.
And one more, completely random note: Every time I see a textured stitch pattern that looks all neat and interesting and such, it turns out to be freaking MOSS STITCH. That’s it? Not that it doesn’t appeal to my laziness, but… that’s it? That ridiculously simple stitch pattern can look so intricate? I see a lot of moss stitch in my future.
Not that I’m trying to discourage you from coming up with something on your own (I totally get the whole ‘But I still wanna be different even though I know I’m really not’ thing), but maybe if you look through the ones that are in progress/completed, you could see if any of them would look like yours would be. And, even if one of the next 500 people to make it makes it like yours, you could pull up your blog and say ‘Schyah, bitch, I made mine first’.
…Or something. ;)
22 Aug 2007 at 7:22 pmI love the tangled yoke cardigan as well as everyone else, but it’s towards the end of my queue – the vest with the hearts at the bottom is better in my opinion.
22 Aug 2007 at 8:11 pmANYWAYS – Congrats on not buying the magazine! I couldn’t do the same…
I was really psyched for the new IK magazine. Everyone at my LYS was waxing rhapsodic about it. When I finally flipped though the pages, I was thought, “That’s it? A lot of cabled, boxy sweaters?” Meh. The only patterns I would be interested in knitting are the colorwork ones… I think there are two?
And I agree with you on not wanting to knit something *everyone* has. It’s the main reason I refuse to knit Monkey socks. ;)
22 Aug 2007 at 10:38 pmThat silky wool looks yummy!
You have very similar thoughts on uniqueness and knitting as i do. I have not actually seen the new IK yet, but I’m having doubts about knitting the cardigan too. But then; how many of those in queues will actually be knit? I guess about 100 total, all over the world. So it will at least be more unique than store bought stuff. (I think I’m trying to convince myself here)
Then again, I want to make Cobblestone. Kid sized in ice blue, purple and bright yellow stripes.
23 Aug 2007 at 4:02 amI say go ahead and knit it! How many people around you on a daily basis will have it? Probably not many (or,likely none). At least buy the magazine so you can cast on if the urge comes!
23 Aug 2007 at 10:25 amI totally sympathize.
23 Aug 2007 at 11:55 amThere are all kinds of projects I’d love to do, and which are awesome, but seeing them already in a bazillion queues and projects in Raverly totally takes the bloom off the rose, doesn’t it? What if I don’t wannnnnt to be like everyone eeeelllllssseee…. ::hides Monkey socks:: ::whistles::
You know, I have those worries too, but I’m with Guro — I seriously doubt that everyone who has this in their queue will actually knit it. I don’t know about you, but everytime I get a new pattern book or magazine, I fall in love with a pattern or two (or three or four..) but not many of them actually make it onto my needles. I’d like to make the Tangled Yoke, but I’m giving it awhile. In the meantime, I don’t think there are quite as many people working on the Minimalist Cardigan…I’m working on mine, and the moss stitch is just so lovely. I can’t believe that something that simple looks that nice.
23 Aug 2007 at 5:15 pmOh, yay! I can make comments again. I thought for a second WordPress just didn’t like me.
First off, even if 40 people say they’re going to make it, how many of them actually will? I can’t count the number of times I’ve been to a blog looking for an FO someone started to find that it seemingly was never finished. And even if 20-30 people manage to make it, that’s still a very limited edition. How many will make it in dark brown Silky Wool? Compare it to how many pieces were made of the last store-bought piece of clothing you got, even the ones that look uncommon, and you’ll agree that your sweater will be a rare (hmm, i just typed “wear”) thing indeed.
So make it!
27 Aug 2007 at 10:43 am