I've thought about this a lot over the weekend. In fact, I've thought about it a lot over the past few weeks. I always have a few projects on the needles, but when I finish them, I find that they are usually gifted to others while my own sock drawer is practically bare. I've been without handmade socks on my feet most of this winter so far, and those that I have been wearing were gifted a few years ago in various sock exchanges. The scarf I've been wearing this winter I knit several years ago- out of yarn I bought at the Cass St. Depot (which has now closed) before I opened my store, which means it was likely *gasp* 6 years ago. Even though there are several patterns I would like to be wearing right now, I've been gifting everything to everyone else. It feels good to do so, but it might feel just as good to keep these and see them in the mirror everyday.
So I'm resolving this- that I will be knitting for myself this year. I will replenish my own sock collection and gift to myself the fruits of my labor. Ultimately, I'm one of the few people who can most appreciate the time and dedication that goes into picking the perfect yarn for the best pattern, and the time that I take to knit each stitch.
I think I will need your help to make sure that I succeed in this. If I seem tempted to knit a shawl for my sister, please gently remind me that I'm the one that deserves to be warm this year. And if I mention that my friend might really like the soft cashmere for some mitts, please tell me that I too like cashmere mitts. It seems weird to try and be a selfish knitter, because by nature I think many of us are hard-wired to share our gift with others. But I'm determined to replenish my hand knit reserves in 2010.
So 2010 is the Year of Allison. I resolve to treat myself with many hand knit socks. Any suggestions for patterns that you loved knitting this past year? I'm looking for inspiration! What are your thoughts on my resolution? Do you think 2010 will be a selfish knitting year for you too? Or are you resolving to to the opposite and knit mostly for others?
I started this sock on New Year's Eve. It's a simple 2x2 rib using Opal's new Antonia color 2802- I really like the colors in this new line, but this one is my personal fave. Hope to be wearing these socks on my feet in a couple weeks!
I am resolving to be a selfish knitter too. So lets start a club - Its for Me, Myself and I.
Posted by: Abigail | January 04, 2010 at 08:51 AM
Many of the items I knit (actually most of the projects I knit) are usually for others.
Posted by: Maureen | January 04, 2010 at 09:00 AM
I agree! I need to knit more for myself. I too have been gifting everything. So I too will try and keep (replace) some of my socks and maybe finally finish a couple of other projects I started for myself and put on the back burner.
Posted by: SusanB-knits | January 04, 2010 at 09:58 AM
Good for you! With a very few exceptions, I think we appreciate our creative efforts more than others. It is also wonderful, when complimented on something, to be able to say,"Thanks,I made it. "
Posted by: JulieZ | January 04, 2010 at 10:58 AM
By all means! I'm not about to part with a pair of socks this year. Well, maybe, for my daughter, but no one else. Socks for me will be my 2010 motto.
Posted by: Linda Hillin | January 04, 2010 at 12:00 PM
Treat yourself to some cashmere in the yarn, knit feel along with color and pattern
Posted by: Mary A | January 04, 2010 at 12:51 PM
I absolutely agree. In fact I am doing the same thing this year. I give everyone handknit socks and most of my socks come from Target and are pretty ratty at that. So, this year I am making myself lots of "everyday" socks--love the Opal for this. The self-patterning yarn keeps me amused and they wear like iron. I love your under construction socks.
Posted by: Nancy | January 04, 2010 at 12:51 PM
It is very clear that I gift most of what I knit... I wish I had taken pictures of it.. I am also wearing socks from Target and that just seems wrong. I have to finish two presents yet and then it's for me darn it.. especially socks..
Posted by: natalie | January 04, 2010 at 02:37 PM
I'm happy to join the Me, Myself and I group! I give away virtually everything that I knit, and as much as my friends and family love and appreciate what I make for them-you're right it's time to make time to make some things for myself! Now if I could only decide which of my yummy yarns from Allison to start with!
Posted by: Bobbi | January 04, 2010 at 02:57 PM
I love the color of your new sock. However,
I'm not a big fan of Opal yarn. I almost
always gift my knitting, whether they want
it or not. Since I'm not well, there is
not much I can put on this body. I use
to be a nurse and worked for an ENT that
did some rhinoplasty. People came in and
wanted to go out looking like Cheryl Tiegs.
My boss use to say you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Not very nice, but
true. Now I'm the sow's ear, so I know what
he's talking about. There was a cute hoodie
pattern on Knitting Daily or Interweave Knits today if you're so inclined. Happy,
Healthy, New Year. The Traveling Woman
shawl is pretty also and it's done in
one skein of fingerweight yarn and it's a
fee download.
Posted by: babyface | January 04, 2010 at 03:23 PM
Good for You! I too tend to gift a lot of what I knit, but I have been trying lately to alternate, knit a gift, knit for me, knit a gift, knit for me . . . I think as women, and especially mothers we tend to think of others before ourselves.
Here's to some heartfelt selfishness in 2010!
Posted by: Lisa P. | January 04, 2010 at 03:37 PM
Dear Allison
I live in New Zealand and havent knitted for a few years but decided I NEEDED to knit myself a pair of socks. Found your site and voila! I am really impressed with the variety of yarn you have to offer and jealous that your fans have known this for 6 years. I think you should call this year 2010 year of the Allison- instead of Year of the Tiger. Eagerly awaiting the said yarn.
Cheers
RobynK
Posted by: Robyn Kirk | January 04, 2010 at 04:07 PM
Last year I started the year with a pair of socks for me and said I was going to knit more for myself. Just checked Ravelry and slightly less then 1/2 the things started in 2009 were for me. Much better then previous years. I still haven't finished more then one pair of socks for me. I am always worried about fit and bog myself down. I think I will stick with the socks though as I wore the completed pair a week ago when it was in the teens and was loving how I spent the day outside and my toes weren't numb.
Posted by: Rachel | January 04, 2010 at 04:48 PM
Good plan! And I like the yarn you started off your project with. Pretty colors!
Posted by: sprite | January 04, 2010 at 05:11 PM
I became a selfih knitter many years ago when I was a young mother with lots of cousins & other relatives also having babies. I used to spend tons of time knitting baby things - mostly sweater sets - sweater & hat or booties or both knit in fine fingering weight baby yarn. This was an investment of a lot of hours & love. Then I picked up on the attitude that my relatives thought I wa doing it to be cheap! They had not a scintilla of appreciation for the love & effort that went into making those gifts. Since then, I knit only for myself & occasionally for my daughters. I also knit for young children because they seem to get the emotional significance of hand knit gifts.
Posted by: mwknitter | January 04, 2010 at 05:38 PM
Funny you should mention doing things for yourself. A friend of mine told me before the holidays that I need to do more nice things for myself instead of doing for others so much. So I cast on a pair of socks for me - with the ONline cottage yarn which is VERY nice to knit with and are "my colors". It's been in my stash calling me but I kept "ignoring" it to knit for other's gifts. I believe 2010 will be the year of "me" too. I will try new patterns and new colors for myself, and feel absolutely happy as all get out to wear what I knit for MYSELF this year. Thank you all for taking the guilt out of self indulgent gift knitting for myself :-)
Posted by: Diane | January 04, 2010 at 05:38 PM
2009 was a year of selfish knitting for me. It was fine until all my kids decided to come home for the holidays and I had no presents for them.....
Posted by: LizzieK8 | January 04, 2010 at 05:46 PM
I absolutely have dubbed this year, Fru 2010 which means that I will not make anything for anyone...unless I really really want to..and that means that most of my attempts at making sock goodness will benefit me!!
Posted by: wendy fru graham | January 05, 2010 at 07:01 AM
That's a great! You deserve it. I'm going to knit more for myself this year too. Just as soon as I finish up all the projects I have on my needles for everyone else. :)
Posted by: Jenn | January 05, 2010 at 11:40 AM
My guild, where I'm currently an officer, is based on a charity charter. Each month we have a charity project, totally voluntary. As an officer, I try to make something each month, but do not always succeed.
Most of what I make is either for charity or for gifts. So far, over 30-some years of knitting, I've made myself a scarf, an earwarmer that I'm not happy with so call it unfinished, and a few dishcloths.
I have a few projects I really want for myself this year. An earflap hat, a cowl, and some socks. (I need socks right now; it'd be nice if I made myself some!)
Good luck to us all!
Posted by: Jan | January 07, 2010 at 02:55 PM
I like to knit my socks from toe to cuff, and I love Wendy Johnson's book, Socks from the Toe Up. I've knit about half the socks in this book, and all have been fun, fairly easy knits.
I plan to knit several things for myself this year, but first I'd like to finish some projects that have been languishing on the needles for a while. (All of which are for someone else.)
Posted by: Susan | January 21, 2010 at 08:00 PM