Minimalist Knitter got me thinking about how knitters tend to accumulate piles of yarn that never get knitted into anything. Those luscious skeins of brilliantly dyed wool or bamboo or cotton lie languishing in bins, cupboards and drawers as stashes of forgotten acrylic snuggle in the plastic bags hidden in the guest room closets. A total waste.What a pity. How sad.
Several weeks ago, I did tackle my yarn stash and eliminated a large bag of yarn I knew I would never use.
Another comment Robyn made was that as knitters, we should think about the kinds of items we normally knit and what garments we just don't enjoy working on. I've been considering this and have come up with a short list of items that I seem to knit all the time.
Baby Sweaters. In my defense I will say that I do have a grandson to knit for. Additionally, nephews and nieces are starting to have babies. So my three favorite baby sweater patterns are being knitted over and over. I don't seem to branch out much since these three sweaters are so cute and work up so easily.
1. Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket. It's a fun knit, all in garter stitch with minimal sewing of seams.
2. Knitting Pure and Simple's Neckdown Baby Cardigan. I've been knitting this sweater in its three sizes in various fibers, colors, stitch patterns for many years. It's one of the most versatile patterns I've ever seen.
3. Mason Dixon Knitting published a kimono pattern in a knitting book several years ago. I knitted it up, changed the parts of the pattern that I didn't like. Not liking the tapered sleeves, I switched the pattern to make the arms straight. I also vary the front, changing from the V cross over opening to a straight front with a couple of button holes.
My knitting pattern choices are becoming more minimalist, as you can see. I don't enjoy wearing fancy, trendy clothes and don't much like making them either. Since I finished the master knitter's course, I don't feel like I have anything to prove in knitting up exotic patterns. The beauty of minimalist knitting is that I can knit what I like when I like.
