Knitting - Why can't I sew in my ends? Professional procrastination at its best

I'm sure everyone has a thing. That one thing you can't seem to bring yourself to do. The thing you spend hours avoiding finding new, creative, ultimately pointless, excuses to avoid. You know the one I'm talking about.

Well I have two things. The first thing is the dishes. I hate washing up, I think I once swapped my turn at them with scrubbing the toilet and I felt like that was a worthwhile swap. Do not like or enjoy.

And the other thing is finishing knitting and crochet projects. Not actually getting them off the hook or pins, that's something I really enjoy. The final touches. Sewing in the ends, or adding a button, or threading a drawstring.

I'm at the stage now where I have a box, one of the large square crates that usually holds children's toys and just about fits under a bed, full of things that just need finishing touches before they can be photographed and listed on Etsy (and an Etsy shop I need to take off holiday mode and get sorted). I have another slightly smaller box of things needing more work, like sewing, before they will be completed, but each project would maybe require 30 minutes work maximum to be finished. 

Lastly, and maybe worst, I have nine completed pairs of socks that just need the ends sewn in before they can be worn. If I could face sewing in four threads, yeah just four, I would have a whole new pair of hand knitted, toasty toed, loveliness in my life. That would take me less than 5 minutes. In under an hour I would have 8 new pairs of socks, a great sense of achievement and not have loose socks floating around my living room. 

Cause everyone asked to see a photo of my legs....right?

When I look at them I feel sad, like I'm letting myself down somehow. But not sad enough that I'll just finish them and be done with it. I don't understand why. Knitting and crochet how I relax, and socks are the only thing I really make for myself (one time I also made a hat), so why can't I finish the projects made just for me.

I have googled it and there are lots of websites offering advise. Mostly they all agree that its important to finish what you start though. In the spirit of that, I have moved all the unfinished sock to the sofa in the hope I will finish them off. I might try and finish two pairs before I start anything else, it wont happen but its nice to think it might. I mean I do wash the dishes when I have to so there is hope.

If I got them all done then it would be a massive chunk out my 2kg by Christmas project, which is something I have thoroughly neglected recently.

Is there anything you can't bring yourself to do even though it would make you feel better?

XOXO Scruffy

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com

Knitting - Challenging myself by making something that scares me

Is there anything you've not done, not because its super complicated or really outwith your skill set, just because it scares you? 

I knit and crochet, it's what I do. I love it. I can knit socks from memory without needing to check anything, I've completed complex amigurimi and shawls. There was one thing that really scared me though and I don't know why. 

Flat knitting a hat...

I don't know why they freaked me out so much. I've knitted a few in the round and found them really easy, and logically knitting flat and sewing them up should be easier. 

Today I decided to face that illogical fear and attempt it. I chose chunky yarn and huge needles. I also picked a super simple pattern so that I hopefully couldn't go wrong.

Also I really wanted rid of this ball of orange and blue yarn, it looks like an irn bru can but not in a good way.

The pattern called for eight rows been the ribbing at the bottom and decreasing at the top and I thought that maybe wasn't enough. I ended up tweaking the pattern and adding another two rows to the main section. Turns out this maybe wasn't enough.

Front

 Here's the hat all finished. As you can see it looks a little short.

Back

 And here's a photo of the back with the seem on it. I think it was having to sew it up that scared me. That part actually went really smoothly. See, nothing to be scared of.

And its way, way to short for me. In the hat (and the patterns) defense, I do have a crazy big head. Like super large. So that may have played a part in it.

Yeah, its teeny on me. But fear faced. I'm going to weigh it for the 2kg before Christmas project I have on the go right now (full explanation here) and then either donate it to a charity shop or  find out if Social Bite are looking for winter clothing donations again. Its really thick and snuggly and would most likely fit anyone that doesn't have a head as big as mine. 

XOXO Scruffy 

Enquiry? Message me ascruffyduck@gmail.com