Something to aspire to

Topic for Day Six
Is there a pattern or skill that you don’t yet feel ready to tackle but which you hope to (or think you can only dream of) tackling in the future, near or distant? Is there a skill or project that makes your mind boggle at the sheer time, dedication and mastery of the craft? Maybe the skill or pattern is one that you don’t even personally want to make but can stand back and admire those that do. Maybe it is something you think you will never be bothered to actually make but can admire the result of those that have.

A skill I'm not ready to tackle? I don't know about other knitters, but what I knit is based on what strikes me at the moment. I don't pick the project based on the skill I will learn; I learn the skill based on the project that I just have to cast on right now. One example is Jared Flood's Girasole pattern. Prior to knitting that, I had never attempted Emily Ocker's circular cast on. The day will come when I will be overcome with the urge to cast on that fair isle sweater, or the shawl pattern filled with nupps.

There are any number of items I may never be bothered to knit. While one shouldn't tempt the fates by saying "never," I can pretty safely predict that I will never knit myself a pair of culottes. (Any of you children of the 70's out there still traumatized by the parentally-enforced wearing of the culottes?) I admire those who knit with cobweb lace yarn. I don't know that I ever will - it seems so fragile. I'm not into dishcloths, but I will probably knit a few and donate them when learning to knit continental; the idea of knitting swatches to learn a technique seems so useless to me.

Knitting that I absolutely admire and will probably never attempt are any of Debbie New's projects. Schoolhouse Press carries notecard sets with Debbie's designs on them. I think my favorites are the Granny Squares, the Knitted Teacups, and the Tiffany quilt. When I found out that those knitted teacups were not starched, etc., but would collapse when placed on their sides, I was completely blown away. Amazing woman, that Debbie.