Process or Project Maker?

Not too long ago, there was a conversation at Open Stitch about two different kinds of stitcher, a process stitcher or a project stitcher? Truthfully, I’ve been stewing on that ever since. Do I really know what that means? How do I fit in? I do enjoy the process of making something. I also like the finished project. In fact, I love those projects so much I tend to start one every few days. Seriously friends, what does that mean about me? When I study a pattern, I imagine what it would look like on me, what yarn I would make it in, how fast I can make the project, or do I want to tweak it a bit?

Let’s explore the process in which I start a new project, shall we? I daily, if not twice a day, check out what’s hot on Ravelry or Instagram. I study the information on the pattern page. Has anyone made it other than the designer? If it was test knitted, there would be other projects on the page. What yarns were use in both the design and the testers projects? Do I have something in the studio that would work if I don’t have the same yarn? Sometimes I’m looking for a pattern that would work as a sample for one of the new yarns in the studio. Take the current project I started this weekend. I wanted to make a sample for Stitch Together’s Targhee Sweater. Of course, I wanted to make a sweater, it is a sweater yarn after all. Last week I started off thinking it should be a colorwork one. I just wasn’t feelin’ it. Then I remembered finding the Soundtrack layering sweater from Elizabeth Smith that I had put in last week’s newsletter. I had loved it. It looked easy but the slipped stitches would keep my interest. It had several size options. I spent a day deciding on the two colors for the sweater. Many of you had your opinions, too, and they were all considered. I finally found what worked best for me and my wardrobe. The pattern and yarn lived on the back table for the day giving time to study it a bit more. I really loved it. I looked at the previous projects…wait, what? There were no previous projects. There was a cowl that came with the sweater pattern. I ran over to that page and of course there were some there. Whew…I wasn’t alone after all. It was then decided to knit this lovely up.

Was there a process to starting this project? You bet there was. And now I’m knitting it up in said chosen yarn. This Targhee is scrumptious, plus the colors are simply fantastic. I’m squishing the yarn between my fingers and it’s giving me a big dose of “knitting with wool pheromones”. And yes, my friends, I’m sniffing it, and blissfully in my happy zone. The stress is melting away. I can’t knit fast enough because I want to wear it soon!

So, in conclusion, am I a process knitter or a project knitter? You tell me, as I think I’m both.