A Collection Of Threads

I often worry, in the back of my mind, that the process is far more exciting than the finished piece. That I enjoy the start, middle, and working of something, the making of it, rather than the whole plausability of it being a finished piece needing to be worn or used. I find myself drawn into projects, more for the chance to try something - a fabric, a print, a stitch, a yarn, a needle even, a pattern, a shape - than for something real to have evolved from that. The slightly disgruntled relationship I have with knit projects at about the 3cm mark, testifies to the beginning being the most fun part. The thrill of casting on, seeing a yarn come to life, wondering whether you will love it still knit as much as you did wound. I will happily admit that there are very, very few projects for myself I am happy with as an end result. Even if I love the end result, I rarely actually wear/use it. The Black On Black silk scarf, I wear that a lot. But that was an incredibly personal project, far more than I have ever explained here. I never explained the lines and what they were......maybe I never will, maybe I will reveal it all, but I am, in a funny kind of way, reluctant to, because it might destroy the process of which those scarves were a bigger part of.

Since I first cast on for the Habu silk stainless steel jacket, I have grown increasingly anxious as each row was marked off that I would get to the end of the jacket. And that would be it. There would be finality. It would be over. The process would be gone, and I would be left devoid of substance save for a collection of knitted stainless steel threads. What if my love of the process, the making, the construction did not translate to a finished piece? Would I still feel attachment, or just financial devastation, if I laid it into the back of a drawer forever more.

In a kind of sabotaging of events to avoid an outcome which is believed to be fatalistic, I slowed down considerably in the late stages of this project. The thought of it being finished and somehow not embodying the perfection of the whole knit process was really getting to me. Would it fit? My gauge was off, it was possible. Would it look, well, like a stainless steel jacket? Would it look the way it did in my head for the last 2 years?

Yes. It does.
And it is so much more.
So, so much more.
The process is evident in the way it hangs, drapes, molds around fingers, finds it's own crevices and dynamism. It holds it's own shape, giving definition and a fantastic light and shade envelope which you can see above - form and hollow, void and transparency all played out.

Comments

[Melissa]

It's beautiful . . . really beautiful, and looks wonderful on you

[Nanette]

How rare it is for the process to mesh so well with the finished product. It is exquisite!

[shula]

Clever girl. You know exactly what you're doing.

[M-H]

Fascinating. Im glad you're happy with it.

[anna]

The jacket is absolutely gorgeous. And oh, the process/end result. It gets me everytime

[lori z]

I second shula's comments. You have a good sense of style wrapped in with that cleverness.

[lisa s]

there is something magical when process and final product line up in a way that makes the whole thing worth it - in all it's glorious completeness!

[kirsten]

stunning, alison! and fantastic that you are pleased with the end result - a huge battle for me, too! i often find i had a slightly different plan or image in my head from the way it turns out and difficult to reconcile the imagined/intended with the outcome. lovely for you that this is the complete package. great job.

[Bertha]

It's truly lovely!

[Carson]

Wonderful articulation of the relationship to the creative process Alison, one that I can most definitely relate to. And of the object-garment- itself. (Oh the unique sculptural fabulousity of that jacket!!! )
I think we all sabotage/second guess ourselves out of finishing or even starting ideas. Always so much better in the mind that in the 'reality', and I see this in students all the time, and I tell them to do it anyway, and so I have to follow my own advice ;)

[martha]

I knew it would be perfect:)
I think it is especially hard to be satisfied with the end result, when the process is a long one. There is so much build up and anticipation -how could the final outcome ever measure up to your expectations? But of course it did, and it is really wonderful. I wish I could feel it in my fingers.

[Olgajazzy]

Alison, OMG OMG OMG! It is stunning! I love adore lurve and desire one now sooo bad!!
Great job done, absolute perfection!

[joyce]

lovely alison! like martha, i wish i could feel it in my fingers as well.

[michele]

wow, it's done. and you're wearing it. and it looks great. i love the collar and the buttons.

your description of the process reads so true.

[erin]

your jacket is absolutely stunning, makes me want to knit with that fiber and I am not even much of a knitter (usually I stop at garter stitch scarves) but this piece is so very elegant. Also I wanted to mention, the record of your process and seeing bits of projects over the long term until they manifest into a finished work is such a joy. Thank you for the reminder to carry projects through and congratulations on a job well done.

[Jen]

I think we crafters often feel that way with projects as we know them intimately before we even get to wear/use them..maybe thats why crafty people give away so many gifts...OMG that jacket is sensational and definatley one to gloat over...

[Charlotte]

Just incredible. I love your description of how you feel about the process. I know just what you mean about drawing the process out.

Although with css I can always go back and tweak just a little piece of code here and there. Hmm. And with knitting - that's it. No tweaking. I can see where you are coming from.

It's just beautiful - of course it is.

[deborah]

oh, this is beautiful. i appreciate and see the beauty in this creative process ... you are a talent.

[ruth-anne]

wonderful! it looks wonderful! so exciting to see the final product, and better than imagined!

[carolyn]

i need more picture than that please. :)

[Kent]

It almost sounds like the condition I suffer from sometimes, post project depression :( ?

The jacket is gorgeous and I can't wait to see kit-70!

-K

[soknitpicky]

Lovely! And thank you so much for describing how it actually feels to wear

[Dacia]

I hear that. I'm all about the finished product than the making, and I really think blogging itself leans towards that as well. We rarely show the process of making something; it's not nearly as interesting or showcase-worthy as the finished deal...

[sooz]

Fantastic result - congratulations on getting the heavens to align :-) I know what you mean about process. Process is all. You gotta live for the now.

[amisha]

it is so, so beautiful. i just keep reading these words and knowing so much that fear of finishing, the wondering if the process will still be seen in the finished product, if that piece will still mean what it means when you are making it... this piece seems to be such a perfect expression of process + product, in harmony, process always present. not to mention that it is fab, and flattering, and just damn stylish all around :)
xox