Going on a knitting "jag"

I find myself on another knitting jag. I can't stop knitting these fingerless mitts. I put together (what I consider to be) the perfect pattern, and I have been churning them out for over a month now. Every time I think I have plenty on hand, someone asks for a pair, and then obviously I have to make more to fill in my inventory.

Knitting jags are common, in my experience. Most knitters fall into a jag at least once in their knitting lifetime. I have studied the phenomena and found several common characteristics.

First, the pattern is usually a fairly simple one. I have yet to encounter a knitter who went on a St. Bridgit sweater jag, or a Lyra shawl jag. I would go so far as to say that a jag always starts with a pattern so simple that it is easily memorized and you rarely have to refer back to the original pattern. That's part of what makes it so addictive; the ease of knitting it.

Second, it's usually something small. Every time you finish something, you get a little hit of completion euphoria. It's our drug. No wonder, then that something small should become somewhat addictive. Especially if you're coming off a big project, those little hits can be truly alluring.

And finally, it should be something that allows for variety. Choosing the colors are often the best part. Several jags I've been on in the past have started because I got to choose color combinations, and when you finish one, you think of an EVEN BETTER stripe combo for the next pair. And once you think of it, you have to knit it up! And once you're done with that one you have to start the next one, and so forth.

Knitting jags are only tiresome to the people hearing about it. I'm sure all of my friends are sick of hearing about the latest pair of fingerless mitts. But who cares? I'm having a blast knitting them up!

Image courtesy Flickr/sundaykofax