Hey baby, what's your gauge?

I have recently realized that I have a pattern problem. Relatively speaking I have a lot of patterns and have knit very few types of items when compared to the number patterns I have.

In this binder are all the loose patterns I've accumulated. Some I've bought, a few are ones I've altered, and a lot are ones I've printed from the various free sources online. And this doesn't even include all the books I've purchased that are also full of patterns. 

This one binder might not look like a lot...but what you can't see is that I have about 6 patterns crammed into each of the plastic sleeves. (Thats because I sadly, or perhaps subconsciously, underestimated the number I truly had.)

Why haven't I made more of these patterns which I clearly loved so much since I have bought, printed, reworked, collected and saved? With all of these patterns just waiting, why do I have so many simple scarfs?

Whenever I do knit a new pattern it's like unlocking a wonderful mystery that I've been given all the clues to solve. I love seeing 

the yarn amazingly take its rightful shape with each row I accomplish.

And because of that I'm totally drawn to collecting patterns. Take this one for the Trumpet Flower Cardigan. 

I saw this in the webs catalog and knew I had to have it. I love it. I was so excited to buy it- but I didn't buy the yarn to make the sweater, or even check the stash when I came home to see if I had anything to make it with. But I had to have this pattern, I sought it out as soon as I was in the store.

Or this one, for the Brea Bag- free with purchase of this yarn. I bought the yarn to make it on the spot. I loved the pattern and wanted the bag.

 

A week later while looking through the bag section of the binder (yup there's a bag section) to file this new love away, I realized we have a past. Turns out we go way back. Seems we've hit it off before. I had already printed this years ago from the Berroco site. It was like hitting on someone in a bar you've already dated- and didn't remember. 

Yup this is a picture of the one I already in the binder. It's twin now lives in a plastic bag with the yarn so I'll remember what I was planning to make with it.

Have I picked-up so many patterns I've actually forgotten their faces and names? To my horror I have just realized that I. am. a. pattern-picker-upper!

I hate to admit this but I even have patterns for crocheted items- and if you saw my weekend update you'd know this was a real long shot. What the heck am I doing with crochet patterns!?!

I think I like the possibilities that a pattern represents. I could knit that trumpet cardigan. I have the code to unlock its beautiful mystery. I can just see it all done and lovely and it's my favorite item, I'm so proud I've actually made it. But I didn't buy the yarn to make it, it's not even on the radar as a possibility in my mental list of projects. 

I think I don't knit most of these patterns for a few reasons... 

1. The obvious- Even if I knit every waking second, I now likely have more patterns than I can knit in a lifetime. Especially since I doubt this will stop me from continuing to get new patterns.

2. I like to knit while I do other things. Knitting mindlessly while I watch a movie or waiting someplace boring is in direct opposition to knitting from a pattern which I have to pay attention to.

3. I think I'm a bit scared or in some sort of knitting rut. I'm always trying new stitches and techniques, but I think I'm a little intimidated by big projects that I might not be able to do.

So I've resolved to try a new pattern for my next project. I started a few felted Easter bunnies already and have been planning a cabled scarf- but I am going to find something new to put into the queue and get it started soon! I just have to decide on what it is.