Spruce: My Current Knitting Obsession
It’s more portable than knitting socks, more mindless than hats, and more practical than decor. I’ve found it, the perfect fiber palette cleansing, knitting-on-the-go, last minute project AND the ultimate cure for cast-on-itis and special occasion knitting.
I won’t make you read to the end, here it is: Spruce by Margaret of Heidi and Lana.
While I would love for you to read on, I would also completely understand if you need to drop everything, purchase this knitting pattern and cast-on immediately!
If you choose to read on, (thank you!) here are some of the reasons that Spruce is my current knitting obsession and why I foresee myself knitting many of them in the future.
Ultra Portable
I currently always have an in-progress Spruce in my purse because it is just that portable. I happened to have this adorable, flat, 4”x6” zipper pouch from Zesty Notion and I have found that it is perfect for holding everything that I need for knitting a Spruce and tucking in my purse. Does it get more subtle and streamlined than that?
Security Knitting
Because Spruce is such a small and quick project (about 4 knitting hours total), I don’t feel the need to constantly take it out of my purse to knit on at other times around my house. With socks there is a lot of measuring, counting, and concentration, not to mention that you have to make two! With a Spruce, I know that I can finish it in no time if I need to clear my needles. Rather than a priority WIP (work in progress), it’s security knitting, with me wherever I go.
Super Practical
In many ways, I am very practical. I don’t love having a lot of extra stuff that is not useful to me. Despite that, I am not drawn to most knit or crochet home items like dishcloths or cozies, but I love items that have a purpose. But, on the other hand, I also do not like random one-of’s. I love collections of consistent items. It’s weird, I know!
And in walks Spruce! It’s perfectly practical (at least for someone with long hair and a love for scrunchies) and it’s completely logical to have a massive collection (one for every outfit, obviously!).
I cannot wait to have a large enough collection to warrant an over-the-top, creative storage and display solution for all of my hand knit Spruces.
Cure for Cast-On-Itis
Ah, the dreaded cast-on-itis, that unquenchable desire to start a new project and ignore all of your current WIPs. I feel like I have fairly good self control when it comes to the urge to cast-on a new knitting project, but it still hits me every once in a while.
When that cast-on-itis does hit, I know that a Spruce is a great option. I can pick out a fun mini or leftover, cast-on, create a new Ravelry project page (yes, I find this exciting!), and have a satisfying finished knit object in no time at all.
The short break that knitting a Spruce provides is enough to help me feel refreshed, but not too long that I get bogged down by the fact I just added to my pile of WIP’s.
Thematic and Special Occassion Knitting
In our house, we LOVE a theme. We will theme our food, beverages, clothing, lighting, music, etc to create a cohesive vibe for whatever the occasion. (Writing that out made me feel really geeky…) “What does this have to do with knitting?”, you may ask. Well, I also love thematic knitting!
I have always loved the IDEA of a Christmas Eve cast-on, or a birthday cast-on, or working with pink yarn on Valentine’s Day, but I have no interest in having lingering WIPs just because I had the urge to cast-on something green on St. Patrick’s Day.
Spruce is the perfect solution for thematic and special occasion knitting! On the afternoon of the Oscars I cast-on a champagne and rose gold Spruce and it was finished by the time I was ready to turn in for the night. It was so satisfying! When we went to see the new Dungeons and Dragons movie, I worked on a Spruce with earthy reds, greens and tans. During the Mario Bros Movie I knit up a Spruce in bright blue!
If you also love when your knitting fits the vibe, but don’t want a bunch of lingering WIPs, then a Spruce is your answer!
The Bottom Line
All in all, Spruce by Margaret of Heidi and Lana is a beautifully written, wonderfully simple and timelessly elegant pattern which caters to so many of my knitting needs.
I encourage you to check out this pattern, see if it’s for you and consider purchasing it for yourself!
Have you already knit a Spruce? Are you queuing it now? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Thank you for reading!
Happy Knitting!
