Perfectionism
Dear Knitting Gods:
Why is my knitting so wonky of late? Since summer, I've been having severe gauge issues, misread patterns, mittens that are much too short or tight or loose or long. How can something that is supposed to be enjoyable be so difficult?
I know. I shouldn't have started on a complicated Fair Isle sweater when I'm having these problems. But working in a knitting store is akin to being crew member on Odysseus' boat as it passes the Sirens: every day, the yarn calls at me, buy me...buy me...buy me. So, I'm trying to save that project for moments when my attention is fully upon my knitting.
But all the other half-dones? The Mitered Square Blanket that I started to sew up on Thursday at the hairdresser's, and then put aside out of boredom and discontent over the look of the seam? And the mittens that I'm trying to knit for my sister? I'm on pair number four, with the previous three being Bella's Mittens (too short the first time, too short, again, the second time) and a pair of Komi Mittens (too wide and too long). Well, really pair number five: because number four are the Komi Mittens in Cascade Pastaza. One mitten completed. Beautiful. Great colors. Showed off at the store and the response? That's a really Big Mitten. Now ripped back to do the decrease again.
I feel like I'm breathing and sleeping and eating knitting. But not getting anywhere. Even super simple fingerless gloves in Blue Sky Brushed Suri? On the first finished glove, I neglected to notice that I needed to work 10 more rounds before placing the thumb stitches aside. And now I'm on the second, and almost out of yarn.
Still, I keep plugging away. The tide's gotta turn, right?
Wish me luck.
Yours,
Janet
PS with apologies to H. for borrowing her template for this post!
PS2 - Could it all come down to not reading directions? Clearly, I'm just not paying attention? I posted this by accident on my weaving study group blog before noticing that I was doing a new post in the wrong blog.
Why is my knitting so wonky of late? Since summer, I've been having severe gauge issues, misread patterns, mittens that are much too short or tight or loose or long. How can something that is supposed to be enjoyable be so difficult?
I know. I shouldn't have started on a complicated Fair Isle sweater when I'm having these problems. But working in a knitting store is akin to being crew member on Odysseus' boat as it passes the Sirens: every day, the yarn calls at me, buy me...buy me...buy me. So, I'm trying to save that project for moments when my attention is fully upon my knitting.
But all the other half-dones? The Mitered Square Blanket that I started to sew up on Thursday at the hairdresser's, and then put aside out of boredom and discontent over the look of the seam? And the mittens that I'm trying to knit for my sister? I'm on pair number four, with the previous three being Bella's Mittens (too short the first time, too short, again, the second time) and a pair of Komi Mittens (too wide and too long). Well, really pair number five: because number four are the Komi Mittens in Cascade Pastaza. One mitten completed. Beautiful. Great colors. Showed off at the store and the response? That's a really Big Mitten. Now ripped back to do the decrease again.
I feel like I'm breathing and sleeping and eating knitting. But not getting anywhere. Even super simple fingerless gloves in Blue Sky Brushed Suri? On the first finished glove, I neglected to notice that I needed to work 10 more rounds before placing the thumb stitches aside. And now I'm on the second, and almost out of yarn.
Still, I keep plugging away. The tide's gotta turn, right?
Wish me luck.
Yours,
Janet
PS with apologies to H. for borrowing her template for this post!
PS2 - Could it all come down to not reading directions? Clearly, I'm just not paying attention? I posted this by accident on my weaving study group blog before noticing that I was doing a new post in the wrong blog.
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