2/6/2009, 5:00 PM
I have at least twenty projects on my needles right now. Every new project started the same way: the first glance, the building excitement, the planning, shopping, swatching, and the thrill of the cast on. So why is it so easy to abandon something that was so enthralling in the beginning? For me the death knell usually sounds when I realize I made a mistake fifteen rows back, or that I could or should have done something in a different, better way.
I'm just not emotionally equipped to calmly rip and tink back to the offending section for a redo. I'm much more inclined to move on to the next pattern that caught my fancy (probably long before I finished casting on the now-abandoned project). Is it lack of discipline, fear of failure, an obsessive compulsive need to be perfect from the first row? I recognize that I have a problem.
At least I THOUGHT I recognized that I have a problem. Apparently not. See the "Best Of Show Socks" from the SOCKS . SOCKS . SOCKS XRX book. If I wasn't rip-roaring insane before I started these (emphasis on the rip), I will be if when I finish them.
This is my idea of extreme knitting. Three colors in every round. Many, many opportunities to mess up the pattern. Lots and lots of floats to pull too tight or leave too loose, that taunt me twelve rows too late. The only thing that could be worse is if I elected to take these on as my Knitting Olympics project.
The pattern is lovely and well written. I was entranced by the stark beauty of the neutral colors playfully pitting the dark against the light.
And apparently, I'm just delusional enough to think that I could overcome my many issues to take these on. It's been five weeks, four cast on's, three total frogs, and seventeen tinks. Thanks to my under-estimation of the pattern complexity, over-estimation of my abilities, and the certainty that I am clever enough to modify the pattern on the fly, all I have to show is one half of one sock.
It is a personal triumph that I have not abandoned this project, and it is a tribute to the designer for creating something so beautiful that I HAVE to see these through to the end. The bitter end.
Did I mention that I think I'm going to run out of yarn somewhere around the toe decrease on the second sock?
2 comments:
1001 reasons to finish these socks:
1) they are socks.
2) they are great looking.
3) no one will notice the errors because of the complicated pattern.
4) think of what you are learning.
5) when you get done, you will start another project and use the "different better way" in this new project.
6) if they really suck, you can give them away and make somebody happy.
7) if they really, really suck, you can give them to a non-knitter, who will not know the difference (and don't you dare point out the errors).
8) they are just socks. (repeat item #8 as needed until you reach 1001 and/or the socks are done.
Happy knitting. PS I have the same problem.
Thanks Suzie! I like #8, it's kind of like a mantra...
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