Those Who Do Not Study History...
...are doomed to repeat it.
Sometimes a quote can be applied to many situations. In this case, it applies to my knitting of Salt Peanuts.
One would have thought that making many annoying and frustrating mistakes on the left front of the sweater would have made me read just that much more carefully when I started on the right front of the sweater. One might have thought that I would actually create better instructions for myself to follow so that I could spare myself the ripping and picking up of stitches.
Alas, this was not the case. I did read through everything, but apparently the part of my brain that can integrate knitting instructions, overwhelmed by the complexity of dealing with decreasing on two edges and shaping with short rows, simply turned itself off for a second time. Believe it or not, I made almost exactly the same set of mistakes on the second front that I did on the first front... botching where the first set of short rows in the collar went, not handing the collar shaping decrease intervals correctly, forgetting an imporant yarn over in the lace patterning on the collar. It was as if I had amnesia.
When you are a project rather than process oriented knitter, this kind of experience just creates serious misery.
But but big yarn and big gauge and a little perserverence paid off in this case. I am now only one sleeve short of a full sweater. While the instructions for the fronts are a little frustrating, and I did not execute them to the degree of technical perfection that I wanted to, I am also happy to say that the way this sweater is constructed, combined with the bulkiness of the merino tape yarn, makes some of the problems difficult to detect.
For instance, can you see the decreasing interval differences at the neckline between the two front pieces? Go ahead, be honest. I can take it.
Even if you can see them, I have an ace in the hole with this sweater. The collar pieces are actually in the reverse orientation to the rest of the fronts. When the sweater is assembled, they will flop over and cover the areas where the decreases occur. So even if my little mistakes are visible now, when I am wearing the sweater, they will be pretty much invisible.
And that's one of those things I love about knitting... mistakes happen, but you don't always need to lose sleep over them.
I've already made a little headway on the final sleeve. John went out and found himself another first person shooter to get involved with, so now I am knitting while he prowls around an island covered in tropical jungle and gets chased around by mercenary commandos and exotic birds. You get extra geek girl brownie points if you can guess what game he's playing now...
As knitters we can be too much into perfectionism and be too hard on ourselves. The differences look so minor - I really had to concentrate to see them, they look that subtle. I was worried reading your entry that you were going to rip something out when you shouldn't. I'm so I'm glad that you're not! There really isn't any point.
BTW I continue to be very impressed at the way you churn out all of these sweaters! Yes, I know this one is a big gauge but it's still impressive. I'm busy sewing Andy's birthday present at the moment but look forward to getting back to the knitting!
The neckline looks great, I really can't make out any (glaring or otherwise) inconsistency with the decreases. The shaping of this sweater is so sweet...the IK picture doesn't do the details of this design any justice. I've gotta put this on my list.
Haha, it wouldn't be Far Cry that John's playing, would it? I've knitted through that game as well. Lately, though, it's been all about McRae4 (rally)...and I find myself trading needles for controller to race around the world in a tiny Peugeot.
hey T!
I think the *amnesia* is in the Chicago water this week - I'm making the same kind of *mistakes* over here on Paulina St.
BTW - the Diva IS DIVINE!!! Where is he taking you both out to dinner? :) Hi John!!!
Hmmm, game guess would be Ghost Recon: Thunder Island, my hubby plays it on Xbox Live... But if it's a PC game then I have no clue.
Salt Peanuts is lovely. I'm more impressed by it looking at yours than in the magazine. Diva is lovely and you have the patience of a saint to work with all that mohair! I'm terribly allergic to mohair, so I've almost felt the need to pull out the benedryl when reading about your picot ripping! Hehe... I'll resist the eye itching! I'm envious that you can work with mohair though! :)
My guess would be Farcry for the game. Watching Ty The Tasmanian Tiger is also fun, although I'm usually the one playing instead of watching. NCAA Football is the most _boring_ thing to watch when you're not playing. DH gets upset when I start kibitzing with him about his plays. :)
Salt Peanuts looks great - I can't wait to see the final product.
Well, if he's anything like my hubby, the game is "Far Cry". Let me just say I've spent my fair share of time in that jungle. he he he