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Monday, September 30, 2013

Summer Waves


Yarn: Cascade Ultra Pima  [6 skeins ice; 1320 yards]
Needle Size: 4mm
Ravelry Project Page: Summer Waves

I didn't technically follow this pattern. I needed a summer cardigan and had about four days to make it. So I just cast on for a top down raglan and thought "Oh, I'll just add in a lace panel to make it a bit fancier" after finishing the body and sleeves I hunted for a while for some lace that I could easily insert. Because I was having a hard time imagining what it was going to look like and also because I was seriously running out of time (it still needed to be blocked before I could wear it!) I just hunted around Ravelry for a lace panel cardigan and this popped up. I immediately noticed that it was made in the same yarn and was the exact same style except I had opted for long sleeves. So I just used the chart and went for it. 

I don't know why but I always think "Oh, I want a cropped cardi" and then when I finish the body I think "Yeah, this will look great with dresses!" and even try it on with various outfits. Yes, I try half finished items on with things I intend to wear them with. When I get towards the end of something almost nothing will make me take a break. So by trying it on with various outfits I give my hands a little break without even knowing I'm doing it. After trying on I think I'm really confident in my decision and bind off. 

Somehow once one sleeve is done I begin to second guess myself. Now all I do is obsess about the length of the body and try it on again and again which make the sleeves go even slower. By the time I'm finished the second sleeve I don't even bother trying it on again and instead immediately start ripping back to lengthen it. And then I shorten it again. And then lengthen. 

Eventually i hit the sweet spot where I'm satisfied and I bind off. As I'm blocking I vow to myself that I will just compare it to a sweater that I love the length of. No matter what I do during the knitting process I know it will never look right because it still needs to block which often adds some length anyway and yet I still have the mental block of it needing to look right pre-blocking. I can never win. 



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