Love the One You're With

I've learned a good lesson on loving the current project you're knitting and getting it finished instead of being fickle and flitting off to another pattern/yarn/idea/hobby.

After the babiesbearsgrownupssweater/jacket was completed I immediately started on one of the four . . . er . . . six UFOs I confessed to. I picked up the navy blue chenille baby sweater and started to work.


And work it was! First, the pages of the pattern were jumbled and it took me a while to realize my next step. Once that was determined I realized I needed a large stitch holder and I was away from home with only a small stitch older in the bag. I am nothing if not resourceful so I used the smaller size circular needle used for the beginning cast on and ribbing that was still in the bottom of the bag. That problem solved, I started with the right front of the sweater. The directions were written in that word and space-saving terse way, "Work as for left front reversing the neck shaping."

Okay, I certainly didn't remember what the left shaping was, but I can read. However, I was so out of tune with knitting the sweater after all these months, I had to read those directions over and over (and they were very simple!) before my brain could wrap itself around the reversing of the neckline shaping. Even after I knew what to do it took a couple of false starts and a few tinks before I got it right. Oy vey!

Today I continued knitting the right side, working to reach the total length I needed to match the left side. Then what to my wondering eyes should appear but the fact that the left and right side neckline shaping was not on an even keel. No wonder! I should have knit some rows even before starting the decreases for the shaping. How'd I miss that little detail?

I'll tell you how. I was too long away from the rhythm of the knitting instructions. I wasn't reading it right. Well, I read the words but I didn't get the gist, at least not the right gist. "Work as for left front" meant until it was 9-1/2 inches. "Reversing the neck shaping" was to start after I had 9-1/2 inches. Had I done that months ago when the back was complete it would have been quite clear.

The good news is it was just a quick frogging back to where I joined the yarn and therefore very easy to get back to the correct row and reinsert the needle. I am now back on track knitting my way to the point of shaping the neckline. I can do this.

So from now on when I fall in love with another pattern while in the midst of one gone cool, I will not create another UFO. I will remain faithful by remembering words to a song, "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."

Bona Fide Knitter