Don't Do It!

We all have moments when you act against your better judgment. The Yarn Harlot has made a career discussing those moments. Within the last week, she blogged about a sock she continued to knit even though it could only ever fit the Jolly Green Giant. Apparently, I’m trying to fill the Yarn Harlot’s very big shoes (or socks, as the case may be) by routinely working against my better judgment with my knitting.

Take, for example, my recent trip on family business. I brought with me with a skein of chunky novelty yarn left over from another project. I only used a little of the skein on the prior project, and I figured that I could use big needles and a loose scarf pattern to use up the rest of the yarn. I decided to knit Crazy Aunt Purl’s “Faux Lacy Scarf.” It was a nice easy knit for the plane flights. About half-way through the yarn, I realized that I was going to run out of yarn before the scarf reached an appropriate length. I had enough yarn to make a scarf, but it would have to be thinner. Did I stop knitting and re-cast on the scarf? No, that would have made sense. Instead, I finished the scarf as I touched down in Atlanta at the end of my trip. I hoped that maybe I was being too critical of my own work, but my neighbors on the plane gently confirmed that the scarf was a little short. That night, at home in my bed, I frogged the scarf and cast on again with fewer stitches. About 10 days later, I’m almost finished with the second scarf.

I am staring longingly at my next big mistake. I went to the market at Stitches South in Atlanta last week. Going to the market was not a mistake. Buying yarn was not a mistake, even though I spent more on yarn than I have spent on clothing in the last several months. The mistake was holding in my hands the discontinued mohair hand-dyed in a color I can only call Cabernet. This full skein of yarn only cost $10, but I could tell it would be full of heartache. It wants to be a lacy shawl, but I’ve never knitted lace before. I know that I should avoid mohair yarns at all costs. My understanding is that mohair is difficult to undo, and I need yarn that can be knitted and re-knitted multiple times. So, naturally, the mohair is now in my stash waiting to learn of its future. (Suggestions always welcome – I’m not proud.)

I’m also wondering about my ability to prioritize. I’ve been working on the Baby Surprise Jacket (yes, I finally cast it on) for my brother and SIL. Monday night, I realized that my SIL’s baby shower is only a few weeks away. So I cast on a quick baby bib. Of course, nothing is ever quick. The bib is a “Duckie Bib” crochet pattern on Ravelry. At first I fussed with the yarn, deciding whether I was going to crochet or knit the bib. I finally decided to knit. I finished the stockinette body of the bib today and realized that it was one big curl. I should have followed my instincts and added a garter stitch border. I’ll have to attach an I-cord border to the bib over the next couple of days.

I also want to knit an Easy Peasy baby bib for our cousin who had her baby. If I can finish it by Sunday, my DH’s aunt can bring it to our cousins in Colorado next week. The good news is that the bib is a quick knit. The bad news is that it may be next week before I pick up the BSJ again.

My ability to prioritize (or lack thereof) leads to another quandary: Why am I even bothering to knit gifts with a definite deadline? Don’t I know better? Apparently not.

Well, back to knitting. I’ve got baby gifts galore to finish, and those babies aren't getting any younger.