I ripped it. I ripped it all the way back to the beginning. I am telling myself that I will be happier this way. As a way of insuring this outcome, immediately after ripping it, I went online and ordered some yarn! you know what? I do feel better – not only about this project, but also about my upcoming one. Medicinal fiber purchases – they really do work!

I can’t remember if I told you guys but my next project is going to be the Hex Coat from Knitting Nature. When I was ordering yarn from Webs, I ordered Lopi Lite for this project. It arrived sometime last week and was exactly as pictured. The problem is – it is almost the exact color of the Araucania yarn I am using right now. For this past week, I have been trying to convince myself it really isn’t a problem, that the projects are different enough that such similar yarns won’t be noticeable, that if I seem to like this color it’s all okay …….

But the truth of the matter is, I like the color of the sweater in the book. I was feeling sorry enough for myself over that ripping to make pressing the ‘add to cart’ button seem okay. If I ever finish this % sweater, you shall be seeing some knitting of the Hex Coat in Celery Heather. I love food names.

Speaking of love, I forgot to show you guys my Valentine from Cara. All the way from Big Sur and at considerable risk to life and limb. She even has Georgie involved – but I will let her tell you the story.

♥

With Confidence and Hope through all Crisis” We all know who said those words. I was thinking about them this morning and wondering – is she talking about life crisis or knitting crisis?

It has occurred to me that I am a knitting hysteric – I have some kind of knitting anxiety syndrome. No matter how easy going I am in life, with knitting projects I am always worried about something and ripping back over something else. Am I going to have enough yarn? Is this going to fit? Do I even like this pattern? Can I even see this pattern? Am I going to have enough yarn (that’s a big one and deserves a double mention)

I am less Elizabeth Zimmerman’s model of the tranquil yet intrepid knitter and more along the lines of Roseanne Roseannadana. “You know it’s always something. If it isn’t one thing it’s another”.

So let’s get right to it, shall we – today’s knitting drama. This is the % sweater – which has already been ripped twice over measurement issues and a lousy yarn join. Last night, by the glow of my Ott light (I sense a poem in there somewhere) I noticed a color issue. There is a slight, yet noticeable color difference between the two skeins of yarns. Do you see it? Think of the color changes in Trekking XXL – can you see where the new ball of yarn comes into play ?? If that rolled edge were unfurled, it would be at about the halfway point. I checked the dye lots and it is all the same – but it is there nonetheless.

“I thought I was gonna die!”

I thought I had made the conscious decision to ignore this situation, but now Cara is informing me that I am an idiot and should have been alternating skeins this whole time. Will I look like a giant ringed something-or-other if I simply continue on, or do I rip this out?