Monday, March 24, 2008

Sleeping off that Easter end of Lent bender? Yeah, M.'s a wild one, but not that wild :)

I've been reading the Knitting Daily blog since it started, and at some point, Sandi asked people what they were afraid of, knitting-wise. She then suggested this be the year of knitting fearlessly. I thought there was nothing I was afraid of, I did cables, lace, Fair Isle, entrelac, intarsia... it's all just the same stitches in different combinations, of what should I be afraid? Then, I read the introduction to Sweater Design in Plain English by Maggie Righetti and I realized, that like a great many people, many of us knitters, I am afraid of failure. This really shouldn't have been a surprise. Growing up I was a perfectionist, and though I had convinced myself that I've outgrown that, I know that instead of doing something and taking forever making it perfect, I either stop partway through or don't start at all, or do "research" on the project forever, eventually stalling out. This, of course, is its own type of failure.

What is the point? I have a swatch, and now measurements and I am ready to start my dad's birthday sweater. I just have to measure the gauge and start. Am I nervous? Yes, but I'm hoping that it will turn out ok.

Having said all that, why am I having such issues with a little secret project? I've done the first part, and the second is the same, so why the issues? Good thing the yarn is pretty forgiving of the ripping and re-knitting.

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