I couldn't help it. Tears started to fall. I had spent weeks on this project, countless hours, only to just now find a series of irreparable mistakes. My husband looked at me concerned and confused when I explained why I was so devastated.
"Wait, I don't understand. Why are you sad?"
In between what had now become sobs, I tried to explain, again, how much time had gone into the project and now I had to rip the whole thing out and start again.
"You love knitting," he said.
"Yeh-eh-es".
"So why are you sad; don't you just get to knit more?"
And that was it. He was right. Why be sad?
I learned a lot, even in my mistakes, and could now go back and fix even the little niggly things I was previously prepared to ignore. The 2.0 version would be so much better!
I adopted his common sense attitude (very Vulcan I might add) and haven't looked back. So much so, I usually knit every sweater I make at least one and a half times if not twice, before I make a garment I will love.
The Birdseed Sweater is no exception. I've got more than a week in to version 1.0. I'm attempted my first fade, and any time the word first is involved I know there will be some frogging.
So I am up to my first colour transition going from Chick (a cream colour with bright yellow and Chartreuse speckles) to Grace's Garden (a cream colour with Orange/Red, Chartreuse, and Khaki coloured speckles. Ten rows in and I can tell it's not what I'm looking for.
I want to go from the lightest colour in the five skein fade set to the darkest. I thought that would be Chick, but when they are knitted up it's obviously Grace's Garden. It is frustrating as you can see, I swatched the whole set, but in the project the yellow is more pronounced. Chick will be wonderful as a second colour. Rats.
So, despite my inner voice telling me it's time to rip out a week of knitting I just rip back the ten rows of Grace's Garden. I can save this! What can I say, I'm an optimist... Because I was being stubborn, I now had to also accept this project just became a four skein fade (never a good sign when the concessions start piling up).
I'll move on and try Sweet Little lies, a pink and cream beauty with yellow, purple, and black speckles as my second colour. Twenty-two rows in I realise this isn't what I had in my mind's eye.
I need to start over and get it the way I imagined it. But! before I rip this out, I'll use my Grace's Garden and leftover Chick to see if it's better. So smart right? and in no way avoiding the inevitable...
So I am now to the chart part of the yoke! I love this part. I'll begin to fade in Chick midway through the chart, but for more rows this time. I think a longer transition will be prettier. See, it's already making me happier!
So I will do another post once I get more into Chick. If version 2.0 looks good, you'll also being seeing images of some major frogging. Which honestly, I really am okay with, now. It's pretty powerful to rip out all that effort and not let it get to you. It makes me feel in control of my emotions - something I have always coveted and rarely achieve.
Live long and prosper,
Les
