Baroque Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned From My Second Ugly Sweater
Although I proudly wore my new sweater on my birthday (and on several other occasions when I was confident of encountering no acquaintances blessed with bracing honesty) I recognized that this second sweater-knitting effort allowed much room for improvement. It was as beautiful to me as my first sweater had been, cradling as it did my ambitious hopes within each stitch. Yet it still qualified as an "ugly sweater" to me because of its unmistakenly amateurish nature. Once I had blown out all my candles and my giddiness had abated, I took stock of what I had learned from my second ugly sweater.

1. Knitting with a color you love is much more enjoyable than knitting with a color you do not love. While staring into the depths of "Baroque" I imagined sunsets, waves, mountains, and wildflowers. It does help the time pass when you're knitting monotonous stockinette stitch.
2. Picturing yourself wearing a knitted project on a specific date is an excellent motivational technique.
3. Translating neckband directions for knitting in the round to straight needles is a difficult thing to do, and may not be easier than actually learning to knit in the round.
4. My arms need longer sleeves than patterns may allow for; I should knit about an inch more before shaping the sleeve cap.
5. A neckband opening that is too snug may look fine once it's on, but it is difficult to pull over your head.
6. Thick yarn makes thick seams.
7. Although thick yarn knits up quickly, it may not make the most flattering garment.
8. Parents are easily impressed, and are therefore the best people to ask, "How does it look?" when you don't necessarily want the whole truth.

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W.I.P.

Whenever I find myself virtuously performing some unpleasant but non-urgent task, I eventually ask myself what even more unpleasant task I am trying to shirk. Usually it's something involving bleach or a toilet brush. This morning as I removed all the plates and storage bowls from the kitchen cupboards and wiped down each shelf, I suddenly came to my senses and asked myself why I was doing this. Surprisingly, the answer is that I was trying to delay picking up the neckband stitches for my rose sweater.

I've picked up neckbands before, but this time feels different. It will undoubtedly be more difficult because of the cable pattern, but I have strategies in mind to deal with this increased challenge. I have to admit that because I have such high hopes for this sweater, I'm afraid of a less-than-perfect neckband ruining the whole project. I need to remind myself that it's only yarn, and that I've started over with this sweater before, and I can certainly pick up a neckband more than once if necessary in order to bring the reality as close as possible to my imagination.

Purls of Wisdom

From Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: The Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting: "Knitting, like music and art, challenges us to see how parts become a whole, and in doing so, it provides many of the same incredible benefits for your brain. The ability to think creatively, contiguously, and linearly...knitting challenges our brains and makes us better thinkers."

Tomorrow:

• Thoughts on stash.
• The planning of the third ugly sweater.
• W.I.P.: Will I overcome my qualms and start that neckband?