Knitting to a Deadline

My Second Ugly Sweater: My Birthday Deadline Approaches
Whenever I start a knitting project, especially a sweater, I generally fix in my mind some date, either significant or random, by which I hope to have it completed. Usually this involves picturing myself wearing the item in question. For example, I wanted to finish the beige wool sampler sweater by Valentine's Day because of the many hearts stitched into it. Valentine's Day came and went with the sleeves still on the needles, however, and I gave myself an extension til the kitten's birthday next week.

While casting on my purple sweater at the beginning of August (about two and a half years ago now), I decided I would like to wear it on my birthday, about six weeks from then. Keeping this picture firmly in mind motivated me during the repetitious bits. Never mind that a thick sweater of a color designed to absorb heat might not be the most comfortable choice of clothing on that particular date. September's weather is always a roll of the dice, and so was my plan to have my project sewn up by then.

I started on the sleeves with a week allocated for each, plus one day for the sewing. It was a tight schedule, but after all, the neckband was already finished, such as it was. I figured that as long as knitting the sleeves proceeded without a hitch, I could meet my birthday deadline.
********************************************
W.I.P.
I completed the armhole shaping and rushed through the few rows of working even with the dark rose so that I could change to the lighter shade. The combination is subtle and pretty, and I am cautiously optimistic about a rosy future for this sweater despite its inauspicious inception.

Tomorrow I have several hours of "waiting time" to fill while my daughter takes a marathon of an exam, and in case I finish the back early I prepared the front to be re-knit in the same fashion. After all, I wouldn't want to be seen frogging in public; it's best to take care of such things privately. Nothing's worse than time on my hands and no knitting to occupy them. I've been obliged to transfer everything to a larger knitting bag, though, as I am now carrying two half-completed body sections, a second skein of the light color in case I reach the front neckband, a notepad to mark the rows, and my usual small kit of notions. I like to be prepared.

Purls of Wisdom
From Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac: "I knit all year, day in, day out. It is my passion, and I rarely knit the same thing twice the same way."

Tomorrow:

• The second ugly sweater: Maybe I really wanted a new vest for my birthday instead of a sweater.
• W.I.P.: Will I have finished the back and started re-knitting the front?