Guilt will work just fine, thank you.
Late last night, I reached a psychological low point with my Feather & Fan Shawl. I had about six or seven rows left to knit when I got a delightful thought: why not just stop where I was? Instead of knitting the last four-row repeat, why not make the repeat I was just finishing be the last one? The number of stitches would be the same and it wouldn’t make all that much difference in the final size. I could be casting off — I could be finished. It was decided. That left me two rows to knit. I knit one of those two last night and woke up this morning with one to go.
I couldn’t do it. I changed my mind and I’m partway through the last and final repeat now.
Why couldn’t I do it? It’s not as if I don’t alter virtually every pattern I knit. I feel no compunction about doing that. I think, if I’m honest, it’s because I had dutifully been checking off each row on my chart and I just couldn’t leave those last few rows unchecked. It’s as simple as that.
I have four rows left to knit now. I think, in the long run, I’ll be happier.
Are you sure you’re not just convincing yourself that you would be happier 😉
Comment by Marina — February 28, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
Okay, not that you asked, but I’ll offer my 2cent analysis. You alter many patterns to ensure a better fit, a better look, or simply to add extra detail or improve a “dated” version. Omitting the additional rows on the shawl would have been taking the easy way out, skating by, skimmin’ the top. You are obviously an incredibly talented knitter and artist, therefore against your internal code of ethics to offer less than your best.
otherwise
your a type-a personality neurotic like me 🙂
Either way
You are one hell of a knitter!
Comment by Michelle — February 28, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
Sally- The truth is, and I’m as neurotic as the next knitter (I mean that in the kindest way possible), every time
you looked at the shawl, those four rows would haunt you.
Make the knitting Gods happy, and finish it properly. It doesn’t pay to peeve off the Gods.
Comment by Lorraine — February 28, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Good for you Sally, I too have a difficult time stopping short of a lace pattern. This doesn’t apply to other types of knitting as I will alter as I see fit. I just have to cross out that final row when I work with lace charts! This might give me a chance to catch up with you and your sister with the Eris Cardigan. I’m almost done with the collar and plan to start picking up stitches tonight. I should have a photo of the collar taken before I start picking up stitches. I have been home all day unable to eat because of a medical test I’m having in the morning. Knitting has taken front and center to keep my mind off food! Happy binding off!
Comment by Alison — February 28, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
From Susan — time to weigh in. Sally and I tend to be very perfectionistic about our knitting and fret over details. She and I exchange daily phone calls that start out like this: “I have a knitting question.” The question is often extremely technical and would be undecipherable to anyone who is not really into knitting — big time. We also fret about mistakes. You know the saying, “If you think about it three times, fix it.” I found mistakes on both my Oregon and Eris cardigans. I can’t fix either of them because of where they are in the garments – I would need to dismantle them :(. The mistakes probably aren’t that noticeable, but I will always know they are there and it will bug me. I decided to get over it. That is very unlike me (or Sally), but what can I do??
Comment by lv2knit — February 28, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
Stopping short kind of feels a bit like cheating. It doesn’t count when you are running out of yarn, but otherwise, you feel like you’ve bailed out. Then again, there are the check marks. I am admittedly a little OCD, and I would just have to have those last check marks.
Comment by Melanie — February 28, 2007 @ 10:45 pm