I have been following Mason-Dixon Knitting for years. Their blog post last week entitled Coming Soon: Bang Out a Carbeth sent me into a happy knitting tailspin.
Just look at it. The beautiful frosted trees, the swan that just happened to be swimming by, and that sweater! Oh, that sweater, I have to have one NOW!
I immediately went to the pattern for the Carabeth sweater on Ravelry. Then I happily floated downstairs with images of me in the sweater to go through my yarn and needle stash. I found the perfect needles and the almost perfect yarn. Not quite my color, but enough to make the sweater.
Mason-Dixon Knitting is doing a knitalong for the month of February. How fun, to knitalong with countless others who also want to be wearing their own Carabeth sweater by the end of February. Then perhaps finding a lovely lake to have a photo shoot with their own frosted trees and swan. The image in my head is very real!
But then the practical Jo stepped in.
- Is this sweater a wise choice for my body type?…probably not
- Do I really have time to knit a sweater this February?…definitely not
- I already have two projects in process…which really should never be a deterrent for starting something new …and that kitchener stitch that went terribly wrong on the mitten will be explained in a future post.
And the last straw was remembering my word for the year. Each year I select a theme word for me for the year. Then throughout the year as I make a decision I remind myself of the word to help me make a good choice. Last year was a year of beginnings, starts, and stops. My word was Love, as some family members were working through some very difficult issues and the focus was on them. Through the year I started a lot of projects. So, this year, with all the loose ends of so many fun and worthy projects I decided to reign myself in with FINISH IT!
And that is where the tailspin ended. I will keep my word and not start another sweater until I have finished my other projects, knitting and otherwise. My whole family is relieved. They watch me with great fascination as I get swept up in the moment of a shiny new project. They have learned to let me float around with visions of grandeur with all the things I want to do. Then watch where I land. If only I did not need to sleep!
A small amount of relief swept over me too, as I put away the yarn and the needles and the gauge swatch I had started. And yes, the gauge was perfect. There will be a time for a Carabeth sweater, and even a photo shoot with snow and wildlife passing through.
If you love this sweater, and the idea of wearing it with a swirling skirt in nature with random beautiful creatures joining in the photo shoot, join the knitalong. It starts today at Mason-Dixon Knitting.
Enjoy!
knit1purl2chat 