This is typical Etherknitter.
- Knit the bottom band for this lovely hat, the Irish Braid Hat. Approximately four inches into this, wonder if I should have used a provisional cast-on. Spend several days deciding if I wanted to rip it out to do so. Finally said, naw, I can graft as instructed, and figure this out when the time comes.
- Finish band, and realize several concurrent facts. First, the instructions say, "graft". (Gee, thanks.) Second, the pattern is a knit-purl, obligatorily because of the cables. Third, one of the ends is a cast-on row, and will never look the same as the knit-purl side. So no way there would EVER be a seamless, invisible match unless my provisional cast on had mirrored the knit-purl stitch pattern. This makes me happy that I did not rip out the work and do the provisional idea.
- Cruise the internet looking for good knit-purl grafting tips. Collect several, and promptly lose them in my continuous, ever growing daily email stream. Vow to collect them at some point. (This has not happened yet.)
- Contemplate a three-needle bind-off. Wonder about the resulting ridge, and if it would drive me nuts. Consider another non-grafty, non three needley- technique that I cannot even recall for the blog.
- Spend an entire year (four seasons) with the work sitting on the floor, collecting dust and stray hairs.
- Realize that it took THAT LONG to decide that I could live with a hat that was supposed to be seamless, but would have a recognizable demarcation that I would have to always think about and put at the back of my head.
- Look at the two edges (a paltry 28 stitches each side), and decide that there were not enough purl stitches to be worth researching the knit-purlness of grafting.
- Decide that a standard stockinette kitchener join would be just fine.
- Wonder why it took me a year to get here. Then realize that the reason there will be closure is because I need a hat.
- Sit down, and pull up the grafting instructions on the computer.
- Wait until the weekend for presence of brain so that I can do the deed.
- Start the deed this morning, after tea, after coffee, after a good night's sleep.
- Get ten stitches into the work and realize, son a beech, I am grafting a mobius and not a band.
- Berate self for not paying enough attention. Rip out the stitches. Get back to the beginning. Put it down. Go do chores and shoulds.
- I will finish the band. Really. REALLY.
Hugs. You can do this!
Posted by: gayle | Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 05:04 PM
Heck, at this point I'd finish it for you and suggest the possibility of wearing it as a headband style if your ears are cold :) Pretty color!
Posted by: diane | Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 08:49 PM
This situation is mirrored in every UFO bag sitting in "time out" in my closet.
Posted by: Ruth | Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 10:58 PM
Take heart. I have just ripped an entire shawl and cast it on again, because the test knit took too much yarn. I was in denial and finished it hoping it would be under my self appointed limit. It is not. Not even close. So here I am having cast on 550+ sts starting again with a revised pattern and smaller needles. These early rows are so damned long...
Posted by: Guernseygal | Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 06:35 AM
We've all been there with one project or another. My advice is just sit down and get it done.
Posted by: Carole | Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 07:55 AM
Do it now.
Posted by: claudia | Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 09:29 AM
What Claudia said!
Posted by: Elaine in NYC | Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 11:13 AM
"Finished is better than perfect" Discuss.
Also - what Claudia said.
Posted by: Caroline M | Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 11:38 AM
Yes, what Claudia said! You're running out of time, darlin'. Think snow!
Posted by: margene | Monday, January 23, 2017 at 12:14 PM