slow going

I finished the booklet and needed a break so decided I would knit samples for the coming show season. But now that I've started I am not racing to the project to work on it. I'm knitting the Summer Braids (www.cabinfever.ca/P403.html) and I like the pattern, I will like the sweater when it's done, I like the braid stitch pattern very much, and I like the yarn. So what is the problem?

Maybe it's because it is totally predictable. I know it will work out. I know it will be a lovely sweater. But that's all good stuff right?

When I design I have a vague idea of what I'm looking for and then I start knitting. As I work I think about what might come next. I try something and if it doesn't work, I rip it out and start over. This doesn't bother me a bit. I have a rule - never knit the same ball of yarn more than 3 times, after the third reknit I throw it out. I usually throw out one ball a project, that's a lot of ripping. I can duplicate stitch, I can reknit sections in the middle of a sweater, I can cut a sweater and redo parts of it, I can finish a garment, wash it and then rip out something and do it again. None of this is horrible - time consuming, yes, but horrible, no. Am I missing all of that?

Is the simple answer to my not rushing to knit my sample just that the challenge is not there? Possibly a tiny bit of boredom? I do have to pay attention to the patterns on the sweater or I will screw up so it's not that my mind is not engaged. I knit socks, even very plain socks, and don't run into this problem. So I am still at a loss and pushing myself to finish this sweater.

- Deb