Lady Day La De Da Angst

It's been exciting to watch the relationship between Lady Day and I grow, change and evolve, especially when it's been fairly happy from the start. (We won't mention the few errors in judgment at the beginning.)  I expect we'll be life long friends. 

I love a top down sweater for the mere fact that you can easily try it on as you go.  The body length of Lady Day was very easy to determine and I've opted for it to be on the short side. The sleeves, as written, were a little wide for my arms, but I needed the extra room in the yoke for my broad shoulders. The fix I came up with was to work a little design feature in under the arm.  Seven stitches (the lace pattern repeat) right under the arm were left in stockinette stitch and after a couple of rows two stitches were decreased at each end.  A couple of rows later, two more stitches were decreased (this left 3 stitches) and a couple of rows later I did a center double decrease.  Two more rows and I decreased that one stitch by knitting it together with the last stitch of the preceding repeat.  After about 8 more inches I did the same thing at the elbow area. Two sections of lace have been eliminated and the sleeve is better suited to my skinny arm. However, I did get a bit bogged down on the first sleeve, went through a bit of ennui, and that let a bit a flood of anxiety seep in. 

After the first sleeve was finished I started thinking of the next sweater and the next…my mind got a little obsessed, jumping around from one unhappy thought to another in a way that made it difficult to knit the second sleeve!  I could NOT knit fast enough!  Arrrrrgh…it was ugly, unsettling and dissatisfying! There are SO many wonderful sweaters filling up my queue and I need to stop this angst!  What to do! What to do!?

Think I need to take a step back and stop this obsession (if I can)!!

Comments

[Betsy]

You're brilliant! That sleeve thing was holding me back from knitting this sweater...going to go rumble around in the stash now...

[Nora]

It's looking wonderful, and I have to agree that you are brilliant.

Isn't it funny how all that knitting we haven't done yet gets under our skin? I'm a little worried seeing it happening to you, with all the amazing projects you have completed. Deep breaths!!

[Laurie]

I don't know what to do about the endless queue. Not buying patterns isn't doing it.

[Carole]

Lots of us have long queues but it's all good. One thing at a time is my secret.

[Nancy J]

Seasonal change angst (antsey-ness) is affecting us....

[CindyCindy]

No. I don't think you're obsessing. Just enthusiastic! Don't you just love semantics? Lady Day is absolutely gorgeous. Very clever knitter, you;-) I think she'll be a lovely addition to your amazing sweater collection.

[Cayenne]

I've been feeling that same angst. I wonder too if it isn't the shorter days and coming new season. The sweater is gorgeous. What an amazing color!

[ruth]

That's a pretty sweater, and I think it just might be next on my sweater queue.

[Jewel]

Its going to be a lovely sweater I love that blue. Thanks for the info on adding stitches under the arm.

[Kelly]

glad i'm not the only one that thinks this way!!!

[Chris]

Gorgeous, gorgeous sweater. I'll have to remember your sleeve modification for when I do this sweater.

[Anne]

I haven't put much in my Ravelry queue, but I have 419 projects in my "favorites" that I want to knit. If you find the extra time, you send some over here, m'kay?

[Judy]

Can't wait to see the modeled pics. The arm decreases were just the ticket to a more wearable sweater. No 'flopping in the soup.'

[Liz K.]

I have to rip a few inches of the body my Lady sweater today, and I was grateful for more thinking-time on the sleeves. I was thinking about just knitting them on a smaller needle, but I like your fix too.

[Ruth]

With so many tempting options, it is dreadfully hard to "knit in the moment", isn't it?

[Roxie]

You clever girl! Excellent fix on the sweater.

Now,
deep breath.
Be here now.
Do one row.
Do another.
Continue.

Lady Day will be completed befor you know it.

[Knitnana]

Gorgeous. Again.
And ingenius sleeve adjustment...
(((hugs)))

[Cheryl S.]

Whatever you have, it's contagious, because I'm going through the same thing!

[elizabeth]

I've been doing the same thing, wanting to jump to the next sweater before the current one is finished, yet unable to decide what will be the next sweater because I want them ALL hanging in my closet RIGHT NOW!!!

Ah, to be a toll booth operator and be able to knit all day....

[Anne B.]

Good luck! There are just too many pretty patterns out there. I've got four I need to make RIGHT NOW!! At least!

[Heather Joins The Round]

You smarty!

[Marcia]

This sweater looks great! Can't wait to see the next up!

[Lucia]

Very clever sleeve mod.

As for choice paralysis, I don't know the answer, but if you find out, for heaven's sake share it with me.

[Teyani]

yeah.. I have a long queue as well - but the good news about that is that if you're ever snow bound (which might happen in a month or two) or home bound for some un-explained reason, you have something to knit :-)
My attitude is to line up a few, but not put deadlines on myself about them (at least I try not to.. hahahah)
very clever solution for the sleeves.

[Kara]

Yes, it looks like you and Lady Day are going to be great friends.

[Teresa C]

Very pretty sweater.

All of my knitting feels that way lately. The anxiety of rows taking too long and the anxiety of the queue at my feet. Taking the fun right out of it all.

[Barb]

Looking good. What to do with angst-ing? Heh, lets see, I think a kindergarten teacher once told me "knock it off!" Yeah, easier said then done (wink)

[Stacey]

She is beautiful! You could just cast on for all of them. Just sayin'

[Cookie]

Wonderful save on the sleeve.

I hope you can get back into the moment. Thinking of the future and what comes next is so tempting, but takes us away from where we are today.

xo

[Beth S.]

Sometimes I start to hyperventilate, too, when I think of all the incredible things in my queue. HOW am I going to knit even *half* of them when it takes me six months to finish a damn pair of socks?... Etc. The day I got my copy of A Fine Fleece, my head nearly exploded. Ditto when Twist Collective debuted. So many gorgeous sweaters, but how and where to begin?!

I'm impressed that you figured out a way to incorporate decreases into lace. That is a very tricky proposition, but it sounds like you handled it like a designer would. :-)

[Hillary]

Clever fix on the sweater. It's really wonderful that there are designers out there coming up with fabulous ideas and inventive designs but it really does require a lot of focus and discipline from a knitter. Oy!

[Jan]

Oooh, gorgeous! Blue is my fav.o.rite color!

Clever fix on the sleeves!

[Wool Winder]

This one looks great! And so will the next one and the next one and the next one...just give in and knit them all.

[Zarah]

Pretty, pretty color. I'm glad to hear you came up with a good solution for your sleeves. I just made mine shorter. =)

[Karen]

Beautiful sweater! I love the color.

[Jennifer]

I shudder when I think of my Rav queue. I many times feel like I can't knit fast enough either. What a gorgeous sweater!

[Sarah]

The sweater will be wonderful. If I ever come up with an answer to that anxiety, I'll share it with you first.

[Birdsong]

I do like to think of it as overoptimistic enthusiasm... have you read Mindful Knitting? This type of practice might be a great way to combine your love of zen and your love of knitting, and get centered again.

[Madame Purl]

Gorgeous. I love the blue color.