The scarf

I found some really cool yarn so I decided to go ahead and start on the scarf. With some much needed help to figure out how all the stitches work, I set out to knit my "light as mist" Accessory of the Year. Well! First of all, the yarn is not right for the pattern. I'm using needles that are at the size recommended for the pattern, and that means they are actually too big for the yarn. Then, the yarn is too thin so that even finished, the scarf won't look like the one on the picture, it will be much narrower.

I decided that that was ok, I could wear it more like a necklace than like a scarf, and that since it had shinny stuff in it, it would be perfect with a black top. Two problems here. One, I don't wear black, ever, but I do have a dark brown top, so that'll do, and two, the "shinny stuff" is in fact a shinny thread that runs along the thread of yarn, or that is supposed to run along it but that sometimes has a mind of its own, so that knitting and, worst of all, counting the stitches, is a nightmare. And on top of all of that, the yarn is "hairy" so that it's really difficult to work with.

After I had knitted a few rows and made a critical error in the pattern, I was faced with a difficult decision. Abandon the project as it is now and find another, better suited yarn, or try again and make this a labour of love. Of course, I chose option two. Why? WHY??? Because I'm a determined, almost pig-headed woman who never abandons a project? Not at all. I'm an expert at abandoning projects. Because I've developped a strong bond to the impossible yarn and can't get my hands off of it? Not at all, it's hairy and has two threads and it's driving me crazy. Because I find the result pretty and in fact entertain the faint hope that the scarf will be so pretty people will run across the street towards me after catching just a glimpse of it and gasp in disbelief when they get close to it and see just how beautiful it REALLY is? Exactly.

In fact, I believe this kind of scene will lead to what will be known as the "Double Gasp". First, people will gasp at the sheer beauty and intrecate pattern of the scarf and put their hand to their chest to stop their heart from leaping out from the thrill and excitement. But then, while doing so, they will accidentally brush their hand against... (SECOND GASP) their own industrially-made, store-bought, no-pattern, loveless scarf and shrivel away in what could only be described as unconsolable jealousy mixed with a healthy dose of self-pity.

Yes, that's how pretty I think it's going to be. So I tried again, and then apparently made another critical error, then tried again, got further and then made an even more critical error, so now I'm back to the very beginning, but determined to go through with it. One of the problems I'm having is that the stitches are a bit complicated (for me) so that when I make an error, I don't know how to go back. This means that every time I make an error which can't be repaired by "just cheating a bit", I need to start over. So far it hasn't broken my heart too much to start over since I haven't gotten too far, but I'm not sure how happy I'll be if I get halfway through and make a big, big mistake.

I'll let you know.