Sometimes a knitting project can test your endurance and patience. You've completed the most time-consuming, complicated part of the project and are on the home stretch. But don't get too comfortable and settle in for a smooth ride to the finish line because that's just an invitation for something to go awry.
Over the weekend I finished the body and bottom border of Alys, and I cast off. The end was in sight - knit the sleeves and I'd be done. Simple stockinette sleeves with a bit of a cabled border at the cuff. Bracelet length sleeves - short and sweet.
I picked up the first sleeve and started working in the round. The rest of the sweater had been knit flat. In the back of my mind - the way, way back - I had a thought that often my gauge in the round can differ from my gauge working flat. I should have tuned in and listened to that thought. After knitting a couple of inches I noticed that my sleeve gauge was slightly different from the rest of the sweater.
It was late in the day, so I put the sweater aside and picked up a sock. The next day I looked at the sleeve again. If I didn't point out the gauge difference, no one would ever notice. I didn't spend much time trying to convince myself. The sleeve bothered me, and I couldn't live with it. I ripped it out, changed needles and started over. Now, finally, I'm on course. After that delay I'm sprinting to the finish line.
Sounds very familiar... Of course that was why my sleeve on Vodka Lemonade was so tight the first time "around".
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