Tearing My Heart Out

It's been awhile since I've posted. Spent three days away on a business trip, and I packed two small knitting projects--my Marble Arches sock and my One Skein Wonders scarf...but didn't knit a stitch on either. I felt like I had to be working while on the plane with colleagues and clients, and during my stay I was busy with work-related activities from morning until I fell into bed each night. I missed knitting! It really grounds me.

So, I was happy to come home and have Knitting Group yesterday. I loved sitting around with the girls for two blissful hours of knitting on my One Piece Lace Pullover. BUT....I noticed that I had neglected to unravel at one spot where I had been supposed to unravel a stitch all the way down (this pattern is like the Clapotis, with unravels every 7 stitches of a lace pattern). I had already bound off above the unravel spot, and toyed with the idea of cutting the yarn, but I was afraid, and ended up ripping out 65 rows of mohair--not fun. While rewinding the yarn back onto the ball, somehow a big hunk came out of the skein and got very tangled. Two hours later, I ended up cutting the knotted part, but this morning, after some sleep, I patiently unravelled all of what I had cut off so I won't waste any of this gorgeous (but sticky!) Brooks Farm Duet.

Now I'm back on track and will be knitting with the satisfaction that I did everything I could to solve a problem. Here are a couple of shots of the sweater in progress, including a closeup of the unravelled pattern; I'm on the last sleeve, about 90 rows and I'll be done!

I think one of the reasons why I chose to rip was that I had also just found out that a dear friend has had a relapse of a medical condition. All should be fine, but I was feeling somewhat powerless, and at least the ripping (and the knitting) gave me comfort and the feeling that I could control my destiny. Better than any therapist, knitting is!

Another thing that's calmed me today is that I got Fiona Ellis's Inspired Cable Knits out of the library. I think I may need to purchase this book as I want to make EVERYTHING in it! Have any of you made anything from this beautiful book?