Knitting Problems

Sometimes my piles of WIP's gets a little overwhelming. So many bags, so many projects, so many stitches. I doesn't help that some of my project bags are full of yarn matched to patterns that I'm hoping to get to one day ...  Do those actually count as WIP's too? If they do, I'm in more trouble than I thought.

As 2014 draws to an end and my plans for 2015 begin to take shape I'm conscious that I don't want to feel like I'm drowning in half-finished projects for much longer and I've made a decision. I am going to get on top of my WIP's. One by one I'm going to get them done. Finish them. Don't laugh. I'm very serious ...

I've started my quest with my "surprise yarn" cardigan. It's been a year since I've touched it. Remember how I ordered the yarn online and it wasn't quite what I was expecting when it arrived? Well, it's grown on me. I'm still a teeny bit nervous of it but mostly I'm thinking it'll be cool.

Do you know the problem with putting knitting down for so long? It takes ages to remember what on earth you're doing when you pick it up. It took me the best part of an evening to figure out what I'd done, where I was in the pattern and to get into a rhythm with the pattern so I didn't have to follow the cable chart stitch by stitch.

But look what I've done. Clearly I wasn't on the ball. See that botched square in the sleeve? That's where I started again. A stitch out every row for about five rows, I've mucked up the rice stitch on the back. It's horrible.

I showed a friend today and we agreed that it was on the back of my forearm, no one would notice and I should just keep going. But then I got home, pulled it out again, took my photos and I just can't live with it. I'll know its wonky. I'm worried it'll immediately turn my cardigan into a "home cardy" in my head. Even though no one else will see it, I'll know. It'll bug me. So, I"m going to rip it back and redo it. It'll be a pain but thank goodness I've decided now and not six inches further up my sleeve.

See how I'm using my old metal double pointed needles? I was magic looping with my wooden circular needle but I had to change. Firstly, I'm not a fan of magic loop, I really try hard to get on with it but I just can't. It's dpn's for me I'm afraid. Secondly, I think I'm getting old. I just could not see my dark stitches on my dark needle, especially in the evening. I'd pull my knitting further and further away from my eyes and strain to focus on the stitches but it was no use, they're just invisible. 

Oh well, it might be just the incentive I need to buy some nice metal dpns. Any suggestions? I'm rather loving the Hiya Hiya needles I'm test driving for something else at the moment.