Curing Boredom: Back to an Old Friend

In my last post, I discussed how my current project had been becoming a bit too monotonous and I was looking for a challenge. This desire to knit something a bit more challenging has brought me back to an old friend, the cycling aran I ended up frogging back in January.

I had begun that project on US 9 needles, and it was turning out very stiff and much too small for me. Since then, I did an official gauge test. I did a small swatch on US 9 to find I was way off in gauge. I jumped up to a US 10.5 to find I was getting closer, but still off by 2 stitches over my four inches. When I didn't find gauge that time I decided I needed to put my friend the cycling aran to bed for a while. He laid in hibernation until last night.

Last night I took the time to swatch it out and got gauge (dead on gauge) with a US 11. Just to be sure, I blocked it (wet) and checked it this morning. Before I left for work this morning I casted on my 31 stitches and began the ribbing on the front left chest panel. I'll probably get to some cabling tonight, and I'm really looking forward to it.

I realize I'm starting a very cozy, cold-weather sweater right as spring is about to begin, but I needed the challenge and can look forward to wearing it this fall.

Lessons learned? First, I learned the lesson of gauge (again, and again, and again). Second, I learned that sometimes putting something away and then coming back to it later is something you just have to do in order to get your mind clear and feel like you're making a fresh start.