Matching Matters

Matching does matter.  Especially as relates to seams and such.  All manner of instruction, both written and in video is devoted to making sure that we lonely at home fiber freaks take care and time to match our seams so as to complete a garment that mimics machine made perfection. There is nothing wrong with machine made perfection.  I wear it all the time.  I enjoy it.

But let's be frank.  I also wear, enjoy and adore loving hands creations.  After all, I make all manner of not quite perfect knit or crochet items by utilizing machine made yarn.  And, let me tell you flat out - machine made yarn can be less than perfect!  But it does not stop me from using it to produce my loving hands creations.

So, in my quest for not quite perfection created from imperfection, there are times when getting as close to perfect as possible matters.    Certainly in matching seams or stripes or all manner of things.  This week, I am being a maniac about matching sleeve length.

I know.  There is not much exciting and thrilling about sleeves that are the same length.  Machines make it happen all the time.   But, I'm not a machine and currently my brain is occupied with non-knitting thoughts and "what ifs."  That's why close attention to matching the sleeve lengths really matters.  I've got old lady mind wandering syndrome.

Just look at this row tracking!  This is how my new sweater is going to be matchy matchy on the sleeves.   You need to know that the sleeves are on a top down raglan.  That's why you see the first note about the pick up (PU) round followed by +11 rounds.  That is followed by a fairly simple chart with columns labeled from left to right: D (as in decrease) 1, 2, 3 (those being plain knitting without the decreases).  Then, easy as pie, eight rows appear under and are used for tracking the following decrease/no decrease rounds before beginning the cuff.

On the first sleeve, each round was marked off with a vertical line; the second sleeve is a horizontal line.  Result is a lovely and large + that makes me feel that progress is being made.  It is a little thing, but it makes me happy. 

Oh sure.  Right now sleeve number two is a wadded up mess.  But it is going to match sleeve number one.

Because matching matters.