Why I shouldn't knit without a pattern.....

Yesterday I started a baby gift for a co-worker, whose wife is expecting their first child in September. It's going to be a boy, and I thought, hey! I could knit my first baby project. I dug out an old knitting mag, rooted through my stash, and found some yummy solid blue and varigated blue Wool of the Andes.

The magazine had a really cute baby cardigan, but knit with an entirely different yarn, gauge, tension, EVERYthing. What the hay, I say, I can adjust this pattern. I proceed to jump headlong into knitterly denial, up to my wahzoo, in fact, to tread for my life until this evening, when something similar, but wholly not like the pattern drips off my needles.

Well, it will suffice, will actually cover, protect, keep warm, a baby, but more than likely won't be handed down to the next generation. Because of this latest creative experience, I have created a list of Do's and Don'ts for myself:

1. DO choose an existing pattern, the world is awash with them. Just choose one.


2. DON'T attempt to alter said existing pattern, in any way, shape, or form. It ain't gonna be pretty if you do.


3. DO, if you must substitute yarn, remain in the same weight range, yardage, grams, as the original pattern's yarn. The designer know what they were doing, while you DO NOT.


4. DON'T believe that if the pattern calls for sleeves that you can leave them out and still have the thing look like it was meant to be.


5. DO, do, do... for the love of all that's holy in the Yarn Realm, repeat Step #1.

Ah well, here is the poor little thing, in all it's "glory", in the blocking stages and, snicker, put together in the semblence of a sweater.

The front ......................................... the back.