On Tension.

Having a baby on the way is an excellent motivator for knitting, I must say. Eeensy Weensy baby knits are such instant gratification objects, and it makes me happy to sit and knit for the little boy to be in my universe.

To that end, as soon as I knew it was a boy, I started planning projects and making knitting purchases accordingly.

My first project for the little one will be (or is) the baby vest from Debbie Bliss' Essential Baby, in KnitPicks shine sport (willow). I have been slightly delayed in posting about these arrivals in my mailbox mostly because I have been knitting them instead. I finished the back last Saturday.


And started the front on Sunday. Here is where I am now.


Now last Sunday was nearly the perfect day for knitting, as it was SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. For those that aren't enormous (American) football fans, this is a day which means a lot of sitting around in front of the TV watching the talking heads banter about the histories and glories and challenges of each team. All of this, of course, can be knit through since you don't really have to be looking at the talking heads.

Later in day it means sitting in front of the TV watching the game, and knitting during the (copious) commercial breaks (While much of this country may give a rat's left whisker about Justin Timberlake shilling for Pepsi, I'd rather be watching the football, thank you very much.)

Problem is, I'm a Pats fan. So I cared. A. LOT. About who won the game. So, despite the fact that I had carefully swatched (exact gauge, YAY!) and counted the number of rows on the back carefully to make sure when I knit the front with the distraction of the game it would come out exactly the same, the sides don't match. See?



Can we say TENSION? A quarter of an inch almost, because the game was so darned close.

I was so tense during the game, I managed to imperceptibly change my gauge just the slightest bit. After twenty-some-odd rows, it changes the dimensions.

Argh.

Let this be a lesson to me. No knitting during ballgames I care about. and ESPECIALLY no knitting during the Superbowl if my team's in it. (Talking heads are still good knitting time either way.) Should anyone ever say, 'tension doesn't matter' send them straight to me, I'll set them straight...

In any event, it's a small enough difference that blocking should fix it, and the stitches should line up nicely when I seam the sides together, so for the time being I am hoping for the best. But it is an amusing reminder to try and relax while knitting, at least if the size matters. At least, *I* laughed pretty hard when I realized this morning what had happened.