In the 40-some-odd years that I’ve been knitting, I have come across perhaps a dozen of what I would consider to be the perfect project.

What Makes Up The Perfect Project?

In order of priority, here’s what I consider to be the factors in determining what makes a project perfect:

1. It creates something beautiful. Most of my projects must meet this criteria. At minimum, they can’t create something ugly. If the end result of something I make is intended to be some random mish-mash of yarn and stitch patterns, then I most probably won’t start it. I have started projects that I thought would be beautiful and turned out to be a mess. But I never would have started it if I had known in advance.
2. The project is enjoyable to knit. This is a complete category unto itself. What exactly makes a project enjoyable to knit. Like pornography, I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it. My current project is a perfect balance of challenging without being too complex, has an easy rhythm to it, and it compels me to look forward to the next row…and the next.
3. The intended recipient will look good in it. Knitting myself a peach colored garment would be a complete waste of my time. I look terrible in any colors even close to pink on the color wheel. I also don’t think I look great in trendy garments, or bulky garments (with some exceptions).

Current Knitting

While I don’t consider my current major project to be perfect, I am loving knitting it. Aurora Cabin Shawl by Stephen West is a clever design that’s simple enough and clever enough. And so far it’s been incredibly well-written.

I’m glad I didn’t have to choose the colors for this garment. At the same time I love the colors that Jonathan from Yarn Dragon picked for this. I’m currently up to row 52. There are 215 stitches in the latest row.

I also made some minimal progress on the latest helical-striped sock.

I’m liking this combination of yarns very much. I wonder if BJ likes this version as well as the last one?