Perfectionism or being careful?

At least one of my children has a problem doing things "wrong." Learning curves are not her friend. In most of my life, I don't struggle with this issue. That's fortunate, considering what a sloppy and slapdash knitter I can be. That tendency toward perfectionism, however, is arising in me as I contemplate making something for another knitter. Think about it, really. A stranger, so they don't have any generalized affection for me to tide them past mistakes, a knitter, so they can spot said mistakes. Eeeesh. And I want my scarf exchange pal to enjoy her scarf, and I want the pal who's making mine to enjoy the process. I'd like to enjoy the process, too, but I am feeling some performance anxiety. Perhaps it's thinking that there's some higher standard to uphold here. It's not just a scarf, it's not just a scarf without mistakes, it's a highly complex/fully original/knitting showcase kind of scarf.

That's a lot of baggage for some yarn.

I'm delighted with the cable I've worked out for the ISE3 scarf, really I am. I get the lovely complexity of the Baroque Cable while extending the length by streeeeeeetching out some of the "bar" parts. Nice job, actually. I even like the no-roll double knit edges.

What I'm not so thrilled with is the determination of the thing to curl up like a threatened armadillo. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. If I'd only put a border on the end and made the double knitting nine or eleven stitches wide, rather than five, maybe that would counteract the reverse stockinette and cable. Maybe not.

Instead of ripping the thing out in a fit of pique, though, I just started another ball. I figure that if I like this one better, I'll abandon Mr. Cable. If not, I haven't destroyed a long time of distressing cable knitting (all brought to you without a cable needle, by the way). It appears I'm not that careful a photographer today, either.


Scarf iteration #2 has a pointy garter stitch end, leading to a garter-stitch edged version of the Prince Charles Brocade, brought to you through history via Barbara Walker. Hopefully this one will lie flat and showcase the yummy yarn. Then all I have to do is decide what to do with the curly one. Maybe I'll make a really fat-brimmed hat?