Knitting and Stress

Knitting is not always good for stress.  Sometime last year, maybe in the spring, I unraveled a vest I started knitting out of Peace Fleece's Blueberry Borscht several years ago to use for Jean Suzuki's Lapel Wrap Vest.  I like the design very much.  I think it's very feminine and stylish.  About this same time I began to feel uncomfortable in the job that I had.    I remember when I came to the lapel increase I was very confused, and that's completely unlike me.  My first sweater and first pair of socks were Irish knit! 

I've lost track of how many times I've ripped this vest back.  The first time I had trouble with the increases, the second time with the bind offs for the armholes (I decided to knit it all in one piece).  Another time I didn't like the way the decreases were looking.  This last time I decided to take it all the way back to where the increases began.  I'm glad I did because I'd done them completely wrong!  At the same time my job went from bad to worse and I lost it the middle of December. 

Another project on needles this year was a sock I was knitting out of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in the colorway Hawaii.  I used a few different instructions to create my toe-up pattern.  Sometime last year I decided I didn't like the way the color pooled so I decided to alternate strands of yarn.  I'd also put off figuring out how to knit the short row heel.  I did it successfully over 30 years ago but I had trouble last year.  The sock seemed to pivot around and around the same stitch.

This week I decided I didn't like the ridge from alternating the yarns in the sock so I pulled it out until I got to the toe where I started doing it.  I started to reknit the body last night.  After knitting a inch or so I found that there's a strange hole near the beginning.  It looks like I either created an unintentional yarnover or knit one in the row below.  Since the knitting is so easy I'll unravel it and start over. 

*Sigh*  I guess I have trouble following directions when I'm very stressed out.  I'll be very glad when I get both these projects done.