Odd Sleeves - Very Odd

And I know why they are odd as well. I was curled up all nice and cosy in my big chair last night, watching our wonderful new TV - and I simply couldn't be bothered to get up, switch on the big light and check both sleeves on a hard surface. When I got to the armhole section of the second sleeve, I spread them out on my lap, said: 'They look OK. I've been following the check list I made for the first sleeve, of course they are the same length,' and carried on. That's not all - there was another clue. After I'd cast off 6 stitches at each side under the arm, I was two stitches wrong. I did not do a count, to find out which way I was wrong. I cast off a stitch at each end and carried on. And now look: odd sleeves.

I promise that, when I get to the armhole shaping for a second garment piece, I will always, always, always put my sleeves (and bodies) on a hard surface and check them properly from now on. No more odd lengths. I'm not going back. I'm going to sew the longer sleeve into my left arm, because I use my left hand less and an inch of trailing sleeve won't be so noticeable. And (assuming that finally I've made a garment that I can wear) I'm going to tell no one what I've done. It'll be interesting to see if anyone says: 'Er, that sleeve...is it longer than the other one?'

I've been thinking about the knitting I used to do in the 80s - I used to enjoy it so much, and if something was wrong I just used to laugh about it. I think I've got too stressed and hung up on perfection. I want to get some items finished - if nothing else I need the finishing practice! OK that sounds like an excuse, but it's what I'm going to do. Practice may well produce perfection, but I'd rather practice the whole garment again than undo the top of one sleeve.