Knitting: A Chapter on Letting Go

So I cast on for the #29 Textured Shawl from Vogue knitting. Technically I cast on 3 times because I kept screwing it up.

I was knitting along with Downton Abbey, I had a reasonable size glass of wine with me for sipping.

But I was up against a few personal challenges with this pattern:

1. First time chart reader.
2. Slippery needles and yarn combination (Addi US13 and Jo Sharp's Mohair)
3. YO purling, I don't think I've needed to do this before. (love online videos for things like this.)
4. Backing out mohair.

Can I just say, Mohair is a pain in the ass. The only successful moments I've had with it are when it's paired with a fingering weight wool/silk blend. The other yarn seems to anchor it and this makes for backing out mistakes much easier.

If you haven't figured it out, I make a lot of mistakes and this is essential.

I started to find success with the pattern. And then I seemed to be off a stitch? I thought I fixed it again, and held it up.

It seemed. Ugly. I really think it's something about the yarn. Was the yarn so beat up from my mistakes? Possibly. But it also didn't look nice laying against a background. It was OK held up to the light.

I sat there last night, a little moody and stared at it the day after.

I swear it wasn't the wine. But this didn't look right. But I enjoyed trying the pattern. I wanted to continue the pattern, but I didn't know if I had the inner strength to battle with this mohair. Or with mohair in general.

I decided to take it off the needles.

I stopped and freed myself of frustration.

3 questions remain:

• Will this pattern look good in another yarn/weight?
• If not, am I willing to go to Mohair land alone (single stranded) again?
• What will I knit for the KAL in it's place as I determine the answers to the above two questions?

I feel a trip to my local coming on. Local Yarn Store that is ...