Knitting as Anarchy

So, I got some new yarn the other day from KnitPicks. Never ordered from them before, and J. and I were intrigued by some of their yarn so we sent in an order. We both ordered some CotLin (at $2.49/ball we had to try it). J. has great things destined for her yarn (she's attempting to create a pattern...very exciting). I ordered 2 balls to do a hand towel set for my mom. J. had knit me some lovely handtowels for Christmas and I was inspired - what a great gift idea. You don't need to worry about size (and therefore gauge, which as previously discussed I'm opposed to) or colour because they won't be worn.


I took out my newly borrowed copy of Stitchionary from Vogue Knitting (J. has it on hold from our library and was surprised to see it on my coffee table...are we on the same wavelength or what???). There are MANY fun stitch designs in there. I started off with a fancy garter rib, but after a couple of attempts frogged it. It just didn't look nice with the garter stitch border, which is necessary to keep the towels lying flat on the towel holder. Also it required a whole row of K2tog which kind of annoyed me ... for no particular reason other than it seemed like a lot of work. So I decided to move on. Now I'm trying a different stitch repeat (small mock brocade pleats). Seems a bit better, but looks a little 70's-ish to me. Any thoughts from anyone else??

As my first real attempt at designing something myself, it's a good project to start with. I've only frogged it twice and it is knitting up quickly.

The traditionalists (or the good knitters) out there may suggest I should have gauged it first and that would help with deciding what to do. J. suggested that I was swatching, which I balked at. No way, me swatch?? Honestly. So why am I so anti-swatching? I am not really sure. I know there are no "knitting police" (as the Yarn Harlot specifies quite nicely in "Knitting Rules") making me swatch. I know that even if you do swatch, the pattern may not work out for a variety of other reasons. I know that swatching can save you time in the end, even though it takes more time up-front. I know that swatching can help you to better understand your knitting style. Still, I don't know why I'm so anti-swatching. I think it may symbolize to me a knitting rule. Something that should be followed by every good knitter (or at least by knitters who make wearable objects). I think that there are so many other "rules" in my life that I don't want to have to follow any in my knitting. Knitting is the one thing that is total anarchy in my life (some may argue this....after meeting my 3 year old....); and I like that.