Finding the right thing

I've been driving myself mad for the last three days, and all because I'm frantically searching for The Perfect Thing for two projects. I even know, intellectually, that the perfect thing does not exist, but I keep getting caught up in it anyway, which is both pointless and anxiety inducing.

The first thing I've been obsessing over is the sweater I want to knit. I pulled the trigger on the yarn purchase I've been considering, picking up an inexpensive but really pretty purple acrylic DK weight from Deramores. It's King Cole Big Value DK in Heather. I know, I know, the point of knitting is not to make my own inferior plastic-based jumpers but to upgrade my jumper wardrobe. However, when you're making your first jumper AND you're pretty much broke, acrylic seems like such a good idea, and actually knitting a test swatch has been so pleasant that I don't care at all. I'll knit with fancier yarn when I have a job again.

Classic Raglan

Unfortunately, picking the yarn is only half the battle. Now I've got to work out what pattern to make, and I've been driving myself mad trying to find a simple, pretty pattern that I could conceivable use. I think I've finally come up with one -- the Classic Raglan by Jane Richmond.

Actually, one of my friends has recommended (based on my description of what I want to knit, which is very functional as lists of such things go) that I read Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears, so I've also ordered that. All I want from my knitting life is really some patterns I can make over and over in really nice yarns and colours, so this seems a good place to start. Like with sewing, I really want knitting to be a thing I do. However, whereas I long to be fancy with my sewing, with knitting I just want to be able to churn out lovely simple basics.

The other thing I am getting worked up about is an outfit for a wedding. It is ages and ages away, even, but it's causing me no end of stress thinking about it. Why is getting an outfit for a special occasion such an ordeal? Even if I weren't in fluctuating weight mode and planning an international move between now and the wedding, it would still be a giant nightmare trying to find just the right outfit. I wouldn't care, but in reality NOBODY CARES what a guest is wearing (except the guest herself) so long as you are at least mostly appropriately dressed. So far, I've gone from "MAKE A DRESS!" (because, as is well chronicled here, I am obsessed with the idea of dresses) to "make separates!" (because it's easier) and now I am well into "maybe those cream trousers I already own would work and maybe make a top or something and get some great shoes?". Ugh. You know things are bad when you find yourself looking at crazy Burda WTF tops and thinking "now, would THAT work for a wedding?".