Mika Vest Design Update

Reasons for choosing a design option, CraftDoodling Designs News, a book review, other updates.

CRAFTDOODLING DESIGNS UPDATES

My heartfelt thanks for your thoughts and ideas last week for Mika Vest Design Dilemma. ♥️ Your inputs were incredibly helpful in allowing me to consider everything thoroughly and reach a decision.

I chose Option #2 the Folded Hem Bind-off.

Here is why:

This option gives us a double-layered, stockinette fabric for the bottom hem, which aligns with the armhole trim, button band, and side seam.

A double-knit hem, as kindly suggested by Sandi Rosner, would create the same result. In that method, the knitter briefly doubles the stitches on the needle, but after a couple of rows, the knitting settles into two layers of fabric.

However, I decided against it because my quick calculations showed that, for the largest size I’m planning, this would mean approximately 600 stitches on the needle. That felt too cumbersome.

Folded hem bindoff - Mika Vest

What do you think? ♥️

I’ve also completed my first Chalana sock and have started the second one. My upcoming design, Fluens Tee, is currently in testing, and I’ll have updates on that soon. ♥️

Chalana Sock - Design in progress

OTHER THINGS YOU MIGHT LIKE

I regularly share the books 📚 I’m reading in this section of the newsletter, but I usually refrain from writing detailed reviews. Please allow me to make an exception for this once. I have included a book review below this section.

Reading Update

Just Finished 📖

• The God of the Woods - Liz Moore

• The perfectionist’s guide to losing control - Katherine Morgan Schaffer

Currently Reading 📖

• Killing Floor - Lee Child

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BOOK REVIEW

The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power by Katherine Morgan Schafler.

I didn’t pick up this book because I thought I needed to "cure" my perfectionism. In fact, I’ve never considered myself a perfectionist. Perfectionism, broadly speaking, is the pursuit of flawlessness. While I may come across as organized, I certainly don’t strive for perfection.

In fact, I often write posts encouraging knitters to embrace imperfection and enjoy the process, how to navigate the learning curve in sock knitting etc. So, I thought I couldn’t possibly be a perfectionist, right? ⁉️

Well, I was wrong.

I initially started reading out of idle curiosity, ready to set it aside if it didn’t resonate with me. But from the very first pages, I was hooked.

Schafler’s brilliant message is that perfectionism isn’t something we need to overcome—it’s something we can embrace and feel empowered by. This perspective completely changed how I view perfectionism.

Throughout the book, Schafler emphasizes that the mental health field is shifting toward prioritizing "mental wellness" instead of only treating mental illness symptoms. She provides numerous practical tools to help us prioritize our mental wellness in our daily lives. and some nuanced situations.

I’ll definitely be reading this book again, and I highly recommend it—whether you consider yourself a perfectionist or not. ♥️

In the crafting world, we hear the word "perfectionism" often. I think this book is a great resource to help us better understand and care for ourselves, and to work with our strengths rather than against them.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments if you have read this book or plan to read it in the future. 💗

Until next time,

Kavitha. ♡

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