Perseverance

I'd like to put on record that if I thought weaving in ends was the most tedious of all knit-related tasks, I was wrong.  So very wrong.


It took me through the last quarter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the entire length of the movie Coraline (on ABC Family) last night to seam up just one side and arm of the Cream Zippy Cardigan.  I will admit that I am a perfectionist and had to back-track a few times to make it look just right,

(see how thick the seam looks?  I suspect I may have accidentally seamed a full stitch in instead of a half-stitch) 

and it was particularly tricky around the cabled section, 

The cables had to meet in the armpit, didn't they?

and there were times when the pieces didn't seem to fit together just right - but come on.  Three hours for one side?  Tedium to beat all tediums.  


This morning, I've made it up the other side seam and nearly to the end of the other sleeve, during most of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the beginning of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (again, ABC Family.  God bless them for their HP marathons).

Seaming is the most excruciating exercise I've endured in my life.  Akin to scratching "I must not tell lies" in the back of my hand with a quill.


What's worse: I had a moment of extreme temptation.  Last night it took all my willpower not to abandon my task.


I was frustrated with my plastic yarn needle.
  

At some point one of the cats decided to chew off the sharpish tip of it, so the "new" tip is more blunt (blunter?) and squared-offish.
  

See?  There are even kitty chew marks.


It tends to split the yarn and is more difficult to use.  I got annoyed enough with it that I ran upstairs to try to sift through my supplies and find the other one (they come in packs of two).  


I didn't find the other needle, but what I did find was a renewed love of my stash yarn.  "Oh! This! I forgot about this! I love this! This is soooo lovely! And this one - ohhhh I saw a pattern on Ravelry that this would be just perfect for ..."  Etc. etc. etc.


But my sister's voice rang clear in my ears, and I promised myself I would finish the Cream Zippy Cardigan this weekend.  Those other projects will have to wait and serve as a reward for my perseverance.


What's your experience with seaming?  Any tips?  Words of encouragement?  Does it get easier?


Mrs. Pi