Latest project

Being a long-time knitter, (I learned in 1972, but became passionate in 1993.) some of you might be surprised to find out I struggle with it sometimes. Most times I knit quickly and without many problems but this latest project is a bugger. Not that it's very difficult, it's a challange, but not difficult. I am knitting a simple shell, out of Berocco's "Bonsai," with a seemingly straightforward cable up the front and garter stitch edges. 

This project started innocently; I swatched first, carefully blocked the swatch, read my gauge, drew a sketch including details of the cable, the edges, where the shaping would take place, I calculated my cast-on—I do all this because I plan to design and publish my knitting patterns. This shell is to a shop example, perhaps hanging out at Knitterly next to a stack of the patterns I plan to sell.

At first, I used size 7 needles and cast on the number I calculated and knit for awhile, nearly a whole skeinsworth, before I noticed it was quite a bit bigger than I'd planned. I frogged it—rip, rip, but not before I calculated the gauge on that. I cast on again using my new calculations. Darn! The cable I started over the garter stitch bottom border made the border lumpy looking. I frogged it again. This time I plan the cable start within the garter stitch border, I cast on again. It was going pretty good this time, I had some decreases happening along either side every six rows and I was up to the bust where I'd planned to knit some short rows so that the shell would fit better over my chest, like darts on a well fitting blouse. I'm doing the short rows beautifully when I lifted up the knitting and saw... horrors! I hadn't followed what was going on within the cable and I'd cabled the crosses where I didn't have to! And darn this yarn is slippery, and I'm going to have to frog back to the beginning of the short rows! And that means picking up all those slippery stitches and feeding them back onto the needles.

There it lies, on the coffee table, waiting for me to finish it. It's been hot, I've had some appointments, I've been making up excuses so that I can justify not knitting more on it. My mind is taking me to new projects, but I must decline... I really must finish this shell so I can take a photo and finish writing the pattern so I can earn some money. Maybe today I will knit again.

Anna Hallquist