Edge x 4

Oh, happy day! I finally finished the last edge tonight during Open Knit.  I can now rest easier :) Looking forward to learning how to sew them together in class on Tuesday.  The Sadist known as Debbie Bliss says that the four edges should be sewn together at the corners, and then sewn to the main panel.

Sewing & Blocking is ALL that is left

Can't wait to see my completed darling! 

Doh!

When the pattern calls for K1, S1, K2Tog, PSSO....may I recommend that you do NOT K1, K2Tog, PSSO?

Because that is what I did last night.  And as soon as I PSSO'd I knew I made a mistake.  Oh. And in case you were wondering this is row 5 of the edge.  The same row that I messed up on last week.  However, this time I caught the mistake (thank you stitch markers!) and was able to get it fixed this morning, and I am now 5 rows away from completion. And 1 of those rows is purling and three are knitting only.  SO. I think it's safe to say, I will be done with this edge tonight and then all I will have to do is learn how to sew them to the blanket.

I love this pink color!

Anyone doing anything fun for the 4th of July holiday? I will be going to Cape Cod, and I plan on bringing some knitting with me.  I started a dish cloth last night using Lily Sugar 'n Creme cotton yarn is hot pink.  It's my first time knitting with cotton, and it's a little tough on my hands...I'm not knitting tight,  but the lack of elasticity in it is interesting.   I'm knitting the Chinese Wave pattern, and it's pretty mindless - just knitting and slipping.  So, perfect beach knitting!

K3Tog: 2, Amy: 0

I started the last edge, for the second time, yesterday.  Betsy had cast on for me on Saturday, because I wasn't able to rip it back to the first row (she tried, and there was some funky stuff going on there). I sat in awe watching how quickly she cast on.  However, she had cast on much tighter then I have been doing so yesterday I had some difficulty with the first K3Tog row...plus it was hot and my palms kept sweating.  

Betsy had done something different too for me.  She counted out all the stitches in the repeats and placed a stitch marker.  I wish I had taken a picture, but alas I did not.  It was kind of nice seeing how many more repeats I had left to go...however, it seems more time consuming.  And I couldn't slip the markers, because the amount of stitches in the next row change per repeat - or at least they do if I did my math correctly.  The wrong side row is pretty easy to keep track of, I think.  Just purls and yarn overs. So, I don't think I'm going to do what she did and place markers. But maybe for the right side...

It's funny because I didn't have any problem with keeping track on the last three edges. But I don't know if I messed up on this one because I lost track or just over thought it.  

Ah, well...fingers crossed that I don't mess up this edge. Again.

Hit a snag...

I have a secret. Every now and then, knitting makes me want to tear my hair out and run screaming through the streets.  Last night I finally started the last side edge, aka the long edge.  After triple counting my cast on row to make sure I had the requisite number of stitches (that would be 205...) I started the evil K3Tog row, and then brought the rest of it to Open Knit.  I had brought it the week before with no issue, so I figured I'd be fine.  Let's just say there was a whole lot of gabbing going on at OK last night, and during row 5 I lost track at some point because when I finished the last repeat, I should have had 14 stitches left. And I only had 13. 

The row before it was a wrong side row (so purls) filled with yarnovers. An example of the repeat was YO, P1, YO, P6.

Attack of the mutant double stitch!

After taking out row 5, I was then left with some mutant stitches :( So, these are my options: a)Frog the whole thing and start over. B)Wait til Monday and beg Steph to figure out what's wrong. Or, C)Pull back to the first row with the K3Togs and no YOs.  However, both B & C require Steph though as I do not know how to pull the project off the needles and go back to the problem row and then successfully put it back on the needles.

I'm trying not to stress out about it too much - ALMOST done! - and will try not to worry until Monday. Thankfully my mom is coming up to visit for a week starting today, so I doubt I will do much knitting until Monday anyways.  And in the off chance she wants to go see my new favorite place to hang out, I will just bring the edge with me and see if Betsy can help me pull it out. 

I bought the yarn for my next project the other day too.  So I really want to start knitting it. I am going to be knitting the Saroyan Shawl. It is currently a KAL at my yarn store and I've been dying to get it on a pair of needles. I'm going to knit it in a lovely lavender shade from the Ella Rae Bamboo Silk collection.  I think it will be a nice summer shawl to have in Newport for those cool ocean night breezes.  Depending on how fast it knits up, too, I might make another one for a Christmas present for someone. I should probably start planning those..

Itching to start my next project...(Image © Feministy.com)

Almost There

I'm in the home stretch!

I have completed, successfully, both of the short sides. And I just started the first long side today.  The difference between the two lengths is 78 stitches. Let me tell you...you feel each and every one of those additional stitches.  I am also pleased as punch that I was able to add the additional color all by myself today. I had no one to guide me through it, and I pulled it off.  I think I am more pleased with that little tidbit than I am with the fact that I didn't lose count when casting on 205 stitches.  

Now that I am almost done with my blanket I'm starting to have possession issues. I don't want to give it up.  I want to cuddle it, and love it, and maybe wrap it in cotton and put it on my mantle for safe keeping.  No matter that I don't even have a mantle.  Additionally, I have learned that the recipient for whom the blanket is planned has been doing some stupid unhealthy stuff while pregnant and I'm beginning to wonder if she even deserves the fruit of my own labor.  

Alphabet Soup

24 1/2" of love and dedication

Eureka....I finally finished the seed stitch panel! I never thought I would finish it.  When it came time to bind if off, I was anticipating it being as difficult as when I bound off the scarf. However, it went pretty smoothly.  I only had one hiccup....my cat, Chloe, decided to jump on my lap as I was leap frogging over one of the stitches on the right needle..causing both stitches to fall off the needle. I thought I fixed it, but I have one funky stitch...but once I sew on the edge I will probably be OK.

With the main blanket portion being complete, I am now able to move on to the 4 side edges. Which as you may recall are a lace border.  I started it last night in class and it took me two hours (the amount of my class) to make my way through 2/3s of the first row.  Thankfully, I had the foresight to cast on the 127 stitches  before class.  Now in the edge, the cast on row is the brown yarn....and that's it.  So, for the first row after that cast on row, you switch to the other color which in my case is white.  Remember, this is called the Mint Chocolate Chip Baby Blanket. 

I suck at adding new yarn by the way....I still don't quite know what I'm doing with it.  

The first row after the cast on row....is evil.  Pure and simple evil.  It is the Wicked Queen of rows.  Or, so says my newbie self.  Two repeats in and I was ready to cry and beg to be allowed to do seed stitch for the rest of my life.  I kid you not.  

Why, you may ask, is it so evil?

One word. K3Tog.  

Do you remember how much I hated doing k2tog back in my hat? Well. K3Tog is even worse.  I *thought* I had cast on loosely....but...HA. I did not.  I finally had to break out my trusty Chibi and use the Chibi as a knitting needle and then insert my size 5 needle in next to the Chibi and then pull out the Chibi - think using a penny to separate the coils on a key ring.  I finally almost finished the row at home and discovered I was short one stitch.  One stitch.  I might have growled. I might have said a few choice curse words. But I most certainly wound up ripping it all out and re-casting on.

And trust me...when I'm tired, cranky and frustrated counting sucks. My poor Nathan. I apparently snapped at him when I was casting on because he interrupted my counting.  I plead insanity...I honestly do not remember this.

Anyways, I cast on and started again this morning. Aside from adding the second color funkily...I got through the evil k3tog row! I cast on super, super loose...and it worked.  

I'm so stinking proud of the first 3 rows of this edge. 

The lace pattern is interesting.  It was apparently written by a government official with all the abbreviations (Debbie Bliss, are you part of Interpol?) In just 3 rows I have learned:

SKP [Slip 1, Knit 1, Pass Slipped]

Sl 2 Tog [Slip 2 stitches together]

P2SSO [pass 2 slipped stitches over]

YO [Yarn Over]

Row 2 taught me a few things. One, a yarn over is different depending on whether or not the stitch following it is a knit or a purl.  This was a purl row.  Two, a yarn over is only the simple act of pulling the yarn over  the needle. You would think it would be self explanatory....however, in my mind I changed a yarn over to mean, pull the yarn over and purl, then follow the next step. So, imagine my surprise when I almost finished the row and realized wait...I don't have enough stitches.  And third, I learned how to unknit.   

I'm almost half way done with my first edge...I'm planning on working on it during the hockey game (Come On, Bruins!!!!) but I'm thinking...I might be done with the blanket in a week or two :) Then it's on to other things....like finishing my wristees or starting a shawl. 

Tik Tok Tik Tok

The baby blanket has a due date. My little cousin's baby shower is set for July 30th.  I unfortunately will not be able to attend it as I will be going to the Newport Folk Fest and my aunt won't change the date LOL.  So, that means my mint chocolate chip baby blanket must be finished by July 16th (the next time I will be home in NY).  

Eek. I don't work well under pressure.

But, the good news is that I started the 4th skein last week, and only have a few more inches to go on the seed stitch part and then I will be starting the lace edge.  The edge will hopefully go quickly. There are a lot of stitches per row, but there is only a handful of rows.

Hopefully at Open Knit tonight I will finish up the seed stitch part and bind off. 

This Saturday is World Wide Knit in Public Day. You can bet that I will be knocking together the ol' needles on Saturday. Outside. In the sunshine. I heart summer.