Blog or Knit? Blog or Knit?

It's nearly 9.30pm on Sunday and the solar lamps are just beginning to light up in the garden. I was mulling over whether to knit another pattern section of "Bonita" or write a blog entry. You can see which option won.

I've been managing about one section a night - requiring absolute concentration - though it seems to be taking shape rather nicely. One problem I'm having is with the decreases... which take place at each end of rows which is a logical place and I've been 'compensating' on the following rows. For example, if you decrease a stitch and the next row would usually start with three stitches before 'diving' into the pattern, I've been knitting two stitches.

I thought this was logical.

Something has gone wrong. There six fewer stitches on the needles, than there should be, according to the pattern. I can't see what I have done wrong, and I'm a bad knitter - no attempt to be a perfectionist here! I'll just "fudge" in some stitches to make up the numbers in the increase section. Tinking this lot would take to long and if I frog, I might as well pull out the entire lot and start again. While "Damask" is a lovely yarn, it wouldn't be too forgiving of that treatment.



Meanwhile, the back of "Saranac" is taking shape rapidly. I got a good chunk of stealth knitting done over the weekend, being as I was visiting my Mam's and the BF didn't come. (The BF is lurking so no photograph yet). After knitting a 3ply tank top for Thomas, socks and the "Bonita" 'lacework', Aran yarn comes up trumps when it comes to a rapid knit-up.

For someone who hates sewing up, you would be forgiven for being surprised that I'm not following the instructions and knitting it in the round. (As mentioned in an earlier post, I don't like circular needles). However, the sleeves have to be knit into the body of the jumper, in the round. So, here's the plan for the "Saranac-Fudge"...

1. Knit the front and back to armhole level, place the two on holders.
2. Knit the sleeves on DPNs.
3. Knit the yoke and sleeves together, as the pattern instructs, in the round.

And... the prize for the most observant knitter goes to... anyone but me. I searched the pattern sheets for the instruction on how to knit a garter-rib. After several skim readings I still couldn't find it, until eighteen rows of ribbing (6k,2p) later there they suddenly materialised on the pages.

Bugger.

Those eighteen rows were not pulled back.

It's going well.



Above... the start of my "Rainforest - Peacocks".

PS "Rowan 42" is already out, and I've had a bit of a browse... I'm not too impressed. Having only been buying this since last Summer, I have found that I prefer the Summer editions. This season's offering is just a bit too '80s and "Heidi" for my liking.