third time’s the charm

It must be getter colder, judging my the number of yarn crafts I’ve been blogging about! I first posted about my plan to make a cowl for myslef from this very pretty yarn (a gift from Kayscha at quilt camp 2011) this time last year. I was wavering on whether to frog it, or include the faults as “character”. In the end, my perfectionist side won out, and I pulled it all out. I decided a month or so ago to start again, ready for winter. I cast on my 120 stitches, complete with markers every repeat so I didn’t get my pattern wonky this time. I joined in the round, and merrily purled two rows. And then. Then I realised, it was twisted. Yup. Guess who forgot to unwind it properly before joining in the round? And apart it came again.

Third attempt. I cast on. Two rows in, ready to start the fancy bits and I realise. I’ve knitted the first two rows, instead of purled. But at this point, that was the least of my worries, so I decided to roll with it and keep going.

I still have a marker every repeat, just to keep me on track. Which came in very handy when one row added a stitch per group, and I didn’t realise, and nearly started the wrong row and would have made it all wonky again. I know it’s pretty amateur to need markers to help me count it out, but for me, it works. I’m not a hardcore knitter. I’m just me, pottering along, doing a row here or a row there when the urge strikes. So the counters are working (same as my ripple), and look, I can see the pattern emerging!

Today it’s our busy day – getting the house and admin tidied up ready for the weekend. Music lessons. Drama lessons. Preschool afternoon teas. Groceries to be bought and stories to be told from last night’s sleepover. Mothers Day presents to buy. And in amongst all that – some hardcore post-morning-sickness spring cleaning (or should that be autumn cleaning?). Friday, I love you muchly, but today, I’m gonna kick you’re butt.