Dragging My Feet

I am so amazed at myself. I have only to finish the back and then the finishing details to complete my Shell, but I am dragging my feet. Every time I go to pick up the project and begin, I hesitate, put it down and do something else. I have been giving this some thought, and I think there are several possibilities.

First, I don't want to finish what I started. No, I think I can discard that one, because I am quite curious to see how this project ends.

Second, I am too tired to sit and knit with it any more; after all I was so busy last week taking all the classes and meeting the designers, that I simply ran out of steam. Now this does have some merit since I did spend one day in bed with my stomach all upset. But that was several days ago. Why am I not knitting on it right now instead of typing? Huh?

Third, I have almost completed the Cardigan that I am knitting for myself and find that I am picking it up to knit instead of the Shell even during the times I had scheduled for knitting the Shell. This cardigan knits really quickly and I find that I want it finished so I can start something new. I have the back, both the left and right fronts, and at least one-third of both sleeves completed. I could have the sleeves finished soon but I am adding length to them because I want them long instead of to the elbows. The excitement of having it almost done so I can begin another project I have been wanting to start is the driving force here. I also have continued knitting the hot-water bottle cover, but only because I don't want to get behind on the gifts part of my schedule. Also, it can be done even when I am tired or don't want to think to much about what I am doing. So even that project has made some progress.

My desire is to always be making something new. So why not finish the Shell, too, as planned?

I know the answer. It just came to me. Before meeting the designers and having my head filled with all new ideas and possibilities, I was knitting the Shell just fine. But then I finished the front where the pattern is displayed and now find the back left to do. The back is boring. There is no pattern. Just plain ole stockinette stitch. I find my enthusiasm for it is gone. Well. I will just need to change that, because I do want to see how I plan to finish this project, which, by the way, I haven't fully designed just yet. So, up and at it, Teresa. This requires some discipline and the commitment to just finish what I have started. No planning anything else until it is done.

So there! And here I go to finish what I started.

Hooray.....the back has been started. I just finished casting on the 107 stitches required. Now to tackle the ribbing. Before I know it, the Shell will be complete. Okay, maybe that is a little too enthusiastic too soon, but at least I am moving in the right direction again. I am feeling the excitement building.

Whew!!! I now know the REAL reason I have hesitated to pick up this project again. I had forgotten how difficult and yes, tedious, this ribbing pattern is. I like to cast on my stitches using a knit cast on, which means that I cast on the stitches as if I were going to knit them. Very quick, very easy. But a knit cast on usually requires working the first row stitches through the back loops so that the cast on stitches are twisted and give a tighter edging, which I prefer. But this particular ribbing I have chosen (I must remember I did this to myself.) is more complicated. The cast on needle size is small and the rib pattern calls for more purls than a standard k2, p2 rib. Purling through the back loop is not my favorite stitch and there are 107 of these stitches to work through. So, I find that I am looking for excuses to get up and set my work aside for a few moments. Like right now for instance. Well, I did go to the bathroom first. :-)

Steve doesn't arrive home until late this evening, so I am going to persevere and see how much of the ribbing I can finish before he arrives home. There are 20 rows of ribbing once I get past the through-the-back-loop row. I am half finished and if I stop typing right now, I can finish the other half. See you later.

Arrrghhh!!! I finished the 1st row of all those through the back loop stitches only to discover that I had one stitch too many at the end. How did that happen? I started counting my stitches and discovered that I had purled two instead of the required three about one-third of the way from the end. That was about where I was when I put down my work to take the bathroom break. [Note to Self: Always make sure the count is completed before leaving project to do something else. Or at least pay attention to where I ended before starting again. Of course, this is all assuming that I actually wasn't paying attention. But then I did end up with the mistake, didn't I?] So, I undid all those stitches to get back to the missed purl stitch and started over again. Just part of knitting. <grin>

I had hoped to get all 20 rows completed before ending my day, but I could only complete half of that. This 3-stitch twisted rib requires more concentration than a standard rib. The knit stretches over the first two stitches and then gets twisted. If I don't pay attention, which happened a couple times, then I pull the stitches too tight and leave a hole behind, or I forget to knit in the third stitch from the end of the needle and have to undo all the stitches once I realize what I did, or what I didn't do, or whatever. I don't mind really because the finished effect is so much more stunning and exactly what I wanted. So I will stop for tonight and start again tomorrow afternoon.