Knittin’ Pretty

I love it, I really do. I don’t know why, but I do 🙂

I just cannot stop with this! It is the simplest project I’ve worked in ages, yet I’ve enjoyed every stitch. I’m dying to wear it, but, like a really good book, I’ll be sorry when it’s done.

It seems I’ve spent the last couple of years cramming my head with a million different techniques, as if I was trying to make up for every moment in my life that I could have been knitting and wasn’t. It feels really good to go back to basics and execute a simple thing with my very best effort. That means invisibly weaving in ends, seamless (or at least consistent) color changes and perfect tension. After all, with eight feet of garter stitch, there’s really no excuse for errors, right?

I’m very pleased with the simple edge technique I’ve been using. The thought of a choppy and uneven edge on a field of garter has often deterred me from using this stitch. This edge is very easy; it’s simply a matter of slipping the first stitch purl-wise with the yarn in front, yarn over and knit to the end of the row. The first stitch and the yarn over are subsequently worked together. I was a little dismayed at first that the edges were not identical (one edge rolls to the front, the other to the back), but despite many attempts at correction, I found it was pretty easy to live with because it is so very smooth. I’ve used a provisional cast-on since this will eventually become a cowl. I intend to close the loop using the kitchener stitch.

This is my Ravellenics project (see my Olympic ring stripes?) so I believe I’m a little ahead of my goal. Perhaps I’ll have time to knit a matching hat before the Olympics are over!