The One About Inori

Why?

It’s safer and not as bad for the heart as what I just did during the weekend.

Firstly, I casted off and seamed up Sunshine’s Aran Jumper (I’m lazy to link, just see the previous post!). Then, I vacuumed the house and did the laundry.

I did all these to earn myself justification to cast on a new project.

When I told my knitting groups as well as people on Ravelry that I’m going to attempt the Frost Flowers and Leaves Shawl as my first lace project, I should take that look on their face as if I’ve sprouted a third eye into consideration that I may be suicidal. Or something.

Having said that, NO ONE held an intervention. NO ONE sat me down and said to me tenderly, “You know, Jolene, that’s a little too difficult. Why don’t you try something simpler for a start?”

Nope. No one. I think everyone secretly wanted to see me keel over, foam at the mouth and go into spasms.

I casted on. I tried to do it ‘circularly invisibly’ but that just made me want to stab myself so I just did a normal cast on and joined it in the round. I can live with a small hole in the middle. No problem.

And then, I used the magic loop and knitted the first 2 rounds.

Then I ripped it.

Then I did it again. This time I got to do increases. But I miscounted. So I ripped again.

And I did the same mistake. And so it was ripped again.

And THEN the person with the thick skull (that will be me) did the same mistake AGAIN!!! And so it was ripped again!!!

And then I tried using double pointed needles. It didn’t work. So it was back to the magic loop.

Found out where I went wrong and this time, it took off! I managed to knit many many rows.

I made sure I had lifelines on the plain knit rounds so I was fine.

And then, I got complacent. “Never mind if the lifeline slips out a few stitches. I did not make any mistakes so far~~~~lalalala”, I said to myself.

But you know, pride goeth before a falleth. And falleth I did-eth. On the 23rd row, I miscounted. There was no way you could tink this thing. (‘Tink’ is ‘Knit’ backwards.) So I proceeded to rip to my lifeline which was on row 22.

BUT, the lifeline had slipped off a few stitches and I was 3 stitches short!!!!! It was impossible to pick up stitches when you don’t even know where the drop stitches were! No amount of picking up stitches from the cursed Alpaca Silk secret Dashing Mitts could prepare me for this disaster.
And to rub salt into my wounds, the lifeline on row 20 had slipped out a few stitches too!!!!!!!!!

Need I tell you the rest of my story? I felt like puking. My insides were churning and my head was spinning. I think I developed a fever.

Farewell, my Frosty Flowers and Leaves……. I know we will meet again. I have put your Malabrigo Lacey-ness aside for now and started on a Swallowtail Shawl (apparently a simpler lace pattern) for my mum. But I will see you again soon. I just need to throw up now.

In Japanese, that means “I DID IT!!!”

I did it!!!! I did it!!! I have 3 FOs for the week!!! But I can only show 2 for now. Because….. one of them is on its way to someone and I don’t want her to chance upon it and ruin her surprise. *Grins*

Firstly, my ALPACA SILK SECRET! This was the Alpaca silk that Lisa gave to all of us SnB sibs (Scratch Itchy Buttocks?) and we had to knit with the yarn but not tell one another what we were knitting. At the end, we would bring our FOs and have a show and tell!

Name of project: Alpaca Silk Secret Dashing

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca 50% Silk 50%

Needles: Addis DPNs…. I can’t remember the size!

Cast on date: Don’t remember. I don’t keep track of small projects.

Cast off date: Don’t remember either but I think i took 4 to 5 days to knit them concurrently with other projects.

Learned: Umn… nothing much actually. But I have to say, this project was cursed. Right from the very start, I dropped stitches. I dropped stitches like nobody’s business. I must have dropped stitches about 20 times! Some even went happily many rows down. So actually, I learnt how to pick up stitches using a tiny crochet hook. And I did it even for those that went many rows down. I did shed a few tears though… But I’m glad that they are done.

Modifications: I used a smaller yarn so I knitted the bigger sized one. I also shortened it as I was afraid that I would run out of yarn. Turns out that I can knit a pair of socks for Sunshine with the remnants!

Mistakes: Why did I drop so many stitches??? Oh, I bound off without switching to larger needles and almost cut off the circulation of my fingers. Hahaha. I undid the bind off and used larger needles and all was well!

(Yes, she can stand on her own now.)

Name of project: Sunshine’s Aran Sweater

Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa Zara (VERY BUTTERY SOFT!!!!)

Needles: Addis Circulars 4mm and 5mm.

Cast on date: 8 December 2007

Cast off date: 27 April 2008

Learned: Nothing. -___- The pattern came from a beginners’ book and after I got better in knitting, it got boring.

Modifications: Well I tried to do a three needle bind off at the shoulders but realised that they were actually overlapping for the buttons. -______________- I did the sleeves in the round though.
Mistakes: I can’t say that it’s a mistake since I started it when I was fairly new to knitting. But I would have knitted the damn thing in a round. There were so many seams that it’s not even funny. So many ends to weave in!!!!!!!!!

All in all, I wouldn’t knit this again. As I said, the pattern was more for beginners and there wasn’t much shaping for the sweater. It was like knitting 2 rectangles and 2 trapeziums and sewing them up at the end. I took such a long time because it was hibernating for months and when I picked it up again, I knitted it concurrently with other projects.

Thank you for viewing!!!!

Yep! Hehehe.

I do have some FOs to show but I have to wait till Nad can take photos of it with me wearing them. It will look stupid if I just took photos of them lying on the table.

I’m popping over to Lisa’s place in an hour’s time. She’s helping me with some…. enabling………….. *Rubs hands with gleeeeee*

I don’t really LOVE to work – am a very lazy person (can you tell?).

But there are sometimes when I love my job. And these are the reasons:

“Pohhnn!”

Cute but very stinky piglets. Now in piggy heaven.

Contemplating piglet.

Innocent lambs.

“Wheek wheek!!!!!!”

Chewie

Chewie and his brother. (Can’t remember his name!!!)

SAMANTHA!!!! *Luv*

A random bird.

A random long necked turtle.

This dog broke my heart. I was crying when I cleaned her cage. Sigh.

“I wanna eat your phone.”

I almost adopted this little fella. He’s so cute.

Stan the MANNN!!!

“Moo?”

Goats who love to eat the grass we feed. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, isn’t it?

The little owl (Kara thinks he’s HUGE… but I think he’s very very tiny) that did not make it in the end.
It’s a Boobook Owl.

Very very cute lambs!! I think they are only a few days old.

Right……My job is actually rather boring. Since Kara’s ‘highlight’ of her day was finding a towel that matched the size of a table. It is a boring job. That’s why I often amuse myself by taking photos of all the cutey animals!

Alright, I have 2 almost FOs which will be done by tomorrow. Woohoo! I have been waiting to finish these projects so that I can justify casting on new ones. Hehehe.

“See ya later, alligator!”

Stupid wordpress.