Wednesday, February 25, 2009

It's A Beginning: Officially...

After the gauge knitting with Mom over a week ago, I finally got the German cardi cast on. It all started yesterday morning when I realized that I was out of flower samples to knit and needed to start on some gift knitting. So I re-read and finished highlighting the cardi pattern. Then I cast on the requisite number of stitches for the body of the sweater and psyched myself up to do the seed stitch bands.

The reason I say "psyched" is because I have never had luck knitting the seed stitch pattern in the past. It does not matter if I read the pattern repeatedly, or knit very slowly and deliberately, I still end up with it looking wonky.

Yesterday I finally got it! The AHA! moment occurred when I read the pattern again. I fully expected to make the decision to substitute a garter border for my nemesis - the seed pattern. However, when I realized that something I have gotten good at is "reading" my knitting, I knew I had the seed stitch mastered.

The instructions read - "knit the purls and purl the knits." I started with that mantra in my head and had six perfect rows knit by the end of lunch. I am very pleased with myself and how it looks. I hope it looks good on the little girl it is intended for.

And in Pedro news, he is feeling better as far as I can tell. The doctor wants him to stay on the antibiotics for another week. It is getting more challenging to hide his meds in food that he will eat. He is such a smart cat. And while he is recuperating, he is assisting me at my beading table. He sits and watches me set up my "palette" and assemble the parts for the stitch markers. Of course, he has to reach out and try to take the finished items off the table. :-)

Best wishes to those who are trying to master the challenges in your life!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that Pedro is feeling better. If you are giving him pills, try wrapping them in a piece of american cheese - just kind of smoosh the cheese around the medecine and then shove it down his throat.

Congratulations on mastering the Seed stitch!! It is my absolute favorite stitch to do. I love that it makes such a nice clean straight edge.