Updates in Knitting, and Cats

Knitting update

Here is the vest so far:


I started Friday night, at 9, when the opening ceremonies began. The pattern calls for you to cast on using smaller needles than the main part calls for, and I didn't have one long enough, so I improvised:


One circular and two double-points. It worked quite well, though it usually looked less round, more like this:


I had some knitting time yesterday, though not a ton as I went out with friends last night (to a play, how grown-up!). Today, I noticed that I messed up one of the cables a few rows back (the two cables are supposed to mirror, but I did them the same in one spot).


Instead of ripping back all those rounds, I dropped the four stitches down three rows (ulp) and fixed them. And it worked! I love it when that happens.


This is my first time knitting cables. I understood the basic idea, but doing something for the first time is always a little funky. Easy enough, just weird. I felt the same way about yarnovers, when I did them for the first time last year. I think I had built the techniques up in my mind as somewhat more complicated than they really are.

2010: Year of the Cable!
2009: Year of the Yarnover!

One of the things I am learning to let go of is the idea that there's one right way to knit something, and everything will work out perfectly if only you do it all right. I know this isn't true ... but sometimes it seems it hasn't sunk in. I was preparing my materials Thursday night, and fretting over the pattern and how to interpret some of the instructions, and I reminded myself, all you can do is try. There's no guarantee that this vest will fit me when it's done. All I can do is try my best. So far, so good.

Feline Update
Cats! Together!

Coincidentally:

Catnip-ally:


And by choice, no denying it:


Ha! My plot is working!



Channeling Miri!