Vermont, Part Deux

I'm up in Vermont again. GP is graduating from his cartooning program. Everyone else is still asleep in the apartment. As usual, I can't sleep for very long when I'm away from home, so I sat down at the computer for some light and continued to work on my swatch of a cable I'll be doing in my next project.

Since cables are usually done on a purling background, I wanted to see if purling would be necessary if I  knitted the cable stitches in a different color than the main work. I don't mind the idea of doing the purl, I just want to know what the effect will be like. I saw in another test swatch that the purling is desirable when using the same color as the rest of the work.

Oh, sun's really rising finally. Better start to get ready for the day. After just one more row.

Lessons in Cables

I've been working on Lion Brand's Mixed Message Scarf for a few days. It's the first time I've ever followed a pattern that wasn't just ions of stockinette, or just doing a garter stitch. And this is what I've learned (so far):

1) Following a pattern can be easy. Despite that it is my first time ever doing a pattern of this level, I must say that it is fairly easy to follow. Now, that may depend on one's ability to adapt, but so far I've gone along without too many tribulations.

2) Reading patterns on the subway is not easy. Perhaps one day, I will be the sort of knitter that can memorize a pattern and simply knit from memory. Until that day comes though, it will prove for some interesting subway rides with a lot of juggling and stitch-by-stitch progress.

3) Cables really do afford a lot of bang for very little work. I've always admired cables in knitted items, and almost find the idea of cables alone synonymous with knitwear. I was incredibly nervous about it at first, but it has proven to be pretty quick to pick up. It makes me want to learn how they truly work and master them.

4) How to go back in my work. I've had to undo one particular section, and seemed to start up again on the wrong row. This led to a longer than necessary cable, and since I am quickly becoming a Type A knitter (sorry Harlot) to me frogging back to before the mistake existed. Of course, this is what caused the problem to begin with. My boyfriend has been kind enough to deal with me as I talk to myself wondering "How could I have gone wrong with this? I know I did a knit there, so why does it look like a purl?" Hopefully he doesn't have me committed. Or worse, take my knitting away.

5) Velcro is your enemy. Though I'm sure the statement to anyone reading this must make sense immediately, let me explain my particular situation. I purposefully bought an extra-large sized messenger bag for when I'm working on my knitting. Between all the yarn, needles, other tools, my books, work-related items of the week, etc., it was just getting to crowded in my original messenger bag. However, with the new bag came not two, but four Velcro strips to keep it shut. And while I find those strips handy when wanting the enormous thing to remain closed, it is not very helpful when my yarn attaches itself to one of the higher strips.