Angry Knitting

You know, I have been knitting. It's just been ... challenging.

I have two things on the needles right now, and they both are not going according to plan.

1) Encyclopaedie - I managed to finish the edging and switch colors twice. I am now trying to start the contrast lace section. However, I'm confused. Let me be clear, it is not the pattern, it is me. Essentially a center stitch -- now marked with one marker has been created. Now, the pattern says something like this: Row 1 knit stuff, yo, knit stuff [knit something = 4 sts]  to work up until 4 stitches before marker. Then it shows some more pattern (this part looks similar to the first part with a ssk, K2 last 4 stitches), which I assume is for the second half. I am not sure, what to do with those last 4 stitches in the first half?

So I just repeated the stuff in the brackets. However I ask myself, why would the designer tell me to knit to up to the last 4 if they didn't have a reason. Long story short, I figured ... keep truckin', um I mean knitting. My numbers didn't work out in the end, so guess I have to tink back and recount, and reassess.

Really, all I want to do is knit this ... fatherless shawl...

For the record, I have actually enjoyed it up until my comprehension / competency issues.

2) Baby Sophisticate - I was back patting myself for casting on this sucker before the Memorial Day Weekend. "Getting a jump" and all, avoiding my usual "adrenaline junkie" mode. (HM would argue, 2 weeks out from a baby shower is hardly getting a jump. But she can take a cold plate of my motherly side eye and taste it! I live on the PTA Mom edge, damnit!) I even had to rip it back, because at the end of my stomach sick knitting, I realized I had some wonky stitch count. I finished the yoke last night! Well, now, I'm looking at some inconsistent slipped edges on one side. (Too much t.v. I suppose) I also have TWO extra stitches which I must figure out "where and how" I did that. So much of me is ready to frog this thing and start over again.

Really, all I want to do is knit this ... precious, cute old man looking cardigan.

For the record, I have actually knit this before. I know, it makes me both angrier and more pathetic all in one. mmm. Tasty ;)

So my knitting is just stalled. (Insert sailor words here.) This really pisses me off. I day dream about knitting in line for coffee. I ramble on about my projects with Little Snoopy at morning drop off at school. I eyeball my co-workers knit hats and try to think ... can I do that, how do I do that? And look, I get my chance and I jack it up. I shouldn't say jack. I know a lot of thoroughly put together Jacks, it's really a shame to turn them into a pejorative right? Sorry I digress.

But now, the knitting makes me angry.

So I did some yoga at lunch (in a class, not in my cube, that would be really odd, wouldn't it?) and guess what? Still no upper body strength AND the knitting probably won't benefit from the sore arms.

Stop, read through your patterns. Stop, count those stitches. Don't wait till the last minute. Learn from me. Don't knit angry ... Knit strong. Knit happy.

ps: no pictures of angry knitting because you know what angry knitting looks like after you find all the errors? Tangled. Blech!