3 Plus 4 Minus 5 = Zilch!

So I started my "further adventures in knitting" class this past monday. It's one of those adult education classes that are taught at a local high school. The teacher works in a local knitting store and has 25 years of knitting experience under her belt. My expectations aren't out of whack. I expect to be an expert knitter at the end of the 8-week class!

She suggested I skip the 3 needle knitting in the round process for my red hat project, and use 4 needles in the round instead -- using the 5th needle to knit. She said it was easier than 3. (We all agreed that circular needles would be best, but the circumference of the hat is too small for circulars, unless I had Lilliputian hands, which I don't.)

Plus, I liked challenge of knitting in the round. And, since I didn't cast on the correct number of stitches for a K2, P2 ribbing effect in my first (well, second) attempt, I had to start all over anyway, so why not?

I began the project again last night -- this time knitting in the round using the new 4/5 needle way. Need I say I ripped it all out again?? This time I forgot to join the two ends together. Duh.

I'm hopeful that these are all just newbie mistakes and that one day this will all be a cinch. Or at the very least, I'll actually be able to wear my cute red hat!

What do you mean -- a 4th needle??

I'm approaching my 2nd full month of knitting experiences. And I have to say I am quite proud of where I've come -- and I'm always trying new things that are more than just knit and purl.

But if I've learned anything -- it's that it takes more than one try to get it right. (Um...try 5 0r 6...or 10!)

My latest project: a hat knitted "in the round" on double-pointed needles. Sounds exciting. Let's get started.

Here's what the pattern says: "For the Brim: with smaller double-pointed needles, cast on 60 sts, dividing sts evenly on 3 needles. Join for working in the rnd, and place marker to indicate the beg of the rnd. Work in ribbing as follows..."

Ok. Sounds relatively easy. Figuring out how to cast on 20 on each needle was a lesson in dexterity, but I managed. Next step: Knit.

This part...not so easy. Picture this: There are three needles forming a triangle (fig A). To start knitting I used two needles to knit the first row, the third one dangling on it's own. I knited my first 20 stitches, and now I've got 40 stitches on one needle and 20 on another (fig B). And guess what??? No slack. How the hell am I to knit the next 20?

fig A fig B

Alas, a quick Google search for "knitting in the round" and my puzzle is solved:

USE A FOURTH NEEDLE, DORK.

Ok. Got it. Now I try again...

God Damn This F#@ing St*@#d Cr&p!

"I thought this knitting thing was supposed to be relaxing," my husband asked me after hearing me swear like a sailor at one of my latest knitting projects.

"It is!" I replied hastily. "When you know what you're doing!!"

That was me trying to knit my first hat. I eventaully finished it and my vocabulary became a little less obscene. Until the next time I discovered one too many or too few stitches at the end of a row.