I had high hopes for the scarf that I was going to make Satanski. I sat down, thought of a pattern, and charted it. All was well, until I realized that my chart was not taking into account the two decreases I need to work on each row to even out the two yarn overs I was including. I think I tried to get too fancy, too fast, and the whole thing just annoyed me. So I decided to modify a baby blanket pattern from Debbie Stoller’s Stitch and Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook and make it into a scarf instead. I’ve made the Big, Bad Baby Blanket a couple of times already (and I’m pretty sure I have a third one somewhere on a set of circulars), so by now the pattern is pretty much dead easy for me. I’m hoping that I will have enough yarn left over afterward to make the kid a pair of mittens, or even a hat. I can’t remember what the name of the yarn is, because I bought and had it wound in Vermont, and cannot find the label at all. I just started it yesterday, but it’s kid-sized and knitting up quickly, so I will upload photos once I get home from work.

My OpArt is coming along well. I’m up to 132 stitches in each section. I need to pay more attention though, because a couple of rounds ago I dropped a stitch about six rows down, and that was super annoying to fix in pattern.

I somehow acquired a large hole in my knitting, but one that I can fix when I’m cleaning up and weaving in ends. I also somehow only had 88 stitches in one section when I should have had 90. I fixed it using an invisible increase I learned of on knittinghelp.com, but it should not have been necessary. I’m trying to decide whether I want to start using safety pins to mark 20s of stitches, so I have a better idea of how many stitches are in each section. I think I may. I’m up to 94 stitches now, and it’s such slow going. I’m motivated, though, because I can now see the blanket’s square shape in a way that I couldn’t before.

Now my OpArt blanket is really coming along! The pattern really is dead simple. I did a figure-8 cast on and then went from there, so I didn’t get the annoying ridge thing that happened when I tried a regular cast on and knit the first rows in the round.

Then, as long as I didn’t do anything stupid (like stop counting), I had no problem with the pattern. And honestly, I really only have to pay any sort of attention four times in a round, and even I can do that. I’m also finding my new stitch counter invaluable, and wonder if I was already thinking ahead to this project when I impulsively added it to my purchases last time I went to Purl Soho. I’m up to 39 stitches in each section (I find it easier to think of sectional counts, than total stitch count). This really is one cool-looking blanket! I’m actually looking forward to blocking it, because I want to see it at its best!

I took a break from knitting and got back to reading. I now miss my socks, but at least I feel like I’ve really been exercising a different portion of my brain. Last night I tried to start the OpArt blanket by Melissa Dominguez, and ended up feeling like a moron, because I was having trouble understanding the whole two circular needle method, especially because the pattern is rated “mellow” by Knitty. So I’ll try again today or tomorrow, once I’ve gotten adequate sleep. I’m just sad because I even did a gauge swatch and am so ready to start this baby. If I don’t get it the next time I try, I may just cheat and start it on double pointed needles, switching once it gets bigger. This will be my fourth baby blanket, and hopefully this one will actually be completed before the birth of the child it’s intended for!