March 12, 2004

Twisty cabled "kimono" style sweater. Phildar [surprised? I hope not] Tendances Hiver 2002. Pure Laine. Cream color. Knit in one piece. Very simple cable pattern worked over 12 rows and 15 stitches. (I had it memorized after the first 12 row repeat. That's how simple it is. Really, it is.) Perfect travel project. I started this baby while sitting in a plane heading to the States in December. Seabiscuit started playing as the flight movie, and I pulled out my ziploc of Pure Laine, 4mm bamboo circs and cast on. Just like that. Giddy-ap! Let's get knittin'.

The problem is that Seabiscuit had about 50 scenes that made me want to cry. In order to keep myself from blubbering out loud like a baby in front of my fellow passengers, I knit everything you see in the picture above like I was in a race. You'd think someone had whacked me with a riding quirt, I was flying so fast and so blindly on those needles. It wasn't until the final scene where Tobey Maguire is riding Seabiscuit in the race and losing, and his friend George lags behind so that Seabiscuit can see the other horse in order to give him the push he needed to win....Excuse me. I need a moment. [Grabs tissue.]

Anyway. It wasn't until the movie ended that I finally composed myself, looked at my work, and said, "Why, this looks like crap." I took a better look at the pattern instructions and discovered that I had started the chart pattern at the wrong place. That's why the piece looks off-center, wonky, and, well, like crap. I stuck the project in my ziploc, shoved it back into my carry-on in disgust and pulled out a mag. And there the project stayed for over two months.

Last week I decided to start over, and (thankfully) second time was the charm. This is what I worked on while I was sitting in front of the computer developing the print magazine for my son's school:




Once you pass those 5cm of 2/2 ribbing and start the chart pattern (the right way, that is), it really does fly. The rows are short and except for occasional crossovers, it's just straight stockinette. Perfect for multitasking. Therefore, this will be my "work a few rows every once in a while so expect me to take a year to finish it" project. It is the project I will work on in short spurts whenever I'm working on a non-knitting project at the same time. So, if you want to wait to see this in its finished state, please wait for it sitting down. Watch Seabiscuit while you're at it. [Pass the tissues, please.]

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