Well, hey there.

Why hello. I've missed writing this little blog.

You might ask what has kept me from writing. Knitting, perhaps? 

No, it's school. School ate me. I defended my thesis (and won.) I won so much that next month, I get to go to Cornell and present it at their Undergraduate Linguistics Colloquium. So that should be terrifying. Now is the part where I realize I am enrolled in other classes besides writing my thesis and I get to play catch up. (Guess how many books I'm behind in German? Need a hint? It's also the number of feet I have.)

Anyway, I received the yarn for my Laneway on my birthday! It was a rather exciting birthday present. It is Berroco Alpaca Ultra Fine in Blueberry mix and Pink Berry Mix.

Birthday Yarn

 The following is a picture story of my last week or so. 

1. My beautiful swatch and perfect gauge!!

Attempt ONE: Long tailed cast on not long enough. I needed 5 more stitches here.

3. Attempt FOUR. (due to stupid mishaps of not understanding yarn over short rows (I'll tell you another time.)

The collar and body so far.

Wait...is my arm supposed to be that skinny...?

Beautiful, right? I was so happy. So so happy. I had done 7 of 12 repetitions on the stripes, almost ready divide the stitches for the arms. and then I realized. The arm sections didn't match up. Not only were they not on opposite sides of the body, they were different sizes. One arm for me and one arm for a baby gazelle (they have thin arms/legs, right!?)

I checked the pattern. I misplaced a stitch marker. For about a day, I contemplated how I could still make this dress work. Most of my ideas involved only lifting weights with my right arm, therefore matching the arm holes. But then I realized that my life goal of attaining Michelle Obama arms was really predicated on having two Michelle Obama arms. So I decided the whole thing must be ripped out. 

Where I am at now:

For the first time, I mostly don't mind knitting that thing again. It is quite enjoyable and really exciting to see the progress!! The only part I am dreading is the twisted stitch ribbing for the collar again. For the fifth time. I really hate ribbing. Flipping my yarn to the front or back every stitch is just too much work. It might take me a day or so to work up the courage to cast on again.

Happy knitting, reindeer friends.

Ruth(ie)