fred and ginger

It's been while since I last knitted a "garment". I haven't been knitting for long, maybe three years on and off, and I'm still big on things that are flat. Simple projects that I don't have to gauge, measure or generally fret over. Rowan Kids' Zooey has reminded me why.

I liken knitting the front panels of a cardigan to learning circus skills. For starters you have to knit your basic pattern. Let's call this the unicycle-riding element. Then the pattern tells you to start shaping an arm hole (keeping your pattern correct). So we've added basic plate spinning while you're up on that unicycle. Now while you're shaping that armhole and keeping your pattern correct, you'll want to make sure you're also creating a beautiful neckline decrease. Because plate spinning on a unicycle is nothing unless you're simultaneously singing mio bambino caro. Oh, and by the way, remember that the basic pattern includes a twenty-stitch lace panel (ie this version of mio bambino caro is in Cantonese).

'Kay? Got that? Feeling fantastically clever after muddling through the left-hand panel? Well, don't get too smug because the edited essence of the next line of instructions reads: 

RIGHT FRONT - Same as left front in reverse.

Let's just pause to contemplate that for a moment... (while I head for the hills, arms waggling and tongue lolling from corner of mouth). It reminds me of a bumper sticker that I saw years ago on a beaten up old Mini in Glasgow. It said something along the lines of "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, backwards and in high heels".

Anyway, after some imaginative cursing and more than a little unpicking, I have all the components of Zooey ready for finishing. She's now wet blocking on the spare bed (precisely following these fabulous instructions from The Yarn Harlot). Phew.

I haven't made much reading progress this week. I have two excuses reasons. The Marriage Plot by Jefferey Eugenides is good so far, but with one pretty significant flaw (in my opinion): a lack of chapters. I don't know if this affects his writing style or my reading style more, but it definitely affects something, and it means I'm getting nowhere fast. The first section is over 100 trade paperback pages long. Blugh, can't be bothered.

Also I've been waiting until after my husband goes to bed to work on his Christmas gifts - a pair of iPhoto hardback albums. The process is totally addictive and so I've been falling into bed long after midnight all week. But I've just pressed the order button on them, and have 5 days to wait for the results... fingers crossed they come out beautifully!

Linking in with the lovely Yarn Alongers once again.