A Tale of Two Knitties

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the Secret of the Stole. I have spent the last 10 days struggling my way through the first two hints for the SotS KAL. I have experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. I go from pride to suicidial tendencies. All of this emotion around a piece of lace! I got off to a good enough start, moving fairly quickly through the first 52 rows which were the two points that then became joined at row 53. All seemed good and I finished the first Hint - 84 rows worth - two days ahead of the arrival of Hint #2. And then I stood back and took a look. Something was wrong, my piece did not look like the photos I had seen on line. I closed one eye, looked from the side, stood on my head but there was no escaping the fact that it was not quite right. I tried to convince myself that no one would notice, I wouldn't notice, but I knew that was not true. Problem was the mistake was almost 20 rows back! What to do, what to do? Ignore it? Fix it? Throw in the towel?

Thanks to the wonderful support of Jennifer and Mom I sucked it up and pulled back 16 rows. There is no way I could unknit that much so I pulled out the needles and slowly pulled out row after row winding up the yarn every 4 rows so I didn't have a tangled mess. Then as I pulled out the last row I followed behind with some scrap yarn on a needle and picked up the stitches as I went. If only I'd had a life line! Then I figured out the problem and re-knit those 16 rows but not without incident. More than a few times I realized I'd made other mistakes and had to un-do a row or two (or three). It has been quite a frustrating weekend of knitting and after many, many hours I am now about 20 rows in to Hint #2. Problem is that leaves 64 rows to do between now and Friday and given it's back to work in the morning I think I'll be falling behind. Stay tuned for the continuing saga of Survival of the Stole. Will the Stole survive or will it be voted off the island?

On a happier note I share with you my orchid which bloomed in my kitchen window. I love orchids but I can almost never get them to bloom a second time. However this little beauty bestowed three gorgeous blossoms on me and I'm just tickled pink about it.