Racing backward through the knitting

Nothing replaces the value of experience, or wisdom is something you get after you need it. Whichever it is, I've been getting it in bucket loads as I try and wade through the necessary skills required to knit a sweater. My knowledge is coming, but wowzer, is the learning curve steep in the absence of a knitting friend close by to lean on. I'm about eight hours into this project and am still left with only a ball of yarn to show for my effort.

I can no longer count the number of times I've ripped this out. My yarn and tension comes up short so I'm having to adapt the pattern to the fabric I produce and that's meant a whole other realm of the knitting game that wants learning. I'm encouraged to know that so many bases are being covered, but it's getting to be time to actually produce some fabric now.

The first time I got almost this far it turned out I was making a sweater that was too small. This time it was obviously going to be too big. Maybe now the porridge will be just the right temperature. Sheesh. I can't believe it's all got to come out again.

I am really excited to see how tight and regular the stitching is now though and this keeps me motivated. If I can ever see my way through to the end of this project it's going to be a sweater I will love to wear. I love the yarn and the look of the knitting. I'm going to have nightmares about sleeve length before I'm done I'm sure and maybe neck hole size too, but my dance card is full with getting the back made and that's the easy part!

I wasn't happy with a simple yarn over to add stitches to the last row of ribbing, but I think I've found a local knitter to help show me the ropes of what is required to change that the next time through. Yeah!