The Third Square

Kismet. Pink against pink.

Sun and shadows on a square.

Closeup of the center. Interesting how knitting the same shape over and over can yield subtle differences in the width of stripes or the depth of the inner corner. Some of it is due, probably, to small disparities in the way the Tahki mercerized cotton takes up the dye: some skeins being stiffer, some softer than others.

Some is due to me losing count of the rows, or to my effort to teach myself to strand with the left hand in what I think is called Continental style. I'm a thrower, and being competitive, am trying to teach myself to purl the European way before my next yoga training. I'm still remembering the colleague who marveled at how slowly I knit, but that I just don't give up. I had the teacher at my local yarn shop give me a quick explanation. I then turned to the wonder of the Internet, and found a great tutorial with video. I'll link it if I can track back to where I found it.

Much trickier to execute than it appears in the video. My biggest challenge is keeping the strand over my index finger taut enough that I can easily whip it around the needle, and then pull the stitch through. And how do I execute a SSK or a K2tog with the yarn in my left hand? The discrepancy in the stripes? Probably all the places where I gave in, mid-row, to my comfort with returning to the cumbersome method of throwing the yarn with my right hand. And is this why my right palm feels a bit sore today? Feel free to send advice my way, especially if you've managed to reteach yourself an old skill.

And regrets over the death of David Halberstam to note. My dad went to grade school with his older brother.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ok, ok. You've guilted me into saying hello! I'm in Mexico, Maine on a site visit and when I'm done at the end of the day, tired and with little ambition to read my book until I recover a bit, I confess I read your blog to catch up with what's been going on for the past week or so that I've been too busy to keep up. I even go back to the last entry I read and go forward. I also follow your recommendations and go read someone else's blog. It does fulfill its purpose because we still remain connected and when I'm in some sterile, same same hotel room, I know I can join your train of thought/commentary and finish the conversation you started days ago. So keep writing, J. We're listening, reading, and talking back, - just not in synchrony (is that the word?)
Janet said…
Now, really, what is life wihout a little guilt? (I'm sure that Rick understands this concept.) But yeah and double yeah! thanks for fessing it up, it's good to know that you're lurking and that we're somehow connecting. And is that one place: Mexico, Maine?
Anonymous said…
Yes, Mexico Maine is one place in western Maine on the New Hampshire border. Rocky, desolate and beautiful. Nice, friendly people. I fly home on Thursday. Leave on Friday morning to help R. paint her new house (inside). I'll catch up with you. Keep knitting. M
TK said…
I admire you for trying to learn to knit continental. I, myself, love throwing the yarn (I should add that I knit fast, even throwing--search Tamara Knitting on YouTube for an example--that's real time!). I also can't hold my finger out for a long time, so I've never mastered continental. I understand the knit stitch, purling seems awkward, but my finger can't hold the yarn taut enough. Good luck!