9/12/2014 This is a design mentioned by kiltedrennie on xmarksthescot. It’s seven stitches wide, knitted garter stitch in the flat. Each row is started with a slip. I am working on my first Balmoral at the time, but that requires more attention than I can give while watching TV and Luke’s karate practice, so this is something I can work on at those times.
Kiltedrennie said he was going to look at using a lighter yarn and yet smaller needles, but I am quite pleased at how this current design is working out.

9/21/2014 There were a couple of ugly spots on the edge. I think from where I dropped the stitch off of the needle, and didn’t get the correct twist back on. I frogged the who thing. I had maybe 12-13”.

Started over several times, and get very frustrated. Was splitting fibers and having a physically hard time. After a day break, thought maybe it was because I was knitting to tightly. Started again this evening, and made an effort to apply no more tension that necessary to take the slack out of the yarn around the working needle. Wow, it’s easy and fast now! I blame it on so much recent practice on the DPN’s where I tighten down good to avoid ladders between needles. Making faster progress now. Also finished the knitting for the first balmoral, so will spend a few days on this.

9/25/2014 Finished one! I shoved three folded-over yarns through each of the six stitches on the ends. It wasn’t as easy as I thought, but it’s done.

10/5/2014 Progress on second has been slow since I was finished Luke’s balmoral, and the yarn arrived to start mine, so I did. However, those projects required sitting down, isolated, a table. I worked on this at Luke’s karate lesson and while watching TV. Finally finished the knitting. Or more. Last night, I placed the second garter against the yard stick, and it was four inches too long! I had been comparing the length to the first. Well, the first stretched when trying it on after finishing it, and stayed stretched. (Makes me wonder if I need to make them shorter so they end up 36” when used. At first, it seemed kind of long, but I haven’t worked much with tying it, yet.) Tonight, I frogged back the excess four inches, and bound off.

10/6/2014 Done! Since these stretch and stay that way, no telling if they have anywhere near the same number of rows. Might pay in the future to knit two-at-a-time (on the same needle, with two balls of yarn) to ensure the same number of rows. Cotton might be better, as it should be less stretchy. I really don’t think, for several reasons, that garters ties were traditionally knit. One reason being the stretchiness.