06-11-2020 Getting started

7 “bumps”
Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable Acrylic Yarn, Parrot Colorway
US #8 10” needles

06-11-2020 It’s getting easier

Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable Acrylic Yarn, parrot colorway

This is getting easier on the 3rd row. I’m not having to knit backwards as much! I can’t wait to start row 4. It is very addictive.

I find that too many distractions cause me to go into auto knit mode, and that’s bad for this pattern because the sequence changes between zig and zag. I sometimes lapse into the wrong direction and have to go back. Fortunately, it’s easy to pick up 10 stitches if you have to rip a significant portion.

Mind you, I have been knitting off and on for over 50 years, but I haven’t really challenged myself in the past.

Use of stitch markers highly recommended

I used stitch markers to keep track of my 10 ridges. This was fairly easy because I slipped (purlwise) the first outside stitch of every row that has an outside edge.

I did this on the first “row/column” of zig/zag on both sides.

By slipping this stitch, I had a beautiful even method of keeping track of my “ridges” where I didn’t even have to count the ridges. I just counted the stitches on the outside edge. This was a real nerve saver. It not only made it easy to count and keep my place, then when I picked up from the last “row/column” of zig/zags, I had only 10 possibilities. No searching for bumps or anything. Much easier.

On the zig row I just moved my ‘make one’ to the second stitch. On the zag row, I slipped one purlwise, then knit the rest.

06-19-2020 Cast on with crochet

I did a crochet cast-on for each new “row/column” of zig/zags, using a larger crochet hook.

This gave me a loose cast-on and made the edge look a little more finished.

That way, when I’m done, I can go back and easily crochet an edging.

It looks like one of my cast-ons has a twist to it. Hopefully it won’t show up overall. It’s just slightly thick. I can’t believe I didn’t see it while it was happening. Making a note to check that more closely on the next ones.

06-23-2020

Still working on this project, but a family crisis has caused me to alternate with knitting chemo hats.

06-24-2020

Started the 5th “row” of zig zags last night. Had to take a break to make 2 COVID masks. Between COVID and chemo “makes” this one might take awhile.

06-29-2020

Started row 7