Sensational Shirttail Update: The Five Most Fearful Words in Knitting

Here is the latest on our progress. Cheryl has finished both sleeves and is working on the back. She changed the design a bit by adding 2 slipped stitches, one on ether of the cables to frame them. I’ll let her explain in the next installment.

I have finished the back and the fronts and have done one cuff. The pattern combination is easy to follow without referring to the instructions, once you get going and quite fun! A bit of stockinette, a bit of Moss stitch and a cable every eight rows.

So I was moving along and really enjoying myself and then when I referred to the pattern for the next direction as I was working on the armhole, there they were, the five words that strike fear into the hearts of a knitter: AND AT THE SAME TIME!! Now, I have to change to Moss stitch on some of the stitches, decrease on the armhole side and for the fronts also decrease for the V-neck of the cardigan. Oh and by the way don’t forget to do the cable on the first row of the eight-row pattern repeat. YIKES!!

Over the years as I built my knitting skills I have learned that there are certain situations that just call for the simplicity of a piece of paper and a pencil. AND AT THE SAME TIME is one of them. Here is my method - I write out the number of rows in each pattern repeat-in this case the eight row repeat for the cable, and then write a letter to correspond with the direction, like a D for decrease. I also make a column on either side of the row number in this case one side of the number was for instructions on the armhole side and the other for the v-neck. As I complete each row I cross it out on the chart. It works well for me and both fronts were the same. So try it next time you see those five fearful words and you too can knit with joy and no fear!!

Happy Knitting,

Carole