Off And Running

Olive Knits' 2026 and final Knitalong has begun. The complete Watermark Cardigan sweater pattern downloaded Tuesday night and I dutifully printed out the relevant pages and marked my size-specific numbers throughout. The next day, July 1st, I cast on and started knitting while I waited for the inaugural zoom video recording to drop, and watch it I did while continuing to work my way through the first 4 rows of the pattern. It was taking me a bit to navigate through unfamiliar or seldom used stitches but I could still manage while listening. Much of that video was introductory, things she'd already talked about in e-mails and on a special Tips and FAQ page on her website. Still, there were a few helpful things to hear and a reminder that instructional video clip links are sprinkled throughout the pattern. I'm working on this upstairs next to the computer so that I can quickly access any of those links as I progress (and I definitely have looked at a few of them more than once). I also got the explanation behind the advertising that this was to be a 4-day event while also saying it would last all month. Apparently, previous knitalongs were indeed conducted over 4 days, but she got so much feedback about knitters getting stressed trying to keep up that she decided a slower pace was in order for this last one while keeping the 4-day time for consistency sake. Anyway, every Monday of July she'll be holding another zoom meeting to take questions and see how it's all going for participants.

I also printed out a handy guide to making a particular increase stitch that is made differently depending upon whether the stitches will slant left or right, something that is used here to widen all sections as one works down from the neckline. I simply couldn't remember the sequences so printing the directions with such good visuals was a smart move (you can see it above the regular directions page). The pattern isn't particularly difficult as much as it is complicated because of the neck shaping at the beginning (which I finished yesterday) and all that repeating lace pattern  (which I started today). I simply cannot work on it at the moment except in silence. Even background music would be distracting. Just look at all that text telling me what to do (using a bookmark to follow the proper line)! I have to say though, this is so well written and all the text is keeping things nice and clear along with all those stitch markers slipped on the needles. Green ones delineate the boundaries between front, back and sleeves while the orange ones delineate where lace pattern repeats start and end. The lace pattern is an eight row repeat and I'm only through half of it but I can already feel the rhythm and familiarity of it from making the gauge swatch. I'm starting to relax into it! Maybe soon I can even turn on some music while I knit. Not exactly running per se but I'm definitely off!