Maybe Lace Knitting Isn't for Me

I was feeling tired of 2x2 ribbing after spending the last few days working on the back of the Candy Sam. I was craving something different. I worked a bit on my Cloverleaf Sock. But still I was feeling the pull to start something new. I started laying out the Koigu I got in the grab bags from Patternworks. I'm thinking a stripey top-down raglan with short sleeves.



What do you think?

Then the Knitalong list announced that the next project would be a shawl--any shawl at all (that has a kind of Dr. Seuss feel to it). I knew immediately that the time had come to face casting on for Birch. Yes, casting on 299 stitches of Kidsilk Haze has stopped me dead in my tracks on more than one occasion. But tonight I was determined. The problem was I did not know which cast on the folks at Rowan refer to as the "lace cast on." I spent an hour online trying to figure it out. I finally sent emails off to Lisa and Marti. Lisa straightened me out immediately by pointing out that the cast on is explained in the pattern book. How did I miss this? It's just a knitted cast on. Marti also got back to me to explain the same thing. So I did it. I cast on 299 stitches. I put on House of Sand and Fog and I worked on Birch for 126 dreary, depressing minutes. I knit one and a half rows. Which makes me wonder if this is the project for me?



I know, I know. The rows only get shorter from here. If nothing else it has me motivated to get back to work on Sam.

I still haven't finished seaming and steaming Rosy. I was planning on having it ready for Purlygirls tomorrow night but it turns out I can't make it so there goes my motivation.