Advent Calendar Scarf 2014, Day 3

Hello:

I want to say that today's pattern is not difficult.  It is a pretty mesh with a simple 2x2 cable.  As you can see by looking at the cables, there are 3 repeats.  I brought mine to Crossroads to the regular Wednesday meet up of the Eastside Stitchers (I'll try to do that post in the morning, or tomorrow... we had a great group).  I don't know how many times I said, "Oops!"  or "Darn it!" as I miss-counted or purled when I was supposed to knit.  So not a difficult pattern, but perhaps not really social knitting, either.  ReadnitDream was working on her scarf, too.  She is using lace-weight yarn, and size 4 needles, and her scarf is much more open and airy looking than mine.  It is amazing how different the same pattern can look in different weight yarns and different needle sizes.  She had me wondering a bit if I should have gone up a needle size or two.  I am using size 0.  Mostly because I couldn't find any size 1 Chaio Goos in my needle case.  I think I have some... they must be in a pair of unfinished socks.  I really love the points on their red lace needles.  I tend to knit loosely, so I usually need to drop down a needle size.  I do like the fabric on my scarf, and if I block it aggressively, I'm sure the lace patterns will open up.

Anyway, although the pattern calls for a cable needle, I did my cables without one.  The directions ask you to put 2 stitches on a cable needle and hold them in front of the knitting, knit the next two stitches, then knit the stitches on the cable needle.  Instead, I slipped the right needle behind the first two stitches and into the next two stitches.  Then, I dropped the first two stitches from the left needle, slipped the next two stitches (that were on the right needle), and picked up the dropped stitches with the left needle.  I put the stitches that were in holding on the right needle back on the left needle, and knit all 4 stitches.  For me, this method is much faster than using a cable needle.

Here is a close up of the pattern:

I was pretty tired when I got home from Crossroads, and I still had 1 1/2 repeats to go, plus the beaded spacer section.  I was really falling asleep during the last few rows, when I was on the penultimate row, I realized that I had twisted one cable the wrong way, and forgot to twist a second cable.  I was able to fix those errors by dropping down, and saved myself having to tink 3 rows.  Thank goodness.  But, it was slow going, and it put me back a bit for finishing.

Here is what the scarf looks like now:

Ok, off to bed.
Peace,
f1bercat
shaping the planet on Day 3