Strange magic

Having read that the longer the cable, the better magic loop works, I pulled out a 32" cable and cast on for my brother's hat. I struggled to join in the round but pushed forward while aware of two other problems. This first row was really difficult to knit, and for the life of me, I couldn't keep the stitches from twisting.

After one round I declared it a failure and went through the arduous process of getting the mess off the needles. And that was the extent of last night's knitting. (It wasn't due entirely to my frustration. I also wrote at my film blog as part of my effort to rededicate myself there.)

I thought that perhaps I was full of it and hadn't really learned how to do magic loop. So be it. I'll go back to the 24" cable. At least that worked for me. I cast on again in my office during the lunch hour and fumed just a little that I must not have figured out the technique. The first row was again tough to knit, which wasn't helping with my overreaction of thinking I'm a hopeless case. Too hard on myself? Absolutely.

It's getting near the end of the term, a time at which even those of us not facing homework, exams, or final projects are showing wear from the strain. I've been pulling out my apartment keys rather than my office key when I get to work, if that tells you anything. My patience is used up on the students, meaning I've kept none in reserve for myself.

I did more office knitting after I had called it a day and then switched venues to a shopping center for some knitting in public prior to a screening I'd finessed my way into. (I looked into seeing it at a promo when I'm in Texas but got it out of the way with tonight's super secret screening that wasn't for press. I'm not supposed to tell anyone.) The knitting was going much smoother now. It looks like my impatience got the best of me because I didn't have as much trouble after getting through the first round. That 32" cable sure would come in handy right about now. Oh well. Next time.

Using a stitch marker is one improvement I've made. Rather, I mean using one that I purchased rather than a piece of yarn tied into a slip knot that doesn't hold and sheds on my work in progress. When I stop knitting I'm slipping the right needle through the stitch marker, which keeps it in place and reminds me of the direction I need to knit. So I've got that going for me.