Leaf Yoke Top

So I decided to start yet another project: Leaf Yoke Top from one of the Knit.1 magazines from last year. I am using Malabrigo cotton in indigo. The first thing to note, especially for this lace pattern, is to NOT start it when you are half asleep. The yarn overs coupled with the knit-through-back-loops, and double decreases, were enough to make this knitter crazy. I've decided to change the S2KP (double decrease) to S1K2togP (double decrease but slipping only 1 stitch, and passing it over the K2together). Also, I divided the stitches into 4 blocks, to help me keep track of my place in my pattern.

I frogged it 3 times, and the first row was just too loose for me. Normally, I double my needles while casting on, to ensure that it was loose enough to knit into. However, the cotton does not bounce back and I found that the first row looked sloppy. The remedy this, I used a needle a few sizes bigger than I needed (in my case a size 8) for casting on, and then used my size 6 needle (the needle I am using for the pattern) to knit into the first row. It worked like a charm. This and the fact that I was awake helped me get a hang of the pattern and now I am enjoying it. I am hoping to get it finished by next week, so I can enjoy it during the summer. Last year, I finished my summer top in September. Boo for me.

Now it is late and having learned my lesson from yesterday...err...early this morning, or yesterday morning, as the case may be, I am taking a break from it and will continue tomorrow. I hope the kids and dogs let me.