It started out simply enough: One morning, dashing for the door, I had to make a quick decision and grab something to knit on the train. I grabbed something that had been brewing for a while: Yarn like squashed blackberries, procured last year with mittens in mind, and a long 4mm addi circular.
I'd been flicking through Last Minute Knitted Gifts and figured I could start some ribbed wrist warmers: ribbing for a few inches, then make a thumb hole. Or I could cast on more stitches and make a ribbed beanie. Both simple enough. Both very last minute. Both froggable if they didn't turn out so well. Definitely fulfilling the immediate need for something to knit on the train.
Progress went something like this:
Step 1: Knit a wristwarmer with 34 sts in K2 P2 ribbing, with a vertical opening for my thumb (very a la LMKG).
Problem 1: Too tight. Need a few more stitches.
Step 2: Knit another wristwarmer with 38 sts and a vertical opening for my thumb. Perfect.
Step 3: Knit a third wristwarmer to match second wristwarmer. Indulge in second ever knitting related conversation with bright and chirpy and inquisitive fellow passenger, who can knit too- just plain stitch scarves- but was quite fascinated with the whole circular needle thing.
Step 4: Start wearing wristwarmers two and three, and frog the first one.
Problem 2: Observe that thumb gets quite cold on frosty winter mornings whilst waiting for the train. Remember I have bookmarked Voodoo wristwarmers. Check pattern. A horizontal thumb hole (a buttonhole on steroids). Looks warmer than having my whole thumb exposed. Consider whether I can be bothered frogging the top half of the wristwarmers that I'm already enjoying wearing (ahh the pleasure of 80's flashbacks...).
Step 5: Cast on for beanie (whilst debating whether I'll frog wristwarmers two and three) with the reasonable quanity of leftover yarn. Don't even bother looking at a pattern- just wing it: cast on about 100 sts and hope that it will fit.
Step 6: Laugh at self's desperation to knit which leads one to knit whilst standing on the train platform with the yarn that one is wearing on one's hands (Not the actual strand that one is wearing mind you- that would be silly). Decide that one won't do this again. It just looks too dorky.
Problem 3: Loose one wristwarmer whilst window shopping. Retrace steps. Curse that my everyday handbag is already too perfectly sized to be able to accommodate my new wristwarmers safely.
Step 7: Finish a beanie of sorts, making up the decreases as I go, and crossing my fingers that the shape will be OK. There was a second, about 20 rows in when I tried it on for size, when I considered leaving it as a headband for a true 80's revival experience, but it was only the briefest of seconds.
Step 8: Cast on a fourth wristwarmer with the still reaonsable quanitity of leftover yarn. Decide to give the steroidal buttonhole a shot.
Step 9: Indulge in third ever knitting related conversation with fellow passanger, who was watching every stitch as I cast off, and was really interested to see what it was I had created. Decide that buttonholes on steroids are perfect for thumbs.
Step 10: Frog back part of second wristwarmer (or was it the third?) and reknit to match wristwarmer #4.
Step 11: Wear frequently, with warmth.
I still have just enough left to knit one more wristwarmer I think... I'm debating whether I should, just so I have a spare ready to wear next time I loose one. But by the end of four wristwarmers I was feeling ready for a change, so I cast on for some socks while I was attending a lovely little craft afternoon at Carolyn's yesterday. My wristwarmers were there with me though, and were worn by Prue for an hour or so while she got started on making some of her own. Which put a smile on my face.
