Yesterdays post, today...

Here is the post that I hoped to get out yesterday, but that didn't so much work out. Here I give you my Continetal Hat. It's the pattern from LMKG. I haven't a clue about how many stitches I cast on. I attempted a multiple of 8 as required in the pattern, but I lost a stitch somewhere and ended up having to skip a decrease. I wasn't worried since this was a training hat and not about the FO.
I knit this almost entirely in Continental. I cast on using the long-tail in an effort to practice that too. Then after getting half way around with major struggling on the first row, I switched to my right hand to get through the first round. I always have issues with that first row, no matter how loosely I try to cast on. This is why I used a needle size up to cast on the sock. That helped tremendously.
Anyhow, I did the rest Continental until the last three rows. There I had to switch to dpns, and I am just learning how to manipulate those, and didn't have the energy to figure that out too. Plus my hands hurt like hell from the cotton, and the fact that I spent the first part with my hands all clenched up trying to get the weird movements to make sense. As you can see in the middle of this pic, I really loosened up. Definately too much. I learned that working this way needs to be thought of as a completely different technique and not at all approached in the same way as the English Method. Once I let go of trying to insert my needle in the loop the same way, or hold the yarn wrapped around my left hand the way I do my right, then it got easier. I was also able to relax my gauge a lot more and found that it is possible to make even stitches without making everything so tight. This will make Deb happy =)
Overall, I'm very pleased with this test project. I really, really enjoyed knitting this way (In fact, last night I cast on another hat (same pattern) in Wool-ease to practice some more. I'm basically making the Grandpa Hat again so that I can learn to purl as well. I'm only a few stitches in, so I'll update you on that later.) It just seems to fit me better. Oddly, I found it easier and more intuitive to being a right-handed person because all of the loop manipulation is really done by maneuvering your right hand. If that makes any sense at all.

And in the world of sock progress, here is a picture:

Warning - stripes may be more obvious in picture than in real life

This is from a couple of days ago, but all you need do is imagine an extra inch and a half, and you'll have it. I hope to finish the calf and get to the heel tonight. Deb has had some very useful, albeit not really English to me yet, advice, and I'm greatly appreciative. These socks will be made on a wing and a prayer, but the next ones might actually have some wisdom and brain power put into them thanks to the fabulous people in blogland!

Tune in tomorrow when I will have gobs of yarn porn from my order that came. Yay!