The knitting gods have spoken.

A few post back, I mentioned that I am working on a special project. And sadly, I haven't been working on said project as much as I should - especially considering it has a looming deadline.

I got distracted by something shiny.

Something called the Mystic Midsummer Wreath Mystery Shawl. I got the first clue last Wednesday, and finally got a chance to cast on on Friday. Three-hundred-ninety six stitches later, I was entranced. I wanted nothing, but to keep knitting and seeing the shawl develop row by row.

The first clue was only 15 rows deep, but as you might imagine, at 396 stitches (and that's the smallest size) each row was a little time consuming. At about row six (sometime early Saturday), I realized I had done something terribly wrong - mistaking cast-off stitches for slip stitches (the symbols were very similar). The only solution was to frog.

Fortunately I was able to salvage my cast on and the first few garter stitch rows. By Saturday afternoon I was back on track.

Sunday morning, with only a few rows left to go, I came across a new stitch that threw me for a loop. Technically I could execute it, but it was sloppy, and not nearly as nice as the other knitters' in the KAL. I decided to soldier on, and hope that blocking would solve all. In the process, the stitches got a little neater. But half-way through... I realized I'd badly messed up the middle of the pattern a few rows down. It couldn't be fudged. I didn't have to patience to tink, so I set it aside until Tuesday night.

After stepping away, I decided I had to courage to frog (yep FROG...not tink) three whole rows of 396 stitches of lace, and carefully pick it up again. It took about and hour or so, but I did it. I started knitting again, everything was going swimmingly until I got half way through the row. I discovered that in my frogging and re-picking-up, I'd dropped several stitches... and of course, they decided to drop further. I tried to salvage it - but to no avail. It was too loose and all the blocking in the world wasn't going to make it look right.

With a giant sigh, I pulled out the needle and...
FROOOOOOOOOOOOG! Yep... I'm right back to garter stitch.

I'm taking it as a sign from the knitting gods, that I really should be working on the project with the deadline, so tonight, out came the double points:The cuff is done, and I should be able to finish the rest tomorrow night. The knitting gods have spoken. I must obey.

(and I can return to Clue 1 and 2 on the weekend...)