I've achieved Fair Isle on the bias.

I can't wait for the Olympics to begin! I want to start my new sweater!

I've begun my Olympic training by casting on and completing the kerchief that goes along with the sweater I'll be making. My conclusion is that Teva Duhram is a mad person. Following the fair isle pattern on the bias is, well, it's slightly insane. I can't imagine being able to design that way.

When I'm showing people how to knit from written directions, I always tell them first that they have to learn how to suspend their disbelief. Yes, one should give the instructions a once-over before beginning, but one must try not to think, "Oh that's never going to work." Sometimes it doesn't work and some written directions are terrible, but I've found that in most cases—if one has interpreted and followed the instructions correctly—it does work. Man, did I ever have to follow my own advice for this project. "It'll all work out, I'm sure..." was my mantra during the first few rows of increases.

At first I tried to knit the pattern from the little chart in the book, but when I realized that I had to switch reading directions for RS and WS rows, I gave up and recreated and repeated the chart in Photoshop. My life got immediately easier. Now I just need to achieve gauge. For some reason, I knit more tightly than I usually do when I'm knitting fair isle...



I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I have to say, however, that knitting this is really fun. That statement was made in earnest. I've already decided to knit TD's short-row fair isle next. I just feel bad for my poor Johnke.

Here's the first 300+ yards of my it's so pink roving as yarn. It's highly imperfect, but it's soft. Wow, I really suck at taking photos.