Must Keep Knitting

I am ready to put this project out of it's misery. It's actually down to the last ten rows—but that's still over 4,000 stitches to go! Ugh. And then there are over 400 stitches to bind off at the end. So. Many. Stitches.

Let me back up a bit. I started this project in early summer as part of a KAL—that's "knit-a-long" for you non-knitters. That's when a group of folks all knit the same pattern during a specified time period.

In this case, it was a group on Ravelry (a social media site for knitters/crocheters) so the knitters were scattered across the globe. It's fun to chat with other knitters who are working on the same shawl. We can help each other solve problems. Cheer each other on. Admire each others finished project. But I didn't finish by the deadline.

Now I knew when I started that I would not finish on time. I had the little ones here during the summer, remember? But I had met the designer at the Georgia knitting retreat in the spring and I really wanted to participate. So I started amid the chaos here, knitting slowly in fits and starts. I thought I wouldn't be too far behind finishing.

I figured when the dust settled I would zip through the rest. Well, that hasn't happened. My upper case KAL (knit along) has become a lower case "kal" that stands for knit alone.

Maybe it was because I was tired, but I've made too many mistakes. Mistakes that needed to be undone. And redone. Then more mistakes. I am near the end now, but I am having to make myself push through to the end. Thank goodness, the end is the easiest part.

I find myself not knitting now because I need to unload the dishwasher or fold laundry or vacuum cobwebs from behind the blinds. Don't the lampshades need dusting? Hmmm, the kitchen trash can needs to be washed.

But I will make myself keep going. I will get to the end to the end. Fingers crossed that after thousands and thousands of stitches that feel like thousands and thousands of hours (it really isn't--most people finished in less than a month) that I will LOVE this shawl. Time will tell.

TO BE CONTINUED...