There was a stretch, during this new Stephen West MKAL, when I wondered if he was perpetrating an enormous joke on the 2400+ knitters who were slogging along through his new pattern. I thought about the color combinations he had recommended. I thought about the wincingly improbable juxtaposition on my own needles, and its unexpected angularity. "He is punking us," I thought to myself, and only the knowledge that his patterns are pretty much unfroggable (because they leave you with weird and unpredictable lengths of yarn) kept me from throwing in the towel.
I had resolved not to worry about weirdness along the way. I had so much fun during his 2012 MKAL, and I would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn't been worried about the Knitting Police. Did the peacock blue really work with the silvery green? Was the pattern too weird? I couldn't decide. But no one ever looks at that wrap and says, "You know, Jamie, I'm unconvinced about that ruffle with the simultaneous vertical and horizontal stripes." And, weird as it sounds, that ruffle was a blast to knit.
Now, though, I am experiencing unprecedented weirdness levels with this new MKAL. Behold:
I am currently working brioche stitch in apple green and vivid turquoise. I might need sunglasses to finish this section. I am blinking in a pained way just looking at the picture. I have to avert my eyes to do the actual knitting. This is bad for my brioche stitch. I've only done one other brioche stitch project, and it was a child's hat, so I don't yet have a good feel for how it's structured. I have discovered that every single YO on this row is oriented incorrectly. That's a lot of YOs to reseat.
I think I am going to set it aside for now and go read some Connie Willis in bed. Perhaps it will be less blinding in the morning. Hobbit update: Stella and I just left the goblin's caves; they are hooting and hallooing at Bilbo's wobbly shadow.
More Yarn Along posts at Ginny's.
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