Acroknitting

I spent many hours as a passenger this weekend, so I took advantage of the time (and Jesse's book light) to knit the endless rows of laceweight garter stitch on this scarf. Back when I started it, I decided to knit from one end to about halfway, then break off my yarn and do the same from the other end to about midpoint. This was so I could use up all the yarn and get as much length as possible, because this yarn is fairly precious and I didn't want to end up with a tiny leftover ball of it or, worse, run out near the end of the pattern. So the plan was to then Kitchener/graft the two halves together.

Yesterday was grafting day. Also my birthday, which I figured gave me fair justification for finishing my scarf before stringing the jewelry that's on order. Kids and Scott were out to get the new Lego Mindstorms sensors and remote control that have them nearly crazed with excitement, so I downloaded the most recent episodes of Cast-On, positioned myself happily in a sunbeam, and started grafting. Now, I am a lefty who does Kitchener right-handed. I knit and crochet right-handed because that's the way I was taught. I can do these things fairly well, despite thinking of them in reverse at all times, so you'd think I could maneuver a needle to graft as a rightie, yes? No. Awkward as can be, but somehow my hands won't let my brain make the leap to grafting as a leftie, so I bumble on (in private) as a faux-rightie grafter.

So anyway, I grafted about an inch of stitches before realizing the join was not invisible, as Kitchener is when it's done right. So I picked out my stitches -- a tedious process -- and turned one of the scarf halves over, figuring I have it backwards and positioning it correctly will solve my problem. Dove back in again. Grafted about an inch and a half before I had to admit to myself that, no, that's not working right either. Ugh. Pick, pick, pick the stitches out.

Then a horrible thought rushed in. Everything I've ever grafted has been stockinette. What if you can't graft garter stitch? Ack! No, there must be a way...right? Well, thank goodness for the internet because it is possible to graft garter (instructions at link are way down at the bottom of article). But by then I was tired and my birthday falafel dinner was ready, so that'll wait for another day.

Luckily, Leah and I recharged at the Madley Spinners gathering in the evening, where I focused on a mindless bit of socknitting and chatted with Paige, while the Goob flitted about like the little social butterfly that she is, schmoozing with the spinners and so proudly showing off her work. Jesse and Scott, meanwhile, were doing spinning of a different kind. Theirs was spinning tires on a remote control Lego car that flips over when it runs into things and continues cruising around upside down until it runs into something else, then flips over and continues again. I have been informed that this is called an acrocar. Acrocars are fun. Acroknitting...not so much.