I's Kin Kount

When I'm afraid that I can't do something, I let it sit. This would explain the boxes and boxes of family pictures waiting for me to get over my fear of scrap-booking. And it would explain the alpaca shawl that is still sitting on needles, after working on it for two years. I sure could use those needles.

Anyway, I cast on the ribbing to the romper pattern I'm making to go with the baby items I've knit. Cast on 44 stitches. Work in K1 P1 rib for 3 1/8" (like that extra 1/8" is noticeable???? Who writes this stuff? Will a newborn baby refuse to wear the romper if the ribbing is only 3" long?). Increase 42 stitches evenly in next row. This was easy sailing. Not a problem. Work round and round and round and round on dpns. Normally ribbing is pretty boring, but I worked this quickly, afraid of the next step.

You see I would have to count. Count to 3 and count to 4 at the same time. After the ribbing was done, I set the romper down for a few days and it taunted me. I knew the deadline for these babies was coming faster and faster with each day, so finally I tempted fate. I started my two rows of stst. Then I worked the pattern row as I had done for the sweater, the bonnet, the sleeves, and the booties. Ok. I could do it. Maybe. On to the dreaded next row which would start the double counting frenzy, I told myself that row 1 was also row 4. Increase. No big deal, but now the next row was row 2 and row 1. Then I worked row 3 which was a pattern row and was also row 2. Next came row 1 - 3. and then 2 - 4 which was an increase. Every time I put it down, I made sure it was either on a row 3 (pattern) or row 4 (increase) to help me figure out exactly where I was.

By the time I had worked 5" I could work the first counting by glance and only had to count rows for the increases. Well, I only had to count increase rows out loud, pattern rows emerged in my head.

Now I've started the second leg, and I'm able to count both sets without my mind going numb anymore. I's Kin Kount!