Aaaaarrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

I knitted on the train again yesterday, whilst travelling between workshops. I chatted to a lovely widower who told me all about how how wife used to knit him pure wool v-neck pullovers when they were courting, and how she would knit their children an aran (fishermans) cardigan every winter. He admired the Hitchhiker and said how lovely it was to see someone younger (me?) keeping up the old skills. He hoped I had or would teach my children and keep the skills alive. I reassured him that handcrafts were booming once again with so many people enjoying them. A lovely conversation. And the Hitchhiker thundered along, being garter stitch it only requires a quick glance now and then. The yarn is a little splitty and so I snagged now and then but nothing major. Or so I thought.

1am this morning I was on the final row before casting off. I glanced down and noticed a thin spot. I looked again and noticed that there was definitely an almost hole. And I knew immediately what had happened. Whilst chatting away I had snagged the yarn but didn't look down, just moved the needle out and then re-did the stitch. But of course I re-did it through the snagged strand, which was as fine as a hair. And that superfine strand was now the base of every knitted stitch above for at least 15 rows! 150+ stitches a row. Do the maths - scary number of stitches right? So no ripping back then. Instead I deliberately dropped the stitch at the top of that column and laddered right down to that one pesky stitch. Kind of worrying as the yarn being so splitty meant that I had to tug most of the stitches to open them up. Still, the alternative was much, much less appealing. I picked up each stitch in the ladder with the crochet hook. At 1am. After waking at 7am that morning. And a full, busy day in work. With the light low so the girlie on the sofa didn't wake. But I did it. 

And so I finished knitting that last row. I semi reluctantly began the cast off, the Hitchhiker had been a lovely no stress project (well almost). But still I was there, casting off, thinking of seeing it fully opened up and sharing with you. And then 60sts off the needle, 100 to go, the girlie woke up. So it was off to bed we went.

So you want to see the finished Hitchhiker?

Well then you shall.............

When I finish that cast off at some time today!

-x-