Reverse Knitting

I really want to knit an afghan I found on Bernat's website.  I can't link it directly because you have to be a member to view it, but it's called Ripple Stitch Afghan.  While I bought yarn to start the project, it is clear to me now that it will not be enough.  And, while I will not have enough yarn of the same dye lot, this is not enough to discourage me from this project.

Color palette (the orange is the contract color for border use)

The pattern seems simple enough.  I've learned my lesson from other projects that I will read through the entire project and make sure I understand the stitches.  This easy pattern passed the test.  My contrast color (orange) started the project as the border, and then I had to increase the number of stitches by 30.  At this point, I started with my first color (pink) in the ripple pattern.  The pattern involves increasing and decreasing in the row, but I thought I knew what I was doing.  Wrong.  I managed eight rows of the pattern before I realized I was leaving out several stitches at the end of the rows.  I frogged the entire thing back to the beginning (i.e., all stitches off the needle) and started over with my border color.

My second attempt was started yesterday and I made quick work of the border.  I was confident going into the first row of the pattern.   Everything is looking good unless I get to what is supposed to be the last seven stitches.  Only problem is that I only have six stitches remaining to work.  Argh.

I was tempted to rip out the whole thing again, but I'm trying to keep my frustration in check and I'm reversing (unknitting) the last row.  This is very slow because I have to unwork 207 stitches, some of which are stitches knitted together and slipped.  I'm wondering if I will ever get the project off the ground.  I'm hoping that once I establish the correct pattern repeat, I will be able to pick up mistakes long before I get to the end.  Otherwise, I may start looking for a new pattern to use up this yarn.

I've neglected this blog and, believe me, it's not the only thing in my life getting the neglect edit at this point in my life.

We are halfway through May and we have no idea what is happening with our short sale home purchase.  Mr. Grumpbump and I want to own this home and we are willing to wait for it.  If we just had an idea of where the Sellers were in their short sale process.  I would never recommend buying a short sale to anyone, especially if the house is to be your primary residence.  We've heard horror stories about short sales taking seven months to a year to close.  We love this house but are really afraid of waiting that long.  I'm not sure we can remain sane that long.

I've asked Mr. Grumpbump if I can have a kitten.  He was not very open to the idea but mumbled something about getting our house first.  He's right, of course, and I have not completely considered how adding a kitten  to our household would affect Miss Macy or Delilah Cat.  I want to believe that their maternal instincts would kick in, but I've been known to be wrong before.

Delilah is ALWAYS cleaning.

We believe Macy's background to be part cat, part owl.