Crafting frustrations

    I am getting frustrated in my crafting. Not all of it, just the designs of the brilliant knitter, and yarn goddess Elizabeth Zimmermann. I have so far only been able to make one of her patterns, the Pi Shawl. But there was a problem.


    I can not start anything on double pointed needles. I have tried, believe me. I get going, and as soon as I start thinking "OK, I think I got this..." there is the tell tale metallic TINK sound of the back needle sliding out and hitting the floor.


   In order to make the Pi Shawls that I made, I needed to cheat. Since I couldn't do the beginning on dp's, I had to improvise. I actually knit it back and forth until it was big enough to go on a 16" circular. Then I joined it and continued working in the round.


    When it was all done, I had a short seam I had to sew up in the very center of the giant circle. No one has ever noticed it.


    I have had problems with her pattern for the Baby Surprise Jacket too. I really want to make this, but I can't decipher her instructions. I hope someday that someone translates her "pithy directions" into modern knitting jargon that I can understand.


    Now for the most frustrating project. I want, so very badly, to make her garter stitch Square Baby Blanket. I have tried twice. This time there's no problem with the instructions, I got that. The first time I attempted this pattern, I used up all the really pretty baby yarn that I had, and was only into the 2nd quarter of the blanket. For months I looked for more of the yarn. NO ONE had any. It was like it disappeared off the face of the planet. I still, to this day, have not seen any more of the yarn.


    So I decide to try again, and buy lots of the yarn I chose. I'm not gonna run out this time! And what happens, as I'm in the 2nd quarter of the blanket? Well that's when my arthritis in my shoulder decides to act up. And I have to stop knitting. Hopefully it's only temporary, but I'm not holding my breath. For some reason I am destined to not make any of E.Z.'s designs except for the Pi Shawl. Maybe I'll start another one of those... I do have enough awesome black and white lace weight yarn to make a really big shawl.