Stage 4: Sleeve hem

So I started on a sleeve, which is what I should have done in the first place. It is always easier to rip out a sleeve and start over, than to do that with the body. I will have to start the body over, but if I have enough yarn, I won't have to rip the first one out. Not sure if it can be used, but not having to rip it out and untangle the yarn and rewind the balls will be a good thing.

I completed one repeat of the pattern on the sleeve. It is a 26-row repeat and 26 stitches also.The hem is still tighter than it should be, but I think I can live with it. I may start the second one with more stiches and if it comes out better and the difference bugs me I can undo the bottom of this one and reknit it in the other directon. I have never done this, but I have seen it done and I know people who can help me do this.





In the interest of being brutally honest, here is the other side of the sleeve showing the increases. It's not great, but it's not horrible. The pattern called for using fewer stiches in the border than in the pattern, but my knitting with 3 and 4 strands pulls up so much that I should have just started with the larger number. I didn't realize it was pulling up so much. Actually the first one I did was looser, but looked horrible. Oh well, this is what I can do now. I'll keep practicing and hope to get better.

No question this is a mountain challenge for me. I'm glad I joined this tour de france kal, because it has given me the incentive I need to keep at this project and not get discouraged.

As for doing French while I do this, I listened to a Frech CD while I was knitting and also finished reading a mystery in French last night, after I quit knitting for the day. I read "Maigret et le Phantome" by Simenon. Is anyone familiar with his series of police novels?