Sneaky pattern

Yesterday, I finished the last repeat of Fuchsia Wave, so I was ready to join the two pieces.  I dug out a darning needle, and started following the joining directions. 

It didn't take me long to realize that I was doing the Kitchener stitch.  Those sneaky dogs!  I hate Kitchener.  I understand it's value as a seamless joining method, but I just don't like doing it. 

It is the wrong kind of needle, it takes forever, it is the subject of procrastination for nearly finished socks. 

I guess that is one way to not procrastinate with Kitchener: don't put it at the very end.  So up and down my needle went.  Knit front, purl back, blah, blah, blah.  80 stitches on each needle, 160 total, 2 needle movements per stitch. . . I had to maeuver that little needle 320 times.  324 techinically, once you count the set up stitches. 

And why is it that I always have one stitch leftover?

It took all evening, but I finally finished.  That meant that I was finally able to try on the borderless shawl.  It is very warm and cozy.  Nicely sized to snuggle around my shoulders.  A bit too bukly to use a shawl pin, but I don't think that will be a problem. 

I wasn't even going to consider starting to pick up all the border stitches last night, so I did a couple rows on my Invisibility Cloak.  I hate these plastic needles, but the yarn is super slick, and my usual metal ones are too slippery for sanity.  I should probably look at bamboo or wood for these, but just haven't gotten around to it. 

So the goal for the day is to pick up the 640 stitches for the Fuchsia border.

Unless I get tempted by something else.  See, there is the lovely pink yarn in the cabinet, and it started calling for me this morning. . . .

Today, it is all about the pick up artist.