Hypertension

Today I tried knitting a mitten while reading about the pharmacology of hypertension (high blood pressure). Usually, if it's a fairly simple (read: boring stockenette) pattern I can study/read and knit at the same time. It's taken some practice, but now it's doable and preferable to just reading. (I can just knit too but the test is a few days away and time is of the essence!)

I cast on the correct number of stitches on straight needles, knit the first row while watching, then turned my eyes back to the book. Three inches later I looked back at the knitting and tried to picture it around my wrist. It looked like the cuff might be snug, but mitten cuffs are supposed to be snug. Another inch or so into the pattern and I looked over again: there was NO way this thing was going to fit. I dug up a gauge checker thing and my tape measure and checked: I was knitting tighter then the pattern reccomended. Usually I'm right on, or only a small bit off and it's correctable, but not this time.

Hypertension now has a new meaning.

Pictures of mitten progress and the new sleeve on my mom's sweater tomorrow when I can get some in natural light. Stay warm!