A lost week or more

The day after my trip to the Jay County Fiber Fest and Spin In, my throat caught fire. I've been virtually comatose ever since with the worst head cold I have had in years (thanks, g'daughter!) This past Monday, I finally felt well enough to take a short walk around the nabe. Tuesday I made it to yoga - the forward folds made my ears pop. Today I managed a little yardwork. I would have been more worried about the duration of this illness, but the g'daughter's pediatrician said something to my daughter about this year's cold virus being particularly long lasting.

The good news is, when I wasn't binge-watching "Nurse Jackie", I was binge-knitting the poncho with no name. Despite my inability to count, the first two panels came together perfectly.

For the Best Innovation of the Year, I nominate Clover Wonder Clips. I have tried all sorts of other methods to hold two pieces of handknit fiber together for seaming, but nothing works as well as these clips. AND they are much easier to see than straight pins.

The i-cord seaming was tedious but inspired. Since the stitches on the edge of the fabric had been slipped, there is a slipped stitch for every two rows. I worked the slipped stitch into the i-cord with one pass, then created an i-cord row without the slipped stitches.

In other words: Cast on 2 stitches; k1, slip 1, pick up the stitch from each piece of fabric through both loops, k through all the stitches; pass over slipped stitch; slide stitches to other end of needle; * k2; pick up stitch from each piece of fabric through both loops; slide stitches to other end of needle; k1, slip 1, k through all the picked up stitches, pass over slipped stitch; slip stitches to other end of needle; repeat from *. Got it?

Because of my counting mishap, I am wary of getting the second side panel to line up as well as the first. Each side panel has short rows across the top, to provide some shaping. I really, really, REALLY want the poncho to be symmetrical.

Working the i-cord and pinstriping require I sit at a table, which taxes my scoliotic back. After a certain point, these tasks cannot be avoided, though. Onward!