Increases and decreases

Oh boy I'm so proud of myself, I've managed to knit increases and have nearly finished the cardigan for Melody. It's not as hard as I thought it would be but I've had to come to terms with something I've learnt along the way. I knit a little oddly... When doing a knit stitch my right needle goes straight behind behind my left needle, like this

but all the videos I've seen they put the right needle in the front first then it goes behind the left like this.

 

One stitch is horizontal when working and the other is vertical I don't think there is any difference in either method when it comes to the final look of the work but I tell you now it took me some time to figure out how I needed to complete the increases, but once I got my brain round it they were rather easy. The decreases however were even worse to try and suss out.  For example I cannot for the life of me fathom out why I would even bother following the SSK directions correctly, why bother slipping two stitches onto the other needle when I can just knit two together... And the K2Tog instructions well that was fun, I'm already knitting two together why are there two different terms for the same thing, and thing I figured out that it was knitting two together in the front.

Well... Why don't they name them K2Tog Front and K2Tog Back so you knit the stitches together in the front or knit them in the back and leave out all this slipping stitches malarky!

Anyhoo I'm nearly done with the cardigan just the rest of a sleeve and the seaming of the hood to finish and now Melody seems to be sleeping again at night I might finish it soon.  This is how it looked a few weeks ago.

College

What a complete and utter farce! Sorry this is more of a rant post than anything else...

I signed up for a college course to learn how to adapt patterns back in November, and despite paying £180 for the privilege I have been utterly let down with this.  It didn't start very well as when I went for an open day the tutor spent all her time with a gentleman who was not there to learn how to do what the course was there for but to learn how to teach sewing... I should have really taken that as a hint to run away screaming but I was determined to at least have a professional teach me something.

The next let down was the total lack of communication I received from the college, no confirmation to say I had been accepted onto the course even though they saw fit to take my money.  When the start date of the course grew close and I had still received nothing from them I e-mailed for some information, what did I get back - NOTHING! So I decided to call them to be sure the course was still running only for the person at the other end to be utterly unsure with anything and just told me to go to reception before it was due to start and they would tell me what room it was in. Not terribly happy with this I went anyway, after all they had my money I was getting something out of this, I got to reception only to be told that the course might not run as there is not enough people enrolled and was also being held at the other campus 4 miles away!! (Ok so this campus is closer to my house but that is not the point). I went home...

I went back the next week as the tutor called and apologised, not enough really but it was a start, only to find out that she had no course structure in place and was basically winging it by letting us make what we want and she would guide us along the way... Errr WTF! Why have a course description if you are not going to stick with it!  Anyway I went home with my homework, sew lines onto fabric, which I dutifully did despite feeling sick whilst bending to use the sewing machine

Only for the tutor to call me and tell me the course has been cancelled and I would get my money back.  I can't really say I'm not pleased about it because I have been utterly disappointed with the whole process, and the money I paid towards this will now go into Monklett's fund (When I finally get it back!!), minus a few pounds because I treated myself to the new Sewaholic pattern Renfrew and also a Pendrell I'm also thinking that as I'm pregnant I do need the skills that this stupid course was going to teach me so that I can adjust patterns for my growing belly, I may invest in a book about adapting patterns.  If anybody has any recommendations let me know :)