I'll admit that just reading the directions made my head spin. Time to take off the thinking hat and become a blind follower. Just do as written. And in less that five minutes, the mind-gears engaged and I was off and running.
However, if I didn't know how to knit "backwards" (knitting from left to right as well as the usual right to left,) the love wouldn't be so much.
For example, the pattern instructs me to -
Knit 2, turn.
Slip 1, purl 1, turn.
Slip 1, knit 2, turn.
Slip 1, purl 2, turn.
Slip 1, knit 3, turn.
Etc., turn, turn, turn.
Screw that. So imagine instead -
Knit 2. (R to L)
Slip 1, knit 1. (L to R)
Slip 1, knit 2. (R to L)
Slip 1, knit 2. (L to R)
Slip 1, knit 3. (R to L)
Etc. Just slippin' and knittin'.
I have used this technique for intarsia and bobbles, too. EZ didn't think too much of it, being the opinionated knitter that she was. From The Opinionated Knitter I quote her, "Actually, there is no wrong way to knit, although there is one way which is nearly wrong. I mean, Backwards, or Looking-Glass Knitting. It is not wrong in effect, as its proponents - or shall we say victims? - turn out perfectly creditable garments. But they work in a void of noncommunication, cut off from run-of-the-mill knitters and nearly all knitting instructions."
Victim, indeed! It doesn't take an Einstein to adapt a pattern to one's own purpose.
