The 3 Needle Bind-off Challenge.

#17 Man's Cable Cardigan
Design by, Josh Bennett for Vogue Knitting

It's one of those days, sick at home with a cold with my two little ones who are also sick with the same cold. As it turns out, yesterday was an exciting day for me in the progress of my hubby's sweater, (as pictured above)! It's beautiful isn't it?! I'm very excited about this project.

I finished the front sections of the cardigan that divide off of the underarms and up to the shoulders. Then came the part in a pattern that I dread -- the part where I don't know what the heck a term or abbreviation means. You know what I'm talking about. The project comes to a screeching halt, and I am pouring through finishing books and the internet for a tutorial or explanation. In this case it was the "3 needle bind-off", (used particularly for joining seams in shoulders). Sounds daunting doesn't it? Lucky for me, youtube.com saved the day and provided a great explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpJUrCX52DU

I'm a visual learner and do much better seeing it accomplished in action. I am also left handed, so I knit "backwards", this presents a challenge for me every time I start a project. I usually stay away from lace since that is particularly more difficult to figure out in the reverse due to all the SSK's and knit two together's that always angle the wrong way and decimate what would be a beautiful lace pattern.

So armed with the proper equipment, and having counted and divided my stitches for the shoulders and leaving live stitches on a holder for the neck to be attached to the collar later I now have two beautifully joined shoulders, and trust me it is a beautiful sight! Now on to the sleeves.

Using the newly acquired skill! If you are trying this at home the image would be in the reverse for all you right handed knitters, i.e. the vast majority.