The Masters Level 1 Swatch #3

Warning: This swatch, opinions and  techniques used have not been approved by the TKGA Committee.

 
Ok, I confess, I have never done a seed stitch up until now.  So off to book and Internet I go.  This is a pretty simple pattern.  On an even number of stitches it goes like this.

Even number of stitches - seed stitch
     row 1   K1, P1, K1, P1
     row 2   P1, K1, P1, K1

But the Committee is sneaky, the instructions say cast on 25 stitches.  I could tell right off the bat that 25 was not an even number.  But no worries the instructions I found indicated that with an odd number of stitches all you had to do was repeat the pattern in this way:

Odd Number of stitches - seed stitch
     K1, *P1, K1 repeat from * across
     repeat this row. 

Now I realize that I am spatially challenged, and often over think things but I am not really sure what the * is doing there because with any odd number of stitches in this pattern you will always start and end with the same type of stitch.  In seed stitch you start the next row with the type of stitch you ended with on the prior row.  Which is why on an even number of stitches Row 1 begins with a K and Row 2 begins with a P.  Because on an even number of stitches any row beginning with a Knit stitch will end with a Purl stitch.  Any row begun with a Purl stitch will end with a Knit stitch.

But with an odd number of stitches your first and last stitch will always be the same.  So if you start with a Knit stitch your pattern will simply be:  K1, P1, K1 on each row.

When you are told to knit across the row you aren't told the pattern is K1, *K1, K1 repeat from * across and then to repeat the row. You just knit.   As near as I can see the asterisk has no value, is pointless and does nothing but confuse the issue.  I even got out paper and did a number of odd number cast ons plotting in the Knits and Purls. 

The upshot was I am trying to turn myself inside out second guessing the importance of the asterisk, not reading my work and second guessing myself in an effort to try and fit the meaning of the asterisk into the knitting cosmology of seed stitch and my swatch began looking suspiciously like a 1x1 ribbing.    Hmmmm......this definitely does not look like a seed stitch.  So rip it off the needles and start over. I punted the Asterisk to the outer reaches of the cosmos as I know it and just did a simple K1, P1 across.  Another simple way to explain this pattern for me was to  knit the purl stitches and purl the knit stitches.   Of course this requires that I begin to read my stitches - otherwise you can just: K1,P1, K1 across the row.

Swatch #3 Unblocked

I'm finding that the hardest part is actually weaving in the ends so that they disappear, don't create bulk and retain the elasticity of the fabric.  I didn't cut the ends on this swatch in case I have to reweave them.  I am also having some difficulty not getting that big loose last stitch when I bind off.  Sounds like time to do a little research.

Things I have learned with this Swatch
     1. Trust yourself
     2. That I really like the seed stitch look and the way it lays flat
    
References used:
     Seed Stitch
     365 Knitting Stitches A Year Perpetual Calendar (March 5th)