I nupp'ed and lived to tell about it...

I just did my first several rows of the Swallowtail Shawl repeat with the dreaded nupps - purl 5 together, 5 stitches which you k1,yo,k1,yo,k1 in the same stitch the previous row...hard to weasel your needles into those yarnovers...impossible for the yarnovers not to pull tight. I "googled" suggestions and came upon some great advice, in theory, here. I used some of her advice but all of her inspiration - check out her Swallowtail - if that would not have motivated me to brave the nupps...what would have? I ended up using a crochet hook, transferring my 5 stitches carefully onto the crochet hook, then I pulled the working yarn through. I think I held my breath on each one, turned on every light in the house and sat hunched over at the breakfast bar - no TV, no nothing. I thought I would pass out when I used my Denise needles (just to go a size smaller and I was thinking maybe they'd be pointier) and the join nearly came apart mid row, gulp. Hats off to those who like those Denises - but count me out. But as a back-up I have a lifeline threaded...just in case. I'm not typically terribly careful or detail oriented. I like to go fast, be the first done - I have been asked "where's the fire" since middle school because I walk so fast - so I need to muster all of my patience...ah, the satisfaction.

So now, merely 3 rows into this repeat, I need to go lie down and rejuvenate for the next rows tomorrow. Tough work being a knitter.