Knitting Panic

Really.

I ordered this stranded bag kit. I was thinking, "Quick little colorwork in the round."

Uh, no.

Well, sort of. But no.

I got the box yesterday. Lovely big box full of colorful yarn. I looked at the pattern. Then I sat and looked at the box with a sinking feeling. There are side panels, and they're knit flat. That means a) purling Continental for the second color and b) reading a colorwork chart not in the round. Then there's a knitted welt. Then there's a really confusing description of the rest of the bag.

A bit of emotional asthma there for a bit.

I found some in-progress pics on Ravelry and some of it makes more sense now -- the front and back are not knitted flat, but the piece isn't knitted in the round like a tube, finishing the whole circumference at once. The front and back are knitted like circular shawls, only knitting inward instead of outward. I'm still not sure how you get from the side panel to the front to the next side panel to the back. I've offered anyone within a 200-mile radius dinner if I can come by for a tutorial.

However, one thing is certain -- must learn to purl Continental. So, in preparation for this, I am going to make myself a cowl in stockinette, but inside out -- i.e., purling the whole thing and then turning it inside out when I'm done. I can knit Continental, though I only do it for colorwork. Since all my colorwork has been in the round heretofore, I've never had to purl that way. It will be a good learning experience.

As long as I can figure out the rest of the pattern....