It's Been a Week, Already?

Well, almost a week.

For not having anything much to do, it sure went fast!

Of course, it could be because I got distracted by Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat.

Several times.

And I am not done- since I just cast on another while waiting for Blogger to upload my pictures.The first one I knit with RYC Soft Tweed- leftovers from my cardigan. It didn't even take a whole ball! I used 10 1/2 (6.5mm) needles because 1. I had them, 2. I am American, 3. That means I don't have 7mm needles, 4. I wasn't sure if I would be able to find some, 5. I wanted to cast on right then, 6. How much could .5mm really make in a hat?

Stop laughing. Gauge smauge.

It turned out.... a little small.

It 'fit' INBA, but he said it was a little tight. Ok, maybe, "too tight."

Still it is on his head.

So, I bought 7mm (10 3/4) DPNs at Bloomin' Yarns and made another.

I don't like knitting a hat on big fat DPNs. So I went back and bought a 16"circular. I finished the second hat, INBA put it on and took it to the closet to put up on the shelf for himself.

I think that means good things.

I accidentally bought some Malabrigo Chunky when I bought those DPNs.

It made a gorgeous hat.

I used a cable cast on for this one...OOOOH, preeety.

I started that bag for a birthday.
And then I need some help.
Saving MS3.

I don't know.
I picked it up this morning, feeling bad because I have not looked at it in ages. It was banished to wide-awake knitting too long ago. So today was the day to make up.
I jumped in to the spot in clue 5 where I had previously gone to fix a mistake, and what do you know? I still had extra stitches, but could not see where I had more than I should. grr.
So I ripped out clue 5.
I am proud of myself for doing so. That was hours of work and frustration, since I had ripped a few rows prior to this...but how much is the frustration of trying to make it work worth if I can just rip and reknit it properly?
Hmmm.
Anyway, I did it.
Then there was this other problem that I couldn't get most of the last row of clue 4 to slide across the needle. The stitches on the cable were holding on to each other and were tiny like the cable. Not good.
So, I decided to tink that row and reknit them loosely to maybe accomodate the time they will spend on the cable while doing short-rows for the wing.
But even as I was tinking, the stitches were not giving and moving up onto the needle.
At last, a good use for that cable needle I never use anymore.
I had to pick the stitch and pull it big to get it over the end of the needle. 70 times. *sigh*
This is where I need help. I don't know what to do.
I am concerned that I am going to have this problem again as I do the short rows. I am having misgivings about my ability to even get those short rows right- which is probably why I should do it.
But what if I just kept knitting the cat's paw pattern and then did some similar triangle thing at the other end? Would that be too weird?
What would you do?
And don't say junk it. There are hundreds of hours there and I am not willing to junk it.
"Save me!"