EGSGOD!

The front and back panels for the Ohio Star tote are done:



The stitches on the top of the pic are being held on a piece of yarn, because eventually they will be part of the top of the tote, which will be bound off with an i-cord bind-off.

I threw a short row in at each corner, because otherwise the width of my first picked-up edge panel doesn't quite match the width of the center motif panel:



I don't think it's just me, because if you look very closely at the picture that was in the mag with the pattern here, you can see that the top edge dips slightly in those locations, just before the left and right corners. At least, that's what it looks like to me. Anyone know a better way to pick up stitches to avoid this problem?

As I said, both the front and the back panels are done, which means it is time for the -- EGSGOD!

The directions for the knitted piece that makes up the left and right panels and the bottom are as follows:

Cast on 16 stitches.
Knit 408 rows.
408 rows.

GAAAHH! It's enough to make you want to poke your own eyes out with your needles (except the Denise needles are, you know, so blunt).

I have dubbed this piece the Endless Garter-Stitch Gusset of Doom. EGSGOD for short.

I think I'm a little over 1/3 done:



In desperation (and because I'm something of a geek), I decided to figure out how to knit backwards. I thought it would be awfully hard for me.

You know what? I just wish now that I had done this sooner! It sure would have made those pointy little segments easier. Almost all of the EGSGOD so far has been knit backwards every other row. This makes for no turning, no putting-down-the-needle and re-settling-yarn-in-hand. I can't say I knit backwards quickly, smoothly, or well, but the whole process flows better. And any wonky stitches will felt in the wash.

Right? I hope I'm right.