More Knitting Woes

I have always wanted to knit an Aran blanket. However, its daunting: all those patterns, all that yardage. Lo and behold, I found a pattern for a baby Aran blanket, which seemed doable. Not so big you can't bring it around with you, not something that needs arms, buttons or that really needs to fit anybody. So I get the book, the yarn and the round needles. Problem #1. The book only lists how each pattern works, but doesn't spell out how each row is supposed to be knitted to make the row linking all these patterns together. So I dutifully translated wide cable, narrow cable, moss stitch, double moss stitch and others into the series of knits and purls you need to do to create the actual how-to instructions. Then I picked up my needles, cast on 174 stitches, knit 8 rows of not-so-great moss stitch (some turned into ribbing, but I wasn't going to tear it out - laziness, I know), and then got into the pattern. Problem #2. I left off a big chunk of one of the repeats while translating, so I had 40 extra stitches at the end of the row. Rip, rip, re-translate. Try again. Problem #3. Read pattern wrong. Threw project into kitchen, narrowly missing the cat food. Rip, rip (hip knitters call this frogging -- rip it, rip it...). Solution #1. Abort project as even if I could get it under control, it took more than 1/2 hour per row and my train ride is only 1/2 hour, and that is my designated knitting time. I'd finish 1.5 rows per day at that rate, which really wouldn't get me anywhere quickly. Not to mention that with all those patterns going on you need to check off progress on a graph or something and there isn't really a lot of room on the train to set up shop. So now, I'm happily working on another blanket with really thick yarn, really thick needles and only 100 stitches per row. I simple cable of my own design in the center of the blanket. I'm much happier, although I still do have Aran envy.