Nuppotism is good!

I finished my first Swallowtail shawl a few weeks ago. It was a fairly easy knit-except for the lily buds, or nupps. In the original pattern, the instructions dictate that you K1, YO, K1, YO, K1 all in one stitch. Simple enough. On the return, however, you are instructed to P5 tog when you reach that spot, and THAT is a pain in the butt. I frowned, my tongue poked out, and I looked and felt like I was learning to knit all over again. And it was a slow process.

When I started this second Swallowtail, I set out to find a way to beat the nupps, and I think I have. First, I tried working it like an I-cord, slipping it back onto the left-hand needle and reworking it twice. In theory, it should have worked, and it did, kinda sorta. The resulting element looked like a blob, and I didn't like that. The I-cord blobs are highlighted with pink.
This morning, the heavens finally opened on my feeble brain, and I got the crochet hook out. When I got to my nupp stitch, it was C1, YO, C1, YO, C1, draw yarn thru all the loops. And it works!!! Look at the yellow circle. On the return, I work nothing but purls between the garter bands. It's clean, its easy, and hey, it adds only one stitch at the nupp area. I could slip the nupp if I really cared, but I don't.

I don't plan to tink or frog the offending nupps-it won't be noticeable on a galloping horse, and the mohair is pretty forgiving. YAY! GO Swallowtail Shawl!