Arghhh. Sometimes I feel as though my knitting adventures are nothing but a series of failiures. I keep starting on projects and somehow something nearly always manages to go wrong. What upsets me is that so many of the mistakes/errors and weird occurrences are clearly down to me. The number of pattern errors/knots in yarn and other oddities is miniscule so the 'blame' is clearly to be laid at my feet.
I find it all the more frustrating because I know that I am capable of knitting well - my tension is generally good (well apart from my 1x1 ribbing and I can live with that) and I can read a knitting pattern quite decently. I am not a knitting guru like so many of my knitting friends, but I get along quite nicely. But oddities just crop up.
Now I shall explain. Polly has been very very kind indeed and offered to resize the sweater that I want to make for the husband. Yes, the one which calls for the Phildar Altitudes yarn that I disliked so much. I was gutted that the yarn was not working out and Polly took pity on me and offered to rework it so that I could use All seasons cotton, of which I just 'happen' to have another 2 bags in the same grey as the one I am using for my Ice. So when Polly said to check my tension for Ice was on target (18sts), I did. And then cried. Because despite doing a tension square, I am off tension. And I have no idea why. I did a tension square and ASC is the easiest yarn in the world to knit with. But I am definately getting 17 sts for 10cm.
Last week I seamed one shoulder, knitted on the neck, seamed the second shoulder and sewed up the sides - here it is.
But now none of this really matters as the sweater is way too big on me - 18 sts to 17 sts is quite a big jump. I have thought of sewing my seams one further stitch in on either side but that will still only reduce it by 4 stitches and I reckon I would probably still need to lose 6 stitches. Sigh.
I have also been working on a Xmas gift - but seeing as the recipient is highly unlikely to check my blog, I thought I would show it here. Last year Jacinta gave me this scarf below as a present before I went off on my first trip to the US.
And thank you to all of you who sent ideas form Xmas gifts. It looks as though there will be a lot of scarves involved - although I may be tempted by a pair of socks, who knows?
my, my!! i really love that idea for the scarf! i think i'll have to make a few for xmas myself :) i just stumbled across your blog and felt i should leave a comment because it's all so wonderful! the pictures, the writing! so exciting! (i rhyme, teehee)
happy knitting, rock on.
lovelove, nicole
Your neck is lovely; your scarf is beautiful. And you might want to start making a larger swatch. I know someone who does a serious, formal, pleased-to-meet-you swatch that's at least 20cm x 20cm plus borders. She washes and dries as she will the sweater and then she measures because the larger swatch shows her how she knits over a larger area like a sweater. I hate to tell you that you might want to try that, but you might want to try that.
Posted by: Carol at November 18, 2004 05:50 PMMy tension always gets looser after the tension swatch! ESPECIALLY in ASC, which is so elastic and cooperative and deceptive. You're motoring along in it, and the stitches are getting bigger without your noticing.
What I do is, knit it on smaller needles even if I get tension when I swatch with larger needles. It works. I HATE re-checking my gauge (isn't ONCE enough) but with ASC, for me, it really is necessary.
But I don't think there is a THING wrong with your stitch-picking-up around that neck. You just have higher expectations than are fair to expect of a neckline! I adore the cool Jacinta scarf. xoox Kay
Posted by: Kay at November 18, 2004 02:13 PMWell, I can't see anything wrong with the neck, trouble is you are a perfectionist (like Polly). It is a shame it is too big for you, though, you could try machining up sides and then cuttimng off surplus?
I don't know of anyone who has an outright success with everything they knit, it is all a bit hit and miss. It is a gamble every time you start a new project, whether it will turn out the way you want it to. No guarantees in knitting!
Your opera scarf is beautiful, and so is the Jacinta-one - and I bet the next thing you do will be good too!
Posted by: Jill at November 16, 2004 12:05 AMI love the opera scarf you just finished so much that I decided to make one for my mother in law. But, the edges on my scarf are coming out so ragged and uneven. It looks very sloppy. How did you make your edges so tight and even?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
Posted by: Liz at November 15, 2004 11:49 PMWould you like a cup of tea?
Posted by: Phyl at November 15, 2004 05:39 PMit's incredibly annoying when your knitting doesn't turn out how it should. don't give up, it's probably just a phase. the scarves are incredibly beautiful! yum, cashmerino!
Posted by: kris at November 15, 2004 12:22 PMAt least you haven't given up Amelia! I think the neck looks good and there is nothing wrong with being a perfectionist!
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah Murray at November 15, 2004 11:32 AM