Now, let's get on with the knitting talk. This is the part of knitting a sweater where the little girls are separated from the women. This is my "Loppem". "Loppem" is a lovely knit. It would have been a simple, pleasurable, quick little thing, but for the way that the pattern was written, and then corrected....and then corrected some more.
When I first began knitting I was baffled by the lack of a standardized language. Every country has a different code, different sizing for needles, and a different way of laying out the pattern. Within each country, each designer or design group has a special way of writing out the pattern. Some patterns come with charts, some are written out in code, or a mixture of text and code, and some are a combination of the two. Then there are the recipe style patterns. These give a rough guide, or a "how to", for building a knitted piece. All of this was overwhelming, and a bit frustrating to me, as a new knitter. The amount of information given never seemed like enough. Nowadays, I can get by on a sketchy outline. I have, through years of tantrums and tears, learned enough about knitting to be able to read between the lines. The thing that I have not learned, is when to trust my instincts. Do you see the tiny bit of knit st. where there should be pearl st.? It's just after the second cable crossing. It irks me. It irked me when I first ran across it in the chart, but I thought, "She must have written it that way for a reason."
I want to trust the designer. After all, she has already knit the garment once, or at least spoken with someone who's knit it. Time and time again, I learn that I should trust myself. A well fitted sweater is an elusive beast. It relies on many different parts that must all come together well, or at the very least, close enough. This sweater is making me crazy. The decreases don't line up perfectly, the cable pattern is slightly wonky, and worst of all, it might be way too big for me. I don't know whether to rip it all out, and start again, fortified with the bitter knowledge of hindsight, or soldier on, knowing that it will always be my redheaded stepchild.....the sweater that could have been perfect.
In an effort to gain something positive from the situation, I will list for you the things that should be considered before beginning this project.
1. Check the errata. There is a lot of it. ( The link wasn't working for me, so I just cast on in ignorance. This is a terrible idea.)
2. Choose a size at least one to two sizes smaller than you think you will need. No one, who has knit this, has had a problem with it being too small.
3. When you get to the armholes, make sure that you're happy with the length.
4. Know algebra. (I do not)
5. Marry someone who knows algebra, if you do not.
6. The decreases for the sleeves MAY NOT LINE UP, unless you make them line up. This is where the algebra comes in handy.
7. The button holes look like they were placed by a blind monkey. They should be placed 2, 3, or 4 stitches in. Otherwise, they will lie outside of the button band. Damn you, blind monkey.
8. The decreases for the yoke MAY NOT LINE UP, unless you make them line up.
While I sat and stared in disbelief at what should have been an FO days ago, I cast on for a sympathy knit. This combination of yarn and pattern are soothing my shattered ego. The pattern is called "Spindle Socks" by Anna Bell and the yarn is "Alyeska" from Pagewood Farms. The colorway is "Mississippi Mud". It reminds me of pollen, or gilt, or sunshine. The yarn has a beautiful springy feel.
It's like knitting a sweet honeycomb. I can't put it down. It (and an episode of "Lost") might just give me the strength to frog aaaallllllll of my "Loppem".
Oh, if I had only checked the errata. Back to the sock of solace.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment