Now those that know me know that I devour projects. I am one of those fortunate souls that can knit at work. This means when I am stuck at work for countless hours in the middle of the night, I become a very productive knitter. In many ways it is a wonderful thing. But after the last 6 weeks I wonder why I haven't thrown in the knitting towel. Here is a brief re-cap of my last many frustrating weeks, that I somehow makes you feel better than it does me.
1. Interweave Knits Sunrise Jacket: Started this one with stash yarn that I had a project in mind for but couldn't get the guage to work. So it has sat for years now waiting for a project. I was thrilled when I saw the jacket. Absolutely, fantastically giddy over the prospect of using my great orange tweed yarn that I adore. So after three guage swatches and needle changes, I thought I had it just about right. Sure the pattern would be tweaked here and there, but I am not someone who just joined the knitting world, so I should be able to manage. Done it before.....WRONG. Somehow the guage issue is back. So it sits in the guest room/knitting storage taunting me evertime I look through for other things.
2. Green socks: Tried to use a toe up method on circulars. Figured if I was going to make socks on cirulars for the first time might as well go for the gusto and do it the most complicated way possible. Two attempts, not happy, moved on to dpn's and a lacy pattern. Then determined after getting done with the leg of the first sock and to the heel gusset that this sock yarn, no matter if it is labeled superwash is way to scratchy and itchy to work with and that there would be NO WAY that I could wear them or give them as a gift. So....yarn is in a bag to go to goodwill- of course after I ripped out all my efforts.
3. Embossed leaves socks, from Interweave knits winter 2005 with Socks that Rock Lightweight yarn in Farmhouse colorway: I did an initial swatch and determined that size 1 worked best for the pattern and then proceeded to knit, as a way to de-stress over the problems with the black and gray pedicure socks. Turns out that "de-stress" didn't really work as my guage on my swatch was that of a de-stressed woman but when it came to make the socks suddenly my 8 stitches to the inch decreased in half...okay not quite but enough that it meant another sock ripped out at the heel.....argh....
4. Pink Trellis Scarf from interweave knits (do you see the theme here, interweave and knitty are two good friends of mine): Started one afternoon when I was home alone. All progress was fantastic once I found the right type of needles. Susanne's ebony needles are a dream for knitting light colored lace weight yarn. Well worth the cash. All went well, until I decided to knit while on delay for a flight to Portland, where I lost a stitch in the middle of a knit 7 together and there was no recovery. RIPPPPPPPPPP. Sure, I will pick this one up again, when I have a good light and a table to knit at.
5. Alpaca with a Twist Shawl: This lovely lace weight shawl pattern and yarn was purchased with birthday money. The whole idea was that I wouldn't start it until I was further along on my evergrowing stash and had the time to sit ALONE and knit. But then one night on graveyard shift, I decided that since I sit alone there it should be fine. I was wrong. The evening when something like this: start stop rip, start stop rip, start stop rip, STOP.
6. Aforementioned black and gray pedigree socks: A last minute belated gift for a friend. Completed sock number one! Yippee! Only to look at it critically then decide to place it on my own foot for comparison of how it will work for her. After attempt number 3 of pulling it around the heel I decided that I made it more for a 12 year old than a 32 year old.........Oops. RIP and begin again.
So all I have to show for myself from the last 6 weeks is one pair of socks and a lot of frustration. But since they were the first pair of socks I designed I should take stock that I managed to make something work. Hope your knitting is more productive than mine!
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2 comments:
I hurt for you. I have had those mistake ridden, ripping MONTHS once in a while. Let the right project find you. Where those the socks you were working on here?
yep, those were the only think I was able to finish in the last 6 weeks. I am almost done with the 2nd black and gray sock but I am worried they will be too short for the recipient. Considering they are pedicure socks, does that really matter? any suggestions?
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