inattention: discuss(t)
I always have a project going that involves lots of mindless knitting. This is the one I take in cars, the one I sit with while watching a movie. This is the one that makes me less fidgety. But sometimes this "mindless" sort of project backfires. And sometimes it backfires in a very big way. Following is a tale of woe. It may be a little too much for you, and you should be advised that this is not for the faint hearted: those who shrink from the sight of yarny entrails stretched across a floor.
It all started so well. I was loving the drape of the tml and the color. The lace stitch pattern is one of my very very favorites.
I was enjoying it so much that it was flying off the needles. I knit on it while working on my Craftsy class and the last patterns from my Y3 eBook. It was my calm knitting when I was uptight, and I loved the way it was draping on my dress mannequin. I was so excited to look forward to a nice light lacy and simple sweater just for me me ME!
When I got back from shooting my Craftsy class in Denver, I pulled my leafy sweater out and finished off one of the sleeves. It was super relaxing after a full week.
I was particularly loving the underarms and the way the raglan sleeves joined into the body.
I picked up the stitches on the other armhole and somehow it seemed tighter than the first sleeve. I knit a little further until I couldn't convince myself any longer that my gauge had changed that much.
It was starting to be a little less relaxing. But I still was deeply in love with the sweater.
I counted stitches on the sleeve. Then I counted them again and again; I had one less motif on the second sleeve. Gah! I thought, disbelievingly. This could not be happening to me!
I still thought I could salvage part of the sweater, and maybe even make it a bonus learning experience like my lace surgery posts here and here. I ripped up to the armholes, because sometimes you have to do that.
That's when it really hit me. It wasn't that I had cast on the wrong number of stitches below the armholes. There were four motifs at the top of the first shoulder.
And three motifs at the top of the second shoulder.
Need I say what ensued? I took a deep breath.
I ripped.
I tried to tell myself I was happy that I didn't have to cast on again.
But I wasn't really that happy.
It went into hibernation.
Sometimes it just doesn't work out, and no amount of chocolate or surgery will help.
I've pulled it out again and I'm looking at it sideways. It hurt me once, you know, but I've gotten over a lot of it.
Knitting gods willing, I will have a nice sweater for Stitches West. I will be lighting a candle. Perhaps several.
And if you've made it this far? You deserve a gratuitous shot of Petunia with her new haircut.
Isn't she cute?
It all started so well. I was loving the drape of the tml and the color. The lace stitch pattern is one of my very very favorites.
I was enjoying it so much that it was flying off the needles. I knit on it while working on my Craftsy class and the last patterns from my Y3 eBook. It was my calm knitting when I was uptight, and I loved the way it was draping on my dress mannequin. I was so excited to look forward to a nice light lacy and simple sweater just for me me ME!
When I got back from shooting my Craftsy class in Denver, I pulled my leafy sweater out and finished off one of the sleeves. It was super relaxing after a full week.
I was particularly loving the underarms and the way the raglan sleeves joined into the body.
I picked up the stitches on the other armhole and somehow it seemed tighter than the first sleeve. I knit a little further until I couldn't convince myself any longer that my gauge had changed that much.
It was starting to be a little less relaxing. But I still was deeply in love with the sweater.
I counted stitches on the sleeve. Then I counted them again and again; I had one less motif on the second sleeve. Gah! I thought, disbelievingly. This could not be happening to me!
I still thought I could salvage part of the sweater, and maybe even make it a bonus learning experience like my lace surgery posts here and here. I ripped up to the armholes, because sometimes you have to do that.
That's when it really hit me. It wasn't that I had cast on the wrong number of stitches below the armholes. There were four motifs at the top of the first shoulder.
And three motifs at the top of the second shoulder.
Need I say what ensued? I took a deep breath.
I ripped.
I tried to tell myself I was happy that I didn't have to cast on again.
But I wasn't really that happy.
It went into hibernation.
Sometimes it just doesn't work out, and no amount of chocolate or surgery will help.
I've pulled it out again and I'm looking at it sideways. It hurt me once, you know, but I've gotten over a lot of it.
Knitting gods willing, I will have a nice sweater for Stitches West. I will be lighting a candle. Perhaps several.
And if you've made it this far? You deserve a gratuitous shot of Petunia with her new haircut.
Isn't she cute?
Labels: accidents happen, lace, leafy sweater, petunia
posted by Romi at 12:00 PM
13 Comments:
Heartbreaking!
OUCH! {hugs} I'm about to rip a ~75% completed project back because I did not compare the needle in my hand size to my swatch notes... after already ripping it back once about 50% completed because I had miscalculated the st count for one shoulder and the back.
She's ADORABLE! As long as only knitting was harmed in the making of this post, and no beloved four-leggeds, all is relatively well. ;-)
I have to go lie down now.
Sorry for the project woes...
Petunia is precious.
I thought you said something had happened to it, but I had no idea it was this terrible.
Petunia is such a pretty puppy and such a nice model.
If I may be so curious, what is that lace stitch called? I love the look of it & would like to try it. Thanks in advance.
I am sorry about your rip. That completely is horrible.
Petunia is adorable, but then I have a passion for Schnauzers (own two, or rather they own me, lol).
If you post these kinds of mishaps so that we clearly see that sh*t happens to EVERYONE ... then, from the bottom of my heart I truly thank you. To know that we all make mistakes reminds me that knitting isn't automatic. It's a work of art that sometimes doesn't work. So ... (music please) pick yourself up, brush yourself off and start all over again!!!
My knitting buddy & I have a non-knitting friend who went on a girls weekend with us. At the end of the weekend she looked at both of us & said "I'm not sure I get it - - you knit all weekend & then rip it all back out & start over" - - "do you finish stuff sometimes?" . .. . Needless to say - we've all been there & done that. It's just part of the process.
Puppy is great - - our dogs teach us what unconditional love is all about.
Marietta
Thank you for warning us about how painful your story was going to be. It still broke my heart. So much ripping.... I'm so sorry.
oh no, my heart sank a little seeing that picture. What an amazing sweater, I absolutely love that stitch pattern, it will indeed be lovely when finished.
Petunia is just too cute.
so sorry, Romi - better luck with attempt #2. If you believe this beautiful sweater needs to come into existence! Reminds me of the 22-y.o. UFO I finally gave away (with extra balls of yarn) last year!!
That happened to me when I was knitting your Maia shoulderette (not your fault at all, it always happens when I get too complacent). It is hibernating now but I may feel like tackling it again after I finish a sweater and a second sock that I am working on. ps Your dog does have a cute haircut!
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