Wednesday, October 02, 2013

Learning curve




I'm making a Purl Ridge Scarf, though in a different yarn than the one specified. I chose Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend in shade 7164. It is a gorgeous hand dyed wool-silk blend. It's my first time working with such a lovely yarn, and my first time having to wind a skein into a ball. Now that was a challenge. I managed on my own with the back of a chair and then got the Prof to finish it once it got tangled - I have zero patience with knots! I didn't do a gauge swatch - yes, I know, I but I thought being a scarf it wouldn't matter. Then I realised in a cowl it did matter, as the specified 200 stitches and the 4 mm needles specified for my yarn, was going to be much shorter than the pattern. I had knitted an inch or so by then, but I ripped it out and started again with bigger needles. I didn't like the effect I was getting after a few rows,  the knitting was too loose, so I ripped it out and started again, this time with 4mm needles again and 300 instead of 200 stitches. A couple of inches in I realised that I had somehow managed to have my rows not lining up. There is a purl ridge in the pattern and on the circular needles I am using, the ridge ended a row above where it started. I was initially baffled, but now I think that after I cast on, I began to knit with the needles the wrong way round. Would that produce the effect I got, Experienced Knitters? Anyway, I ripped it out and am just about to start again. Good job I have until Christmas. 

I am reading The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood, and am really liking it so far. It is as it sounds, about a group of women who come together once a week for a knitting group. Each of the women have their own story, and these unfold through the book. It is making me think of the craft group I go to, the other women there and how much we learn about each other incidentally, whilst working alongside each other. Often when I get home I have to undo what I've done, as I have been concentrating on the conversation and not my knitting, but that's another story. 


Joining Ginny for Yarn Along

15 comments:

  1. That yarn is beautiful and I would bet very very nice to have wrapped around you! I am the worst gauge maker in the world. Usually just crossing fingers that it will work out!

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  2. Good luck! I'm having a hard time envisioning what you did, so I'm no help...

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  3. Beautiful yarn Debbie, just stunning. I am really bad about knitting a gauge swatch and there have been many times I've paid the price.
    Thanks for the book recommendation, I love knitting story books.

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  4. Can you check the projects on ravelry for notes that might be helpful to you? This is a link to the projects done with the same Manos Silk Blend you're using: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/purl-ridge-scarf/people?status=&group=&photoless=0&search=manos+silk+blend
    I haven't looked through all of them, but one of them used sz. 6 US needles and cast on 285. Both the pattern and the lovely yarn look like they're well worth persisting. Good luck!

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  5. Your yarn is beautiful. It's such a wonderful feeling to knit with such luxury yarn. I've read that book and thought it was very good....although very sad in places. I might read it again soon.

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  6. Oooh...I really, really like both your yarn and the pattern!

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  7. Lovely yarn! The book sounds awesome, I'll search it.

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  8. I love their yarn!!! Beautiful shade of blue, and I've knit that pattern a few times it doesn't disappoint :)

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  9. Knitting in the round is basically making a spiral - that's why the purl ridges don't line up. There are tricks to deal with this when knitting stripes (google: jogless jog knitting, I think), but I don't know about what to do with textured stitches. Your may be able to block it so that they appear to line up, or just wear it so that bit is in the back and not worry about it :)

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  10. Yes, I have my public knitting for groups ( mindless) and my private knitting for home ( concentrating)!

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  11. Manos is awesome!!! I loved The Knitting Circe. It was such a good read.

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  12. I really enjoyed that book! And the yarn if beautiful! Enjoy!

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  13. I have been known to throw away tangled yarn, which is awful. But I can't deal with it, either! I've been assured that putting it around a chair prevents that, but... I don't know. :O

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  14. Ameyknits has said it for me. A jogless jog will help bit may not correct it completely does the pattern offer any advice? The yarn is gorgeous.

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  15. Ah, this has happened to me so many times! On my first sock project, I tangled the yarn so terribly that my poor mom had to help me untangle it for hours. Never again! I still haven't finished those socks...

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