March 07, 2005
Swan Dive!
(Why, why, why, since I know the special faucet in the break room is designed to produce scalding-hot water, do I always stick my finger in the water to see what the temperature is? Why?!)
Before I do anything else, I must bow down low, way low, now-I-have-dust bunnies-stuck-in-my-hair low, in admiration of Stephanie’s comment count for this entry: 576 577 578 579 580 at last check. Of course, my first thought was that the poor dear had been the victim of a particularly virulent spam attack but, nope, all legit. All of ‘em. Wow. True, it’s a quasi-artificially-induced number since the commenters are simply answering The Harlot’s questions about where they live and what their favorite LYS’s are, but still, what it says about how many knitters are online, and how many knitters read blogs boggles my mind (or would that be bloggles my mind)?
Then, for those of you who may need a little late-morning pick-me-up, I offer one of the funniest blog entries I’ve seen in a long time. Read. Enjoy. Take a gander at the pictures. Have a tissue at the ready for wiping coffee off your monitor and keyboard, and don’t say I didn’t warn you. Here you go.
Had a weekend of knitting fun, then knitting frustration, then knitting fun again.
The fun part:
Need I say I fell off the stashbusting bandwagon this weekend? In fact, I did a half-gainer and a triple-somersault on my way down and ended with a spectacular, spectator-drenching belly flop. Yes, that would be five beautiful, luscious skeins of Cascade 220 in eggplant, light purple, chartreuse, coral and a rich, saffron gold. I tried to stashbust as part of my Dulaaning, really I did, Dear Readers, but I continually found myself with either the right needles and the wrong weight of yarn or the wrong needles and the right weight of yarn. I’ve also learned that there is acceptable acrylic, bad acrylic and lethally bad acrylic, the kind that causes cancer in laboratory animals—and guess what I have a lot of in my stash? So, long story short, blahblah, LYS, blahblah, Wall O’ Cascade, blahblah, full wallet, blahblah, empty wallet, blah.
The frustration and the more-fun came from this, which I also bought at the LYS. A beautiful pattern but with a teeny-weeny but annoying boo-boo in it: The designer paired an 8-row moss-stitch pattern with a 7-row cable pattern. You do the math. An inconsequential problem for most folks, I know, but when you’re a nose-to-the-page pattern-follower like I am, and when the designer carefully spells out every row and yet leaves you hanging weirdly cattywampus at the end of the pattern repeat, it’s just irksome, especially for an unusually expensive pattern.
Back to the fun: Had my cow over the pattern, complained loudly to the ever-patient TMK about it while flapping the pattern around in front of her face, got over myself and knit on in, again, Cascade 220 in a cheerful rain-slicker yellow. I am having a blast, and am really enjoying the pattern. I decided to leave out the beads, at least for this go-round, but the mitten still looks great.
Reminder to local Dear Readers: Dulaan Knit-In at MaryB’s house, Saturday, 3/19, 1pm-6pm. If you’re interested in attending, email Mary at maryberg2@mindspring.com. For full details, see this entry.
Tonight, Ferals and my favorite barbecued pulled-pork sandwich from the food court! Ha-cha-cha!
I am so in love with Cascade 220....great color choices you made!
I know exactly how you feel about the pattern. Always doubting myself, I instantly jump to the conclusion I have done something wrong...then I follow the pattern over and over and still end up wrong and jump to the conclusion I am obviously a moron...
Frankly, I'm quite impressed you knew what to do, and then went on and knit the mittens! Go Ryan! One of these days maybe I can follow suit....
Posted by: Lisa in Oregon on March 7, 2005 11:25 AMLisa, I ended up just adding a row to the cable pattern so it had 8 rows just like the moss stitch pattern. This adds extra rows to the mitten, I know, but I'll just fudge the length. Fudge, fudge, fudge, then fudge some more!
Posted by: Ryan on March 7, 2005 11:33 AMcongrats on figuring out the glitch! Sue had to listen to some moaning and whinging about a pattern problem this weekend with my corset as well. So I completely feel for ya.
ms. yarnpants has a cat that looks suspiciously like my coworker's. I ahd to forward it on to him. Made his day. Thanks!
Posted by: anj on March 7, 2005 11:52 AMWow, that Cascade is really gorgeous! I'm gonna have to find we some of that.
I like the mitten pattern too and, FWIW, would have been just as pissed off at the anomaly as you were :) But it is a real pretty pattern!
Posted by: Robbyn on March 7, 2005 12:14 PMRyan, might I cheerfully suggest that it's not a mistake in the pattern--to have one pattern be 7 row repeat and one be a 8 row repeat, I mean.
The easy solution when this happens is to get two different row counter thingies, and use one for one pattern and one for the other. If one is moss stitch or something quite easy to see, you may not even need a row counter for this one--just one for the cable.
This sort of multi-row repeat stuff happens in Aran sweaters, where there are often many different cables all twisting at different speeds.
In any event, it's always a good brain exercise to practice reading the knitting and try to make your repeats without counting rows. Give it a whirl--I bet you find it easier than you think you will. Trust me.
Mary B
PS Can't make ferals tonight! Boo-hoo.
Posted by: Mary B on March 7, 2005 01:26 PMI was fine until I read the comments. Now I must have fudge or some sort of fudge substitute like gooey brownies. I promise to wash everything before I send it to F.I.R.E. so it's not covered in chocolate.
Hope everyone has a great day!!
Posted by: Stalker Angie on March 7, 2005 03:15 PMYeah, I have to agree with Mary B. -- I learned right quick in the Must Have, my "beginner" aran, that there are four different (or have I lost count now?) "repeat speeds" going on there. That might be what's happening in the mitten. Then again, I'm always in favor of a good fudge. Didja see Janine's and my competition going on? We're on fire! (pun intended, of course) And did you see Cassie and Mary Beth and Stephanie and...I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody.
Posted by: Norma on March 8, 2005 03:22 AMThank you for the hilarious link! I soooooo needed a good laugh today and you provided it, thru your link. Thanks!!!
Love your cascade colors!!!
Posted by: Kim on March 8, 2005 10:40 AMI am going to have to stop stealth reading your blog when I'm at work. I had such trouble keeping my laughter in that I almost gave myself a nosebleed.
Mmmm, Cascade.
Posted by: Susie on March 8, 2005 01:02 PMHave to agree with MB - it's not a mistake at all; I've made those mittens twice following the pattern word for word, and 'twas no problem at all. Plus many Aran sweaters, with "towers" of different cable/panel patterns side-by-side on the page, none divisible by the same number. It happens all the time.
Anyhoooo, hope they turned out well.
Posted by: Patricia on March 11, 2005 10:05 PM