Dear Ann,
I may have a Lifetime Achievement Sweater on the needles, but I still need to have a mindless garter or stockinette project to haul around in my bag for all those moments when I’m stuck doing something boring but at least I can knit.
The problem is, my current so-called mindless knitting is my Tokyo Shawl, which is pleasant and satisfying knitting, but not mindless.
See how it zigs and zags? That’s the result of a very simple formula: knit 20, yo, knit 48, k2tog, knit 20, yo, knit 48, k2tog, knit 20. Pretty easy. You can see where the yarnovers and knit2togethers go once they’re established. Right? Well, except the Tokyo Shawl alternates sections of stockinette and reverse stockinette. So just when you’ve got a groove going, you start having to do the sequence backwards from the other side of the fabric, where you can’t quite see it at first, so you have to count. It helps–a lot– if you count correctly. But 48 is a pretty high number to count to while you’re busy doing or half-doing something else.
To paraphrase George Washington’s line in Hamilton: Knitting is easy, young man. Counting is harder.
I am not throwing away my shawl.
Love,
Kay
Can you use markers? I’m working on the zickzack scarf which has a similar pattern to create the zigzag effect, and, even though the pattern repeats regularly after 12 stitches, I find it so much easier to use the knitting markers to nudge me into the repeat at the right time.
BTW, coming along very nice!
I’m with Rosemary. I finished the post and thought “markers”. If you can, of course.
I had a lace project as my phone knitting once due to the blessing of markers.
I do love that Tokyo shawl!
I wanted to comment about markers also, but maybe this is the kind of annoying project where they don’t work because the count keeps moving over, if you know what I mean. Kay, please give us the answer.
Markers not working unfortunately.
I’m knitting the same shawl in light colorway (dark is possibly next – love) right now and too thought markers would work … NOPE.
I have them in, but more as a reminder, as the groove moves. Zig then zag then reverse.
Dragged this project through Ireland and Budapest and dropped more of my helpful stitch markers on each plane than I kept.
That said, it’s gorgeous and worth it.
cause you’re young scrappy and hungry ….
(and gotta knit!)
sorry, couldn’t resist
Rise up! When you are living on your knees, you rise up. Un deux trios quatre cinq six sept huit neuf. Rise up!
As soon as I read your title I heard the soothy-smoothy voice of Mr. Burr. (Sir.) That show is made of earworm. Glorious. Got me through daily cashmere harvesting this year.
If you don’t like using stitch markers on your needles (I tend to flip them off into oblivion instead of transferring neatly from needle to needle), can you use the kind that latch onto your knitting? Or just a loose piece of contrasting yarn that can be flipped back and forth at a useful spot – which can also be a row-counting helper?
The spot keeps moving. It would work if I were better at math!
I never knew I could not count until I took until I took up knitting.
LOL, this is my truth as well! Just today, I marveled at how three consecutive counts came up with three different results. I mean, really…
Hah! So true Martha.
Lin-Manuel Miranda make me proud to be an American! Thanks for sharing this.
It is looking gorgeous though. Count on!
Perhaps a warshrag for your actual mindless knitting?
I am knitting Janina Kallio’s Antarktis, which is beautiful garter stitch with mesh. Seems mindless unless you want those beautiful mesh holes to line up. So marking off rows and regular counting is part of the deal.
I hear ya. My mindless knitting us the Honey Cowl and I’ve messed up the slip- knit- slip thing a few times. Or more. But I’m forging on and hoping no one notices.
Happy to hear you are not throwing it away!
I’m knitting a baby blanket like that – and I’m for sure using markers. Moving them is slow and a pain but I’ve tried knitting this pattern without them and ended up with the * most * awful mess.
Shawl is so beautiful.
Following the link to the Ravelry pic, I can see where this wrap will look great on you, Kay. I hope you are knitting it for you!
Understood that a marker doesn’t work. What about a few markers? Like one per 10 stitches, so the last one would signal you that it’s time to pay attention because there are 8 stitches until you complete 48. Well, that probably won’t work either, for whatever reason. It’s tough to envision some knitting unless you’re the knitter.
What I do not understand is why the knitting has to be turned to do the reverse stockinette. Why can’t that be accomplished from the same side as the stockinette?
At any rate, Knit on!
LoveDiane
I just realized that this is being knit back and forth, not in the round!
Sounds like it is time to start a mindless, garter-stitch winter scarf for someone.
Made this, used markers although I don’t remember how, but persevere – the result is worth it!
I’ve absolutely had to use markers. Even so, I’ve ripped, ripped, ripped! Don’tcha just love when you forget to K2tog at the end of one of those sections? Then here and there, you find that single thread several rows down, the one that somehow didn’t get knitted with it’s partner….ahhhh. But I LOVE the Tokyo shawl…only 3 bands to go. I got turned on by this (in late 2014?) from Jean Miles Blog. I’ve blocked three of them for friends.
Comment