Beginnerland
Read the Pattern. No, Really. Read It.
What is this problem with facing into hard realities? Why, oh, why do I persist in thinking something’s going to be just FINE when it’s NOT FINE?
I’m speaking of knitting here, OK. Let’s just talk about the knitting aspect of those questions.
This little shawl neck napkin thingie was such an easy, sweet ride that I wanted to milk every last inch of this Manos del Uruguay Alegria, shade Maiz. I just knitted and knitted until I figured, well, I better bind off. The Shadow Shawl pattern was in some other bag or room or vehicle, so I just wung it. I bound off.
After about ten bound-off stitches, this phenomenon began.
And yet! And yet! I kept binding off, wishing or hoping or imagining that the rotation of the earth or the arrival of daylight savings time would somehow uncurl a piece of knitting that profoundly, truly wanted to curl.
I went so far as to completely finish this thing, clinging to “It will all come out in the blocking” even as I know, deeply, that sometimes it does not.
The pattern clearly states that the scarf should end with a garter stitch edge. Right there on the page.
The only thing to do was to rip it back twelve rows so I could re-install a garter stitch edge, as directed by the pattern that I failed to consult at a crucial moment. It’s a good thing this is the most cheerful yarn I have ever worked with.
The only creature who enjoyed yanking out twelve rows—the long rows! the finish-line rows!—was Kermit.
I end here by stating, once again, that it’s a good thing to READ. THE. PATTERN. What is wrong with us? (Please, nobody really answer that question, because I can’t really bear to get into that.)
Right now I am knitting a baby sweater; stockinette with a three ridge garter border as stated in the pattern.. And it is rolling like an old scroll. 😛 Sometimes reading the pattern doesn’t help.
That is the point with baby beanies to have the edge roll up instead of using a p1, k1 ribbing
Patricia she is making a sweater.
I did this just now with a shawl. In my defense, I wanted to do one more pattern repeat but didn’t know if I had enough yarn…and then had to end with stockinette. I was afraid it would curl, and it did. Still hoping that blocking will take care of it. Maybe patterns should state ” Ending with stockinette will make the edge curl!” (I’d probably still ignore that.)
Been there, done that
I just had to rip out 2300 plus stitches in a baby blanket because I didn’t read my KNITTING. It was plain garter stitch, starting in one corner, with a YO 3 sts in from the beginning edge. I was at 180 stitches, the center, when I discovered the YOs didn’t line up at one edge. The blanket is for a customer! GRRRR! I used a much smaller needle to pick up the stitches in one row below the error and then frogged. ALWAYS check your knitting after every few rows.
Oh dear, the truth is sometimes so uncomfortable.
I feel your pain!
i feel your pain!
And so did I!!! I ended with a purl row and then the bind off row. It curled.
I am Knitting the Kaffe stranded throw. I am using substitute yarn to be thrifty. I knitted about half and decided I no longer cared for a stripe about half way down the completed portion. Kept knitting. Kept not liking it. I TOOK OUT THE STRIPE!, from the middle, reknitted a more suitable stripe and grafted the thing back together. It looks great! I’m so happy. Will never do that again.