Yes, yes indeed, I did fix the green sweater problem. I was actually totally down with the suggestions given in the comments (several of you all came up with a brilliant solution) of finishing the sweater, then taking off the offending hem, picking up the bottoms of the stitches and knitting down in a smaller gauge. (I know. If you’re a new knitter that just made your head hurt. Don’t worry, it’s actually way, way easy.) This idea fit right in with my general philosophy of knitting which is based on “I’ll worry about that later”. Just the thought that I could keep on trucking while I had correct gauge and fix the hem at the last moment – very appealing. Appealing enough actually, that I kept knitting for a bit. A little bit. Just long enough to notice that I seemed to be messing with the stitches a lot just to slide them along the circular. Now, circulars are not my first choice for needles, I’ll use them if they are the smartest way to get things done, but I far prefer straights, and the perpetual vague annoyance that circulars cause me means that sometimes I miss other genuine annoyances. Like this one.
Idiot. You know that instruction? “Join, being careful not to twist?” Yup. Again. This never happens on straight needles. It was however, the nail in the coffin of the green sweater, which had now pissed me off in every way that 5cm of a green sweater could. I thought all the ways I could solve the green sweater problem, and then I fixed it.
Voila. New Sweater, problem solved. (Sometimes you just have to walk away.) Bonne Marie’s Ribby Cardi, out of Diarufran, a pretty sincerely thrilling yarn I got in Rosie’s Yarn Cellar the last time I was in Philadelphia.
It’s a chained yarn (totally wild) and really, honestly, sincerely the most astonishingly light and soft yarn you could ever want to hold in your hand. I have developed an extraordinary relationship with it during the last 48 hours, and when the gauge on the Ribby Cardi wasn’t working out (I knit the better part of a whole sleeve before I could accept the truth)…..
I solved that problem too. Enter another new sweater. I decided the only answer to my complete failure to get gauge in any sort of way that doesn’t make me want to pull out nose hairs instead of cope was to work up something simple that reflected the actual gauge I liked with this yarn.
I decided to let it be itself. Plain stocking stitch sleeve, part of what will be a very plain pullover. Pattern cobbled together from a variety of sources and my handy dandy calculator. I am enjoying it beyond all reason. The thing is just whipping along too…which must be a side effect of getting my life back when I finished the book. I’m thrilled with it. Which doesn’t mean that I won’t solve a problem with it by getting out the new sock yarn, if you know what I mean. If I were the new pullover, I’d be watching my step. Mamma’s got a hair trigger.
For now?
This Tuesday is for spinning.
You go girl. Make yer knitting work for you…not the other way ’round.
It’s taking all my self control not to rush over to your house and roll about while sighing happily in that pile of soft, soft stuff in that last photo.
Yes, I realize that my lying on it would make it difficult for you to spin it. No, I don’t care.
OOOOh!! I saw yarn like that at the store the other day. It’s like, preknit/i-cord like yarn. Brings a whooole new meaning to double knit. Hehe.
That will be a Christmas present, I hope…? You need to get started on those now.
Love it in st! But ohhhhhh That lovely fiber for spinning!!!! Wheeeeeee…wish I could leave work and grab my spindle right now! Sorry about the twist in your circular work…yup…time to rip and put away for another project..and it appears you picked some great yarn for it! I agree the suggestions to finish and cut out the offending bottom and knit down was good..have done that a few times….but with that twist….no no…that sweater was not co-operating… Happy knitting…er, happy spinning.
Couldn’t you have made a ‘Mobius Sweater’ of of the green? (*duck*)
You’re right, sometimes you just have to walk away. And spin gorgeous stuff like that (if I could).
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You are the fastest knitter I’ve ever seen!
Belated congrats on the “big event”, by the way! Any significant changes to report since then?? Have the cups changed positions in the shelves or anything?! :*P~~~
I had wondered if Tuesdays were ever to be for spinning again.
And all of those yarns look very yummy for sweaters. I hope that the yellow ribbed sweater yarn finds life as a sweater eventually!
That roving is a thing of beauty. I too, ripped out a project this weekend because of the “join, making sure not to twist” problem. Okay, only a fishie hat, but still! Damn twist…
I think that yarn looks even better in plain stockinette than it did in the ribbing. A worthy solution.
Beautiful colors in the problem solving yarn. Love the way you solve problems, by the way.
I keep starting sweaters in my head at work – then never get to actually START them when I get home. You have progress on me!
next time you get a twistie, make it into a steeked sweater.
Oh, Rams? Harlot obviously needs something to spice up her Tuesdays. We should talk.
You do know you’re insane, right?
Anyhow, the chained yarn is seriously cool and yeah, sometimes you just have to let the yarn speak for itself. Some lend themselves to complex patterns, but some just have to *BE*.
Oooh- haven’t spun today. Am making something akin to a laceweight with which I will probably make meself a loverly lace shawl. 97,000 things to do before that day when the big guy in the red suit is supposed to make his appearance. So, obviously, I must do something to completely distract myself from it.
I am clearly insane.
Perhaps they will commit us both to the Zimmerman House for Cracked Knitters.
I have done that at least with two sweaters knit in the round…..I once had to frog from the armholes back……how does one not notice that her knitting is very twisted, I apparently have a special gift for it.
Sue
My sentiments, exactly!
Another problem with the green sweater: judging by the ribby cardi yarn and the roving (Grafton Fibers?), you are definitely in an autumn-colors mode.
That chained stuff is comfort yarn if I ever saw it. I want to pet the roving, too.
Now finally some routine and order in life….spinning on Tuesday. Keep up the good
scheduling….let me know if you need a spreadsheet
or something to help out! Wait, you’ve already got
a spreadsheet-organizing kind of friend. Well, let me go knit some socks that will go in my Christmas box of gifts.
when i saw the twist in the green sweater i laughed. i laughed that laugh that makes you snarf whatever is in your mouth out of your nose. the good part there was nothing in my mouth to snarf so it was just a laugh.
i am truly sorry but i think the green sweater is dead to you now. rip it out and let it become something else.
the other sweater was beautiful i love the colors in the ribbing but if it isnt going to fit why bother.
HUGS to you on getting your life back on track the third sweater is absolutely charming.
maybe it is a sign that maybe you should be on a break with grn yrn in general?
Isn’t there a way to steek – read cut- the offending “moebius” and straighten it out without pulling the whole thing off. You snip to the circs, twist to straighten out, and continue knitting in the round. You do have to go back and stitch closed the opening you made, but that’s better than ripping and restarting, especially when you are getting gauge. And since you are planning on redoing the hem, you could just start from where you fixed the twist (top of the “steek”) and rip that part out and knit down from there. No annoying seam to sew, and no frogging.
Machoist that I am, I like my circs, and try to adapt as much as possible to them. But I don’t do socks on them. I like my DPN’s and the looks I get when I use them. I tried the socks on circs thing, and was so foul mouthed my husband grabbed the darn things out of my hands and threatened to throw them away if I didn’t quit. Back to the DPN’s….
Aaahhhh…this is why one has a stash. So relaxing to just go shopping in one’s closet, wherein one can find just about anything, if one looks into the corners deeply enough…
Does anyone else look for a pattern they could knit AFTER they start a sweater? Sometimes I’m so in love with a couple of inches of ribbing or seed stitch that I try to find a patter it can eventually be turned into without ripping. It never works, I’m just wondering if I’m the only one trying to put the square peg in the round hole.
Oh, and I’ll be curious to see how spinning the muppet hair works out Steph. 😛
Here’s another possible solution for the green sweater. When you start it again (or is that “if”?), knit the hem flat. Of course, this means even more gauge headaches, if your purl at a different gauge than you knit. But, ya know, if you can get that to work out, knit the hem flat, then join in the round on your turning row. It will be a lot harder to join twisted with a whole hem knit, and you can just sew up the little seam with the end from your cast on edge.
Of course, the trick of waiting to join until after you have an inch or two knit isn’t fool-proof. When I knit Ingeborg, that’s what I did, but I was convinced after the first few rows of in-the-round colorwork that the thing was twisted. I was trying to choose between ripping or cutting the little baby steek, when I realized that the thing wasn’t twisted after all. It was obviously just my brain that was twisted.
I applaud your willingness to turn the other cheek – even though it means you may have more than 2!
I give a sweater 2 chances and then it’s dead to me…for at least 6 months.
Some of this may be my fault. You see, inspired by your site I undertook a lovely Dale for myself. Notice that I would have been “inspired” around the time of the Olympics, and I may have been working on this on and off all that time. I decided to do one sleeve, then the body, then the other sleeve to break things up a bit. Halfway through the second sleeve (i.e. “almost done”) I noticed that the two sleeves are entirely different gauges. Same needles. The patterns is off by 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch over four inches. I also noticed that the second sleeve gauge matches the body, whilst the first (completed, with ends worked in) does not. I have to knit three sleeves for one sweater. I may have had some evil thoughts. Some of them may have been directed your way (to be fair, they were directed every which way at various points during the discovery process). I am sorry.
All I can think of are the Beatles:
Twist and Shout
Of course you know, people like you (not me) that start sweaters at the last second (I never do that) and think they will miraculously blow right through them with nary a problem or set back (never EVER happens to me) are bound to be struck down in their folly. But like I said, wouldn’t happen to me. Nope. No way, no how. So, which one of us will have a new sweater at Rhinebeck? (I will NOT say “not me”. Not yet)
Heh – I was just snorting (again) over your meditation regarding the chances of succeeding with the ‘join, being careful not to twist’ last night.
It was with the guidance of this meditation that I managed to ‘join, being careful not to twist’ this morning on the train for #3-of-5 winter sweaters. Good plain wool, reasonable number of stitches, no cold medicine involved – piece of cake. 😉
I like your solutions, all around. And if the threat of sock yarn keeps the Diarufran in line, so much the better.
Sometimes the only smart thing to do is pull the plug. I’m glad the new(est) sweater is working out well for everyone involved. Can’t wait to see the spinning.
Looks like a Grafton fibers batt! That reminds me, I have a few of those around here that I forgot about. Maybe Tuesday will be for Spinning for me too!
I think the gauge gremlins may have been paid off by a certain yarn in the stash that wants its time onstage. It’s, perhaps, hoping that if the gremlins screw with enough projects you’ll eventually be forced to choose this particular lonely and languishing yarn.
Think hard. Has any stash yarn in particular been making sweet sheep eyes at you lately? My guess is it’s been in there a while and is maybe less than “special.” Heed the signs before it takes more drastic measures.
My most painful experience with a twisted project was my daughter’s baptism gown. It was my first major project, I only had a month to complete it and I had knit about 4 inches (finished the pattern of the hem) when I realized the twist was there. 342 sts. I wept as I ripped back. I feel your pain.
There is a fair isle sweater languishing in my chair waiting for me to see if I like the last round of patterning I did or not. I think it looks “funny”. I should probably rip it back, but I’m starting to hate the sweater and just want to get it done. But of course I won’t finish it while it looks “funny”. In the meantime I’ve started on #3 of 4 Christmas sweaters. If the weather holds and my arthritis doesn’t kick up too much, I may actually finish all the sweaters I have planned for the holidays.
As my daughter is getting married in 10 days and I haven’t finished her wedding dress, I REALLY should work on that. But it’s hard to bring 10 yards of silk to work.
Ouch! I’m glad you’ve found something that will actually work.
I want to roll around in the fiber…mmm…tasty.
If you show up in a sweater you’ve spun and knit by Rhinebeck…I’ll, I’ll…kiss you on the mouth! That ought to fix ya.
Careful, Margene, she might do it to prove she can, and to call your bluff.
Sorry about the sweater(s) dude, I loved them both. I hope you get back to those yarns soon.
Ok, I was wrong with my guess that it was really the same yarn (photographing yellowish) and Stephanie had only decided to go with ribbing instead of a hem.
I bow to the superior wisdom of the blog.
Oooh, that Diarufran is gorgeous. It reminds me of Rowan Cork (sadly discontinued, but you can probably get it for cheap now on ebay) that I loved. It wasn’t stripey though. And I think it looks better in the stockinette! Rock on, Harlot.
Although the yarn sounds rather medicinal in name, it looks wonderfully like the discontinued Rowan Cork.
Is that a Grafton fiber batt I spy? Have fun!
Erm..what about Joe’s now belated wedding present gansey?
Chop Chop!
Yay! I’ve missed the spinning posts! I used to skim over them, having no interest whatsoever in creating my own yarn, and then…and then…it bit. And it bit hard. And now that’s all I want to do – dye and spin and knit with my dyed handspun! Woot!
Oh!! (She typed in sudden and real astonishment.) Thank you! Somehow it hadn’t even occurred to me, as I work on my own one-week-now deadline on my own book: I get my life back the end of next week! I’ll be able to knit anything all the hours I like, read email, comment on blogs… Uh, um, wait a minute… But somehow I’d totally not registered that I can knit without guilt when I’m done. So, chop chop, back to editing. And hey–thank you. Your work, as always, is gorgeous and inspiring and wonderful for the laughs.
That’s the thing about love… you just have to let everyone (everything) be himself (itself) and love it as best you can like that. Glad you found the yarn’s path together!
I have a three strikes and you’re out rule. That is true for mistakes–if they are not in your face obvious. If I try three times, I figure that mistake is meant to be there.
After all, the Guatemala Indian weavers will put in a mistake if they have done something perfectly, because they believe only God should be perfect.
Works for me.
As far as an error that can’t live on, like the twist in your sweater, I’m with you. Move on to something different. The yarn can reincarnate itself in a later life.
Thanks for all the wit in your writing–loved your last entry.
Oh I do so agree with you about circs. I know they are meant to be faster and I do use them but I find them annoying to knit with. I am one of those under the arm knit fast sorts who finds having to “move” the stiches along makes breaks into the flow of the knitting.
Perhaps if they ever make circs that are the same thickness all the way instead of that annoying bump to move the stitches over… anyway enough said.
Love the new jesery tho..
Cheers and happy spinning, wish I could join you instead of been stuck in front of a screen for the day. >^..^<
WHAT is that beautiful fiber you’re spinning? Did I miss when you mentioned it before?
Is there a such thing as Darwin Knitting? Only well behaved yarn, that understands gauge is not something to monkey with, makes it to being a sweater.
Funnily enough, my husband asked me if I could knit him a mobius strip the other evening.
He accused me of making fun of him when I asked if he wanted me to knit a romboid or other geometric shape.
(-:
Yup…’tis true…some TOADs just look better under a rock…(TOtally Abandoned in Disgust:-)
Ha! “To monkey with…”! I love how much I learn and of all the great writers I learn about just in your comments! Off to visit Cathy D’s website…..
Glad to see you are spinning! And such a gorgeous fiber!!! Tuesdays are spinning days for me too. Ran out of yarn for a triangle shawl project and had to tease and hand-card and drum card and spin and ply and wash and… I LOVE IT ALL!!!!! Then there is the knitting. Oh, the knitting!!! If we could only learn to spin and knit at the same time! LOL!!!
beautiful roving – please share the details!
Some yarn just doesn’t WANT to be a sweater. When that happens it gets put back into the closet to contmeplate its contrary-ness. It feels good to say “So there” as I close the closet door on the offending yarn!
Can’t wait to see what you spin–then knit–with that. It’s gorgeous.
I also laughed out loud when I saw that twisted sweater… sorry – made the coworkers look at me like I was nuts though, if that makes you feel any better.
I’ve been knitting a looong time and almost always use circs, and I can still twist em up too (but then again, I are a doofus)
We all want more details on that lovely fiber! (Well, all of us that spin anyway.) Have fun with it – spinning is just good for the soul, and probably exactly what you need after the hecticness that you’ve been going through.
Have fun!
I loved the ribby cardi and I love the stripey stocking stitch. But since The Great FO Frenzy of 2004 (when I had to finish all my projects before we emigrated) I’ve developed a nervous twitch when it comes to starting new projects before finishing the last. This makes reading your blog excruciating masochism! Steph, what has become of the gansey? Where is the shawl? It’s keeping me awake at night!
For that matter, did you ever finish the Giant Green Afghan from book#1?
I’m going to sit in the corner and quiver, held hostage by my two knitting projects (one portable and one not) which I loathe with every fibre of my being but which are holding me hostage till I finish them.
This is clearly a good time to take up quilting.
When I knit in the round on a large number of stitches, I knit the first few rows back and forth and then seam them when the sweater is done. Usually this is ribbing so it doesn’t even show. By the time you have an inch or so it’s clear which direction the knitting is supposed to hang, and then you can join without danger of twisting to knit in the round. Obviously if you hate circulars you may not need this suggestion any time soon, but you could just tuck it into the back of your mind in case you’re ever tempted to knit a sweater in the round again . . .
I thought I was alone in my love for straight needles. I just cant stand knitting with circulars. No matter what kind I’ve tried, I find them awkward in addition to having to fiddle with sliding the stitches over the join. Yuck! Question…. Did you ever do a shawl on straights?
Is that a joy wheel I see in the background? I’ve been lusting for one and have a special love for them as that is what I learned on. I bought a traditional and have been happy with it but still plan to get a Joy one of these days.
Loved all the sweater ideas you had but am glad you’ve finally settled. We all know what you went through. Isn’t that lovely?
Just remember, you’re in charge of your knitting whether it wants you to be or not.
I approve of your problem-solving method.
Whatcha spinning?
That yarn looks incredible.
So, what’s the new spinning meant for?
(And of course, in spinning-related questions, how is the gansey coming along?)
Hey, step, I know it’s kinda late on Tuesday-is-for-spinning day, but have you seen this project: http://rosebyany.blogspot.com/2006/10/different-spin-on-things.html
They’re looking for spinners….
I’m just sayin…
You’re definitely on the right track. Beautiful, what you’ve done.The colors of that yarn are so soft and look much better in plain stockinette IMHO. The ribby is super sporty, even slightly masculine, and this yarn is feminine.
Third time is a charm!
Dude! You aren’t mixing that NeoCitran with Screech, are you?
–Sue, between sock assassinations in Sock Wars, and enjoying every sock-free minute of it (handspun kid mohair shawl so totally *rocks*, I’m even thinking of breaking out *my* bottle of Screech)
Ah, Grafton Fibers. One of those will make you forget all your woes, whatthefraks?, and whoopsies. It makes me smile.
Why don’t they make circulars with longer needle parts? That’s what makes me nuts – I have big hands and I don’t have any leverage on those little needles! Plus it would hold those stitches in place for that evil “twist” problem!
I thought I was the only person who had chained yarn in their stash – do report because I have been loth to knit it as I had no idea how it would behave. I think it’s in the same colors too.
Happy post book time!
I started my sweater for the Rhinebeck today, if I get the sweater done before the passport gets here, I won’t be going. But I’ll have a kick ass sweater. That will be good cause if I don’t get to go I’ll feel like kicking someones ass.
I’ll just run over and steal that now, shall I? The colorway’s da bomb. If you knit Knitty’s Marley’s Ghost with it, would it be a chained chained chain? P.S. I’ve found someone who shares your fondness for wool, wool, and more wool, to the extreme. (I mean, we all love it, but almost everyone experiments-cotton, novelty, suede-this girl takes it to a seriously.)
http://zeitgeistyarns.blogspot.com/2006/10/inquiring-minds-want-to-know.html
Very pretty roving. I’m looking forward to seeing the yarn you get from it.
Haha… all the stupid mistakes would have solved if you:
1. make a gauge swatch
2. be more careful
3. do not want to waste time on making more stupid mistakes.
It’s the wedding, Stephanie!
Everyone knows that marriage completely screws up your guage as well as one’s ability to count!
It’s something to do with that ring! :=)
Beautiful almost sweaters and roving though!
Problem solved!
My favorite solution for twisted joins, though? After you’ve knitted a few rows (i.e., when you realize you have a problem), when you get to the “join,” drop the stitch and run it down to the cast on row–at which point you can manually untwist the entire sweater, and then pick up the stitch along the ladders, just like any other dropped stitch. You’ll be left with an unobtrusive twist at the cast-on, but everything else will work just fine.
(Yeah, this is another one that makes beginner-knitter’s heads hurt, but I know YOU can handle it!)
Definitely a Grafton Fibers batt! They’re the only ones whose batts resemble fine troll hair rolled into a chignon. I have one calling to me to be spun on my spindle. Tuesday is definitely still for spinning.
The batt seems to have the same colors as the Diarufran yarn.
I’m so glad more people are discovering the Diarufuran. It’s definitely one of my desert-island yarns — so soft. It’s like Noro’s softer, gentler sibling.
You a so the boss of your knitting! ; )
That’s telling ’em, Steph! Show the little brats who’s the boss. You start giving in to uppity yarn and projects, next thing you know, they’ll be taking over your life– Wait, no, your house– Um. Wups. Well, never mind… And I’m in love with that roving. Even if I’d look as if I had severe jaundice in anything knit with yarn in those colors. Gorgeous. Who the heck sells it, and do they have a website? Other commenters seem to have an idea, but I’ve had an exhausting day and am too tired to Google. Could someone clue me in? Please? With chocolate and Screech on top?
And Deb of the twisted join fix comment: I LOVE YOU! That is the sneakiest tip I’ve heard in a month of Sundays, and I’m committing it to memory. Thank you! I knit exclusively on circulars; totally in love with ’em. (Which leaves more straights for those of you who hate circs as much as I hate straights, right? [g]) I’m sure I’ll be using that trick more than once. Wish I could send you a couple pounds of chocolate or something.
Ok, I know, I know. Circs hate your. But, I love them. to solve the join being careful not to twist problem–I knit two or three rows on the circs back and forth–like one long straight needle. THEN I join. I can see any twist much more easily. When doing the finishing, I just invisibly stitch those 2-3 rows together and no one is the wiser!!
Oh my freakin’ Gawd! Deb…your a genius! I love my circ needles and as they sometimes do….the little buggers give me a twist…(mind you I didn’t to it!)Your solution is simplicity in it’s self! I bless you!!!!
You are the funniest woman in the world. I absolutely love reading your blog and books. I must tell you that your struggles with projects make me feel a bit better about my own. 🙂 I love the yarn that you pick for your sweaters too.
*sigh* I haven’t spun in ages…I should do that tomorrow.
Sorry the sweaters are misbehaving. Burning is still an option!
It takes me months to finish a darn sock! How on earth did you knit that much in just 48 hours. You scare me.
I am unutterably thick today: is the third sweater a different yarn from sweater #2, and if so, what is it and can I get some when I visit America later this month? Because, I tell you, I am in lust (if confused). ~x~
i am also a victim of the twist. it has stalked me multiple times. now, i’m freakish about twisting the project, twisting my stitches… this is a twist-free facility.
I love the fact that you won’t sit and fuss with your knitting forever before giving up. I tend to go with the “try it and maybe it will work” theory in knitting. Nice to see that someone successful has the same approach.
Oooh, that is a NEW SPINNING WHEEL I see in the middle ground! Who’s a lucky girl? Is it a Joy? I have ways of finding these things out, even though I am on the other side of the world….
Stupid jumpers. Stupid gauge. Stupid twist.
Sometimes the yarn and needles fight for us, sometimes against. I’m surprised that you are anti-circulars. I love circulars. I’d knit the world in circulars if I had the time and enough money for the yarn. But maybe that’s because I knit continental.
Glad that your finished book allows you to get back to knitting. Me? I’ve really got to get back to my book, but I wish I had a FO before I put the needles away. As it is, the yarn is fighting me on my caftan pullover. Will defintely need to rip back one sleeve because it is about 2″ too long. Stretchy yarn. It hates me. At least I have the comfort of knowing it cost a small fortune, so it must be worth the pain.
Really.
AHHH spinning.. that is what that pretty thing sitting in the corner of my living room is for!!
I have some pretty roving.. but yours oooohhhh it looks way nice! don’t suppose you will have time to spin at Rhinebeck hehe toying with the idea of carting my wheel along.. if only to just provide comic relief!
Oh look, you’re an Ashford girl! I’m convinced that that Joy and the Traditional are the only two wheels anyone needs (disregarding for the moment that I have 12 spinning wheels) – the Traditional being the perfect versatile wheel for home and the Joy a work of genius for toting around in its discreet gig bag and whipping out in a spinning emergency. So cool.
You finished a sleeve that fast? Holy cow. It looks very cool. I’ve been confused with a gauge problem myself over the last couple of days. I can’t figure out how I’m getting the right gauge with thinner yarn and needles two sizes smaller than recommended. Whatever. So far, it’s working out. Of course, I should be studying the script of the play I’m supposed to interpret tomorrow night. The fact that I’m ignoring it is making me tense. Sigh.
My eyes instantly watered at the mere mention of pulling out nose hairs … glad you din’t have to go there. It’s a shame the Diarufran didn’t work out, it looks so lovely and soft and the way you described it had me reaching through my monitor for a squeeze.
Congratulations on the book being complete!
~firefly
I LOVE the DiarufranYou need to stop distracting me withtempting yarn. I’m trying to fundraie and you’re showing me stuff like that. I am weak willed. you really must stop.
The sweaters looked beautiful, the gauge thing bites. Then to top it off with a twist, ouch!
Is that a Grafton Fibers batt? They produce some of the yummiest stuff. Can’t wait to see what they have at Stitches next month.
Knitting with crocheted yarn? Ah ha! What a way to deal with thin yarn I no longer love!! Make new yarn of it. There is no bad wool, only wool that hasn’t been fiddled with enough! I could put in beads, too . . .
Also belated best wishes for many more years of happiness. Was what did the trick, in the end, that he could fix the beloved Washie?
The only reliable way I’ve ever found to avoid the twisting problem on anything bigger than socks, and certainly on circulars, is this:
Complete your cast-on and your row back, then stretch and straighten the knitting so that all the stitches are up, and the cast-on is down, and the ends extend nearly to the points.
Then use a safety pin to pin the first and last cast-on stitches together. Sometimes you need a second pair of hands for this, because the needles want to snake when you turn the two points together, and that will twist the rows.
But it works.
That’s it. Go ahead and knit the other sweater and let the green one stew for a bit. Nothing will make it more willing to cooperate than the jealousy of being ignored.
Or you could do what I would do and rip it off of the needles, take it out to the garden and stomp on it. It wouldn’t help too much but it would be very therapeutic.
I’m working on a hat brim. It’s been a couple of rows and I still can’t figure out whether I’ve twisted my “join”. I’m going with I haven’t twisted anything and hoping for the best.
You know, I read this yesterday when there were only 15 comments, but this morning in bed, this is what came to my mind. Something I read in a kid’s knitting book…before joining in the round, knit a couple rows back and forth (about 1/2 inch), then join. It’s easier to see you’re not mob-e-ass-ing the thing. Not sure if one of the previous 99 comments mentions this, if so, sorry for repeat…
I love the striping colors in the plain ss sleeve. And wheee, matching fiber to spin!
I liked the ribbed sweater alright but I’m seriously loving that yarn in the plain ss, beautiful!
I just finished the pirate hat and had gone along maybe 3 rounds before…WTF…sheesh. I did finish it.
I love your ‘creative’ solution to the problem of the green sweater! And I’m sure you’ll find another beautiful use for the green yarn — hey, it deserves a timeout for misbehaving on you!
And the Yarn Cellar! You’ve reminded me I haven’t been in ages — and since I’ve fallen in love with yet another of your suggestions (Ribi Cardi) well, darnit, I’m gonna have to go to Center City this weekend . . .
Ooh, yummy yummy yarn. I plan to stalk some of that and squirrel it away for a day when I need a real pick-me-up.
Oh, and the “Mamma’s got a hair trigger” line just killed me. In the best possible way.
When you say “plain stocking stitch sleeve” I thought with that gorgeous unique yarn it will be anything but plain. *wink*
How beautiful.