Turns out those two words are a thing

The quickest trip to my computer today (actually, if I tell the truth I wrote most of this on my phone and then texted it to myself) as I’ve been felled by that most ignoble of all ailments, the dastardly UTI. I’m clearly going to make it, although there was a patch in there where I didn’t really care to, but now that the antibiotics are starting to work, there’s a chance I’ll decide to carry on. I haven’t even been knitting much, so great was the horrors bestowed upon my by this fierce foe, but when I have, it’s been the little Habu Jacket that I’m trying to finish before the next round of blanket yarn arrives in the mail. (Yes, on Monday when there was no sign of it I did indeed freak out and order it from somewhere else. A knitter can only live with the unknown for so long. A fresh batch is now wending its way here from WEBS – and their shipping is so great that only the border will slow it down.)

habujacket 2017-05-17

A funny story about that little jacket – the astute among you will notice, if you clicked the link for the pattern and then glanced at my photo, that they don’t exactly look the same. When I tried this on at that Habu booth at Madrona, it was a perfect, fetching post-apocolyptic-my-clothes-are-all-rags-but-like-the-matrix jacket, knit in garter stitch, out of paper and silk.  I have a thing for all of those things, so I bought the kit, and brought it home to hang out with all other other Habu stuff I buy and then don’t knit. (I love it all, I really do, but without exception the projects are all simple, gorgeous, and as annoying to knit as a three year old who tells you they have to pee right after you get them in their snowsuit – but I digress.  This time, I actually decided to knit it, and I got out the stuff, and sat down to interpret the pattern, and that’s when I realized that the thing is written for stockinette. I called Debbi (’cause she was with me when I tried it on) and asked her if it was definitely garter stitch, and she confirmed that it was, and said she remembered specifically because that was one of the things we liked about it.

I think I know what happened though, the pattern is written in the Japanese style, which is to say that it’s charted like this:

habupattern 2017-05-17

That’s about all the instruction you get, which is cool, because once you know how those patterns work, that’s all the instruction you need, but like all Japanese patterns, the only instructions you get about knit or purl, or right side vs wrong side is one line at the very beginning of the pattern, which reads “Stitch: Stockinette.” Then all the other instructions (when there are some) read “knit this many rows” or “knit direction”. You’re supposed to interpret the instructions in the light of that first note – Stitch: Stockinette.

habujacket2 2017-05-17

I think that the sample knitter missed that one line, and nobody noticed and it turns out I like it better that way so… It’s going to be a variation. If I ever finish.

55 thoughts on “Turns out those two words are a thing

  1. Maybe I’m a little thick here, but does this mean you’ll be knitting it in garter stitch, or in stockinette?

  2. There is exactly no chance I’ll get that pattern or anything remotely like it. I’m sure I’d love the completed garment but it’s unlikely I’d ever get to that stage. Chest pain is setting in as I look at it now. Maybe a class at Port Ludlow or Columbia Gorge? I’m never going to figure it out on my own.

  3. One mystery solved! It’s amazing how essential little mistakes like that can make it through a tech edit and test knit. Sadly has happened to me too. Sorry about the UTI! Hate those! Cruel form of torture. Heal quickly and knit as fast as you can!

  4. The chart would have me in tears, but I love all things Habu. Glad the antibiotics are starting to work, and I hope the yarn gets to you before the long weekend.

  5. ah yes…that ‘T’ should just stand for ‘torture’. My wonderful physician gave me some things to keep them from happening…as I age etc., I am glad the worst is past.

    I also have many many many many yards of Habu, Unknit. I am enchanted by it and how it knits ups…but always chose other things to knit.

    can’t wait to see the upcoming baby wardrobe additions.

  6. My sympathies to you on the UTI. I just finished a course of meds to get rid of the nasty monster. If only there were a way to keep it from striking…but I suspect that engineering problem would be not simple to solve.

    The directions on the Habu project gave me the deer in headlights feeling. I know it’s freeing, but I too would also have many un-knitted Habu projects if I bought them. I bow to your estimable knowledge – and this would be a very interesting class!

  7. OMG — I read the approximate dimensions on Ravelry: “19” chest across x 21” long (please add 25% to this dimension for the L size.)”! Who is the large size written for, Larry Bird?

  8. Looks like chain mail. I love it! It’s a a good thing I’m not standing somewhere a kit is for sale right now, or I’d fall down and buy one. I’m not searching online for one……..ok. I’m trying not to.

  9. For those with a fear of Japanese patterns, the Fruity Knitter podcast had a lovely, very clear explanation of how to interpret them a while ago. It was episode 25.

  10. Oooh, I like the jacket but those instructions… gulp. Very interesting to break into a different culture of patterning. I’m wondering if you ever finished the metal-yarn Habu jacket from years ago, but I don’t recall a c’est fini! moment. I’ll have to search your blog and find out.
    Sorry about the UTI. Thank goodness for modern healthcare.

  11. My latest UTI was clearly stress induced. That’s a thing too – possibly your body forcing a bit of a well earned rest on you?

    Hope you don’t rush back to full activity levels too fast – let yourself have a little bit of a break (I know, I know, it is un-McPhee-like, but sometimes being a bit unpredicatable can be fun!)

    Of course I love reading your posts, so perhaps I am being hypercritical!

    Get well soon.

  12. May I ask a silly question?

    Knitting out of paper and silk…how do you wash it?

    The mom in me wants to know. Thanks! Feel better soon!

  13. I hope you feel better soon! UTIs are the absolute worst.

    Out of curiosity, how does one wash a paper/silk yarn? Or do you just never wash it at all?

  14. This looks very similar to the Einstein Coat by Sally Melville. I knit one of those and it was the simplest construction. Love those.
    Cheryl (seajaes)

  15. This may be a silly question but is it washable? It is a super cool pattern!! I’m intrigued! Can’t wait to see the FO!

  16. Good to know even professional knitters can screw up sometimes I suppose 🙂 And here’s hoping the blanket yarn comes soon.

  17. I can state with confidence that I will never knit a Habu pattern. Of course, then I will also never know the joy of knitting a Habu pattern; but I find that is an eventuality I can live with.
    Feel better soon – well in time to dive into blanket-knitting.

  18. UTIs. Horrible. And tricky to diagnose. I had three bouts of what I thought were UTIs last fall and sought medical help but the docs were left scratching their heads. The last ER doc said, “it’s something else.” So now I’m with a specialist, tracking down the “something else.” I feel your pain, I really do. And stress? Absolutely a huge trigger for both UTIs and interstitial cystitis (the name for something that seems to be a UTI but isn’t and the docs have thrown up their hands because they don’t know what else it is.) Good luck with the Habu. Keep us in the loop, please.

    • That is literally the same boat I’m in now. I’ve had UTI symptoms and multiple bouts of antibiotics but the cultures don’t grow anything out and I don’t get better. Off to see a urologist next week, and narcotics I can’t take while I’m at work in the meantime. UGH! Feel better, knitting friend!

      • I discovered that the delicious iced tea from a particular restaurant chain caused me so much bladder irritation that it felt like a UTI. Stopped drinking their tea. Problem fixed.

  19. I hope you have already thought of this, but garter stitch uses more yarn than stockinette. Will you have enough yarn to finish? I looked at the photos on Ravelry & it is definitely done in stockinette. I really, really hope that this is not the first time this was mentioned; I hate being the bearer of bad news. Good luck!

  20. I once ordered a sun hat made of paper and when it arrived it said not to allow it to get wet. Huh. Good thing we don’t get summer rains in California. So then, if you knit a sweater with paper in the yarn, do you… I mean… I’m picturing a Wicked Witch of the West reenactment with, “I’m melting. Melting!”

    Or not? Are your hours of work safe?

  21. Just got over a “mild” UTI myself…nothing mild about it. Drank quantities of cranberry juice, but otherwise nothing else was accomplished while waiting for the antibiotics to kick in. I did watch a few knitting podcasts, though. Hope that you feel better soon!

  22. Makes me think the next thing out of the UFO bin should be the wool/steel Habu scarf……

    I know you know about cranberry juice but when UTI hits my Mom always drank beer to move things through. Sympathy.

  23. My sympathies, Steph–I used to get a lot of UTIs until I found Ultimate Monolaurin on Amazon. It will get rid of the infection, and then by taking a smaller daily dose, prevents future infections–It’s great. Your grandson is adorable!

  24. If you’re switching from stockinette to garter, do you have enough yarn? Garter tends to be a bit more dense. Maybe it doesn’t matter with the silk/paper/linen blend?? Just thought I’d ask now before that moment when you’ve got one sleeve left and the dye lot is impossible to find.

    Good luck with the variation!

  25. Steph- go find a bottle of Cranberry d-mannose 500 mg capsules stat. My doctor turned me on to this scientifically-proven supplement when I couldn’t take the antibiotics for a UTI. Skip the cranberry juice completely and take 2-3 pills every 3 hours until symptoms resolve and then take them two to three times a day for about 4 days more after that. I have avoided antibiotics for the last two years by employing this method as soon as one creeeps on. Hope you feel better soon! Hugging that cute baby might help too. 😉

  26. Hope this isn’t too personal but, try d-Mannose capsules for those nasty midlife UTIs. It’s not an antibiotic so you won’t have the troublesome side effects.

  27. I used to be plagued by frequent UTI’s (went to the ER once it was so bad) until I caught on to taking cranberry supplement. They have gel pills or regular compressed pill form. CHANGED MY LIFE! No kidding. You can take daily, or like me, pop a couple with a tall glass of water when you get the ‘have to pee’ feeling and it’s gone in an hour. Works faster than cranberry juice or dried cranberries. No UTIs for 5 years now.
    Hope it helps!

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