Belatedly
I hope everyone’s new year has got off to a good start! I had grand plans of doing a 2007 overview of FOs and a list of knitting goals, but cross-country travel, among a host of other things, has kept me away from the computer longer than I would have liked. I haven’t read any of my regular blogs either, and plead forgiveness if I haven’t responded to a comment. It has also taken away my knitting mojo for a bit - nothing like discovering that you left your tape measure behind, or packed the circulars but not the DPNs, to cool the fiery clicking, what? It is slowly limping back, however, and my Ravelry queue is bursting at the ball band, eager to get gauge and go! Clashing wildly with the queue is my Resolution To Not Buy Yarn Just Because I Can, bristling in capital indignation at the prices on these ball bands. Details to follow in the coming weeks about how the bout is resolved!
2007 wasn’t that productive in terms of actual finished objects….
1. The Back to School Vest,
2. Large Felted Clogs,
3. The Ogee Tunic,
4. More Felted Clogs,
5. Claudia Plum Socks,
6. Provincial Waistcoat,
7. Kiri Shawl
8. Spiral Scarf
9. North Sea Shawl
Well, actually maybe it was. Just making that list made me change my mind! But more than the number of FOs, 2007 was productive in two very important ways for my knitting - the first being that knitting the two fitted vests, and one major project disaster made me much more conscious of sizing, fit and gauge issues. I think 2008 is going to be all about being more careful about these things before plunging into the actual knitting, and also being more attentive to it during the process itself. Less blind reliance on the blocking and praying, and more on the tape/gauge measure and frogging. Mathematics, here I come!
The second was designing my Rangoli Hat, which, to my delight, lots of people are making! I shamelessly admit to deriving great joy from seeing all the different versions on Ravelry. It has made me a little more confident about adapting more Rangoli designs. The 2008 resolution, though, is not so much attempting the adaptations but actually sitting down with the graph paper and swatching. Again, mathematics….
So perhaps it is a good omen that it took me so long, and several attempts, to get my Cobblestone sleeve going.
Not much, you say? Ah, but it is the product of much sweat and calculation. The pattern measurements turned out to be too loose for the size I had picked. I frogged. I measured another sweater, measured my wrist, underarm, did the maths with the gauge, repeated all steps thrice, and cast on 46 stitches for the sleeve. After knitting for a few inches, it didn’t quite seem to fall right. I frogged again. Then, I remembered Zimmerman’s EPS and calculated 20% of the body stitches to figure out how much she’d suggest. Very fortuitously = 46! Not resting on the laurels, I did the maths to work out my own preferred increase formula and am now on my way. For the record, the plan is to increase to 84 stitches (15 inches circumference) over 128 rows, to a total of 17 inches till the armhole join. Let’s hope the arithmetic works out…
Here’s to a new year of good fits and correct sums, and lots of beautiful designs and garments! I’ll be back soon.