Monday, March 20

We've been Swatching


Two two-color swatches. Can you guess which one I did and which one is Zach's? We both started practicing two-color knitting with the Cascade 220s in brown and red. Mine was ok and his... well he learned something and he frogged. As he had just taught me some current teen slang, I was able to declare that I owned him and that I owned feral knitting. His calm response was, "gee mom, you really should have scored higher on that competiveness quiz." Then he proceeded to knit the swatch for his Peruvian hat --- and now he owns me. While he had at first been OK with my selection of bright colors, once there were three colors on the swatch, red, purple and green, he got cold feet. I'm glad he finished the swatch, because once all six colors are together, they really do balance each other well. But it will certainly be a bold hat. (I made the bunny with the weird pointy feet, btw)

Jessica commented in an earlier post regarding this hat (Thanks, Jessica, I felt honored to be read) that I should consider the Fiber Gallery's Thursday evening clinic for help. Well, so far we seem to have figured out the multiple color bit. The one thing I am clueless on is the crocheted edging. Knowing how high a regard Jessica has for crocheting, I hope she's working when we come for help. That's a ways off though. Can't crochet on the edging til there's a hat.

First, the earflaps need to be knit. The directions call for knitting a 4 stitch wide, 70 row long, garter stitch band (the orange bit). After that, stitches are picked up along one side, with decreases for the earflap shape. Only problem is that it is really hard to get even tension, nice fabric four stitches wide. He's started and frogged several times now. Any suggestions I have about modifying the pattern --- trying something else to get the same effect? No way. That kid can be stubborn. Wonder where that comes from?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Alright, fine! I'll comment on your blog!

...there, I did it. Happy?

Anyway, I will ferverently second your statement that I "own" you at feral knitting.

3 colors < 6 colors!!!

Melinda said...

Re: the 4 stitch orange strip: I strongly suspect that variations in tension will even out with blocking. Also, since it's going to be curved around in the final product, that will also change the state of the stitches. By the time you pick up along one edge and crochet through the other, you'll hardly see any of that garter stitch. If it were me, I'd plow ahead and pick up along the side and do some of the decreases before abandoning hope. I bet it looks fine once you get going.

Dorothy Neville said...

THANK YOU Melinda! That's exactly the sort of thing I was telling him, but would he listen to his mother? Nooooooooo.

As for blocking: I was worried when I read the instructions on the skein band to add vinegar to the water. oh no, does this mean the colors will all run? Well, I blocked the swatch and everything was fine. Phew, I had had this image of Zach caught out in the rain and a ruined hat and rainbow colored hair.

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU Melinda! That's exactly the sort of thing Mom was telling me, but would I listen to my mother? Nooooooooo.

As for blocking: She was worried when she read the instructions on the skein band to add vinegar to the water. oh no, does this mean the colors will all run? Well, she blocked the swatch and everything was dandy. She had this image of me being totally screwed over if I was caught in the rain.

Maggie said...

Hi Dorothy,
I meandered over here from Wendy's blog because I saw you were starting a sock from her toe-up pattern too! I just started mine last night and I had the same problem, my wraps look sort of wonky - not nearly as neat as Wendy's! I assumed it was because it was my first sock like that, but after reading your comment, I'm starting to think that maybe Wendy just has more mojo or something... just wanted to let you know you're not alone with that toe thing!

Melinda said...

Hee! Zach obviously owns Dorothy in sarcasm.