D is for....
Duplicate stitch, today's saving knitting technique.
So I've been working on this baby sweater for my cousin's new baby Samuel - and my sister just had her new baby yesterday, so welcome to the world Anthony! - and once again the knitting goddess chose to smite me for my hubris. I had just finished the Mountain peaks shawl and I thought I was a knitting genius! "NOT SO!" said the Goddess in a stern voice. I was merrily knitting along on this sweater in (sadly discontinued Lion Brand CottonEase) and I had finished the arm increases and started the stripes before I realized that the stripes would be a little low for my taste... like... around the baby's belly button! But there was no way in hell I was going to rip out half of a baby sweater in cotton/acrylic yarn including putting sleeve stitches back on the needles. So.... I made the stripes slightly shorter, and duplicate stitched an extra stripe higher up on the body.
I think it will work, although it still may be a little low, but this means I can make the sleeves solid blue without a lot of trouble. I also used duplicate stitch to fix a BIG problem. The cotton ease had a knot in it and I thought "oh well, I'll just make sure it stays in the back of the work and it should be fine." But again, the knitting Goddess says "Uh-uh! *smite*" And the knot came undone and a couple stitches got all fucked up. So I tied the ends in a knot really quickly, and then today I duplicate stitched the opening closed. It looks a little wonky, but only if you're looking for it.
Thanks for all the great comments on the Mountain Peaks shawl (I didn't realize that Susan's scarf was called "Mountain Stream" until I visited her blog this morning and saw it there... a bit too close, but maybe we just love our mountains a lot ;) ) I'm working on replying to comments, but they may have to wait for the weekend, when I don't have 5 prospective graduate students visiting and I don't have to spend the next 2 hours walking backwards in the cold giving a campus tour.
*edit* My inbox is too overwhelming and so I won't be answering all those e-mails individually. Sorry... I love you all and love your support, but frankly, I'm sooo ready for the weekend and I just don't wanna worry about it. So a collective thank you to all of you, and here are some answers to things asked in the comments.
The shawl used 64 grams (564 yds) of KnitPicks Shadow lace weight yarn (less than 2 skeins). I would suggest that you get 600 yds at least.
Happy Weekend Knitting!
M
So I've been working on this baby sweater for my cousin's new baby Samuel - and my sister just had her new baby yesterday, so welcome to the world Anthony! - and once again the knitting goddess chose to smite me for my hubris. I had just finished the Mountain peaks shawl and I thought I was a knitting genius! "NOT SO!" said the Goddess in a stern voice. I was merrily knitting along on this sweater in (sadly discontinued Lion Brand CottonEase) and I had finished the arm increases and started the stripes before I realized that the stripes would be a little low for my taste... like... around the baby's belly button! But there was no way in hell I was going to rip out half of a baby sweater in cotton/acrylic yarn including putting sleeve stitches back on the needles. So.... I made the stripes slightly shorter, and duplicate stitched an extra stripe higher up on the body.
I think it will work, although it still may be a little low, but this means I can make the sleeves solid blue without a lot of trouble. I also used duplicate stitch to fix a BIG problem. The cotton ease had a knot in it and I thought "oh well, I'll just make sure it stays in the back of the work and it should be fine." But again, the knitting Goddess says "Uh-uh! *smite*" And the knot came undone and a couple stitches got all fucked up. So I tied the ends in a knot really quickly, and then today I duplicate stitched the opening closed. It looks a little wonky, but only if you're looking for it.
Thanks for all the great comments on the Mountain Peaks shawl (I didn't realize that Susan's scarf was called "Mountain Stream" until I visited her blog this morning and saw it there... a bit too close, but maybe we just love our mountains a lot ;) ) I'm working on replying to comments, but they may have to wait for the weekend, when I don't have 5 prospective graduate students visiting and I don't have to spend the next 2 hours walking backwards in the cold giving a campus tour.
*edit* My inbox is too overwhelming and so I won't be answering all those e-mails individually. Sorry... I love you all and love your support, but frankly, I'm sooo ready for the weekend and I just don't wanna worry about it. So a collective thank you to all of you, and here are some answers to things asked in the comments.
The shawl used 64 grams (564 yds) of KnitPicks Shadow lace weight yarn (less than 2 skeins). I would suggest that you get 600 yds at least.
Happy Weekend Knitting!
M
posted by Miriam | 12:45 PM
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