More Openwork

Wow, you know what that is? It’s lace. Yes, it’s only a very little bit, but it’s the worst possible kind of lace: yo k2tog every alternate row (okay, it’s p2tog on WS, but still…) And it's contrasted with everyone’s favorite irish braid. We’ve all done it umpteen times, and can practically do it in our sleep. I do want to point something out, however.



You see this:

The openwork twisted rib cable has, for my eye, a problem. It’s mirrored on each side, and I, thinking the design was done normally, just followed it blindly. Well, the way it's designed, one side of the openwork has a “normal” stitch, while the other has a “twisted” stitch. Okay, design decision. I figured when we get to the cable, the “normal“ side will stay on top of the cable and switch to the other side.  Not so. According to the pattern, it stays on the same side. I find this unbalanced. So I fixed it. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice it until after the first cable, so I start this pattern with what, to my eye is just a mistake. Whatever. I’m the only one who has to live with it.
If you make this, know that the right side, which is k2, yo, k2tog (p2, yo p2tog) is fine. But the left side, which is k2tog, yo, k2 (p2tog yo p2) looks a bit more balanced as ssk, yo, k2 (ssp, yo, p2).

That’s it for the rant.

Now, since this include everyone’s favorite irish braid, having done this umpteen times, I know that it pulls in a lot. More than most of the other cables in this, so I decided to pin it down and block it hard. I had to stretch it about 4" horizontally. I think it looks good, but I’m generally not a fan of overly hard blocking, and especially not with cables. I like the fact that they pull in. But if I want to get anywhere near the 12" it’s supposed to be, I know that I have to.

latticework

So, I finished the lace square. Well, the first lace square. And actually, I finished it a couple of days ago. Here's a fun fact: I measured it, unblocked, of course, but measured. 11.5". And it's the largest square. Blocking this thing is going to be fun.

In other news, I made a scarf for a coworker's daughter, and a pair of socks which will be a giftmas present for someone. And, since I love lace so much, I've started the next square that has an openwork rib.

I'll just say it now. I don't like lace. I find it fiddly. I think the amount of work for yarn overs and k2tog and p3togtbl just not worth the end result. I'd rather cable, or k1below, or strand, or anything other than knit into a yarn over. It's just not fun.


Just for fun. I don't understand why people like instagram. I mean, all you need is poor lighting…

…lace…

In the incredibly wise words of ravelry, ugh.

Lace can suck my left one. (Pardon my unseemly language.) But really, If I never see another yo or k2tog or skp or sk2p or any of these things for the rest of my life, I’ll be perfectly happy.

Unfortunately, this isn't the last we’ll see of these horrible design decisions. As near as I can tell just from scanning the other patterns, there are about three or four more of these hateful, despicable, spiteful things.

Maybe one day I’ll get around to discussing how much I don’t like lace.

Finally one done right…oh wait

So I finally got a square done the way I wanted to. Cast on properly, got the ridges down, the sizing is good, (went down 2 needle sizes) then I decided to compare it to the previous squares. Funny, it’s a slightly different color. (You’ll never be able to tell from the photos, we have horrible lighting, and the flash muddies the stitch definition—what, it’s a cheap point-and-shoot camera.) This is all odd, because I know I’m using the same yarn—it must be a really big difference in the dye lots. I’m generally against matching dye lots. I like the look of things as the colors fade at different rates. I go and grab the band just to check. Oh, this isn’t the Allround I’m using for this. It’s Universal. It’s 100% polyester. That would explain why it’s so shiny. And you know, I spent the entire time knitting this thinking, “wow, this is really shiny. Like it’s polyester or something”.
Le sigh.
I’m definitely going to have to re–do this one. I couldn’t take having one square be a completely different color/fiber.
Le sigh.
At least it’s easy to knit.

bobbles and twists

This isn’t particularly difficult. I think I spent more time figuring out where to put my increases to start the main part of the square (it’s an increase of almost 50% more stitches) than I did actually knitting the dang thing.
Now if only I hadn’t used the suggested needle size and had a square that was remotely the same size as the previous one. I may frog it and re-knit. We’ll see how I feel about it (and the sizing problem) once the rest of the squares are done. I’ve left my entire yarn ball attached should I decide I want to re-knit. Who knows.

kisses and hugs

“Kisses and hugs, spiders and bugs”. I love that phrase. i repeated it to myself the entire time while knitting this square. I’m not a fan of lace, and although it isn’t much, it was enough lace to reinforce exactly what I don’t like about lace. I do like the spiders and bugs bits, ‘though. And the x’s and o’s were also cute. Easy enough that I didn’t really need to think about what to do to make them, and the embossed leaves are also really pretty.
Now, to the important bits. What, pray tell, is a ridge. You use this term assuming that everyone knitting knows exactly what you mean. I’m sorry, that is not the case. I can look at the picture and see that there’s garter stitch at the top and bottom (and on the sides), but I don’t just instinctively know what a ridge is. The point of this: my first mistake. I see, “Knit 3 ridges”. I see garter stitch at the bottom of the square. I think, “1 ridge is 1 row of garter stitch”. How this equates, I don’t know. I didn’t really think it through that far. But I know that garter stitch will create ridges, so I figure the pattern is written in such a way as to make sense, and make the proper thing when it’s done. My mistake.

Important information

1 ridge is 2 rows of garter stitch.

Obligatory Introduction

A person whom I respect (and whom I secretly think wants everyone to write, because she likes it so much) suggested I keep a blog while making the Great American Aran Afghan. At first, I didn’t think I would, mostly because I’m not all that interested in writing, but after flubbing my third (consecutive!) square, I figure this can only end badly, so why not document the tragedy as it happens.

So, here we go.

A little background, I started knitting when I was about 18 or 19, because after my best friend’s father bought a rather large bag of yarn and some old 80’s knitting magazines and she was unable to do anything with it except make knots, it was given to me and about two weeks later, I gave her a scarf. Several years later (I have no intention of doing the math), I’ve made tons of stuff, and gotten considerably better at my knitting. We’ll see just how much better I’ve gotten once we get to all the mistakes I’ve made in this afghan.

(Let’s just pretend I’m going to cast on at the point. We all already know that I’ve cast on [and finished] three squares already, but what’s life without a little suspension of disbelief?)

Time to cast on. Wish me luck.