Friday 18 April 2014

I have crossed over ...

... to the Dark Side, during my blogging absence of late, to the side of .... wait for it .... knitting! 


It's not that I live in a cold climate and need woollies to wear ~ Brisbane is far from being considered an icy city at any time of the year. But knitting does tend to keep me busy during the nights when I can't sleep, and the family did complain about the sewing machine running at 2am in the morning (go figure that one!) So knitting needles it was to be, click clacking away under the blanket of darkness and making a cardi was a simple choice.

With not having clicked the old needles for a few years I found a simple pattern, no buttons or buttonholes and a plainish style to wake my old fingers up with. My hands seemed to have some memory of what to do and it felt like old times very quickly. This is the pattern that I 'planned' to follow ...

Creative Knitting Spring 2103
How lovely does that simple cabled front band look, worked in reverse stocking stitch ~ classic but easy! The pattern is in Creative Knitting Spring 2013 magazine and was exactly what I wanted. Instead of knitting the back and fronts separately, I worked on circular needles, eliminating the side seams. 

People often say knitting is like riding a bike, you never forget! Supposedly skills learnt many years back become part of muscle memory ~ too bad nobody clued me in that my years of knitting hiatus might be beyond the statute of limitations. Yes my friends, disaster struck.

The body is finished, joined at the shoulders (minus the sleeves) and ready for a quick test fit. The cable stitch around the neck looks great. I am loving the colour combo of this wool, and can see it fitting into the winter wardrobe easily.
Neck cable detail at shoulder

AHHHHH!!! Why is my beautiful cable edging down the front rolling under? 

Front cable band hiding under the roll!

It's not normal! The picture cardi isn't doing it ~ but if I look more closely have they actually used photo trickery to delude me? 

Have they used 'magic pins' to keep the cable from rolling ?!?

And then the brain kicked in and remembered, I really needed a ribbing type stitch to even out my stitches and create an edge ~ and the cable stitch didn't do this. Remember all the curled scarves we all have knitted ~ edge them, or even out the purl/knit rows,  and the curls disappear! 

So I am contemplating at the moment to either a) add a rib edge to this cabling, or b) undo and restart. Which doesn't worry me as I really want to end up with a wearable cardi and I do have a few more weeks up my sleeve till the winter chills hit. So I am now on the quest for the mythical non-roll stocking stitch edge

Doesn't it seem like everyone is taking up knitting again these days? Years back it was considered a necessary cost-saving way to keep the family warm, something only our Grandmother's did, keeping their hands busy between cooking and other domestic duties of the day. But now it has become quite a fashion statement ~ even a form of graffiti (have you seen 'yarnbombing' in action). 

Crazy Yarn Bombing examples from around the globe

Ralvelry is my new 'Facebook' for knitting, with Pinterest coming in a very close second. Anyone one else out there being snagged with the knitting bug ... go on, 'fess up ... J

17 comments:

  1. So lovely to see you knitting!!! Beautiful colours an wool - despite all my friend's comments of what I would do with all my woollen jumpers and all my yarn when moving here, I have to say that wool is perfect for the Sydney winter and the chills of office aircons.
    I'm looking forward to see you cardigan finished. Welcome to club of modern knitters. It's absolutely a hot trend.
    Finally I wish you a happy Easter.

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  2. Knitting looks so fun.. But, I never learned how.. Best wishes on your cardi.. Know it will be so pretty , when you finish it.. Happy knitting.

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  3. I like the cardy! I've not succombed, but I'm still trying to get to grips with sewing. I look forward to the finished sweater!

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  4. I am re-learning / improving my knitting skills and it is so easy to do that now with so many resources on the internet. Lovely cardigan and I do wonder if blocking would help with the rolling?

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  5. Try gently pressing it with a damp cloth first. I have done this with stubborn knitting. It is shaping up nicely though. I know what you mean by relearning the craft. Everything but the stitches has changed since I last knitted!

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  6. I feel for you Judith - I too have had a bit of a knitting hiatus and have successfully made the same mistake now twice - knitting more left fronts than I need!! So I understand how you feel about making such an elementary mistake! Sorry to hear about the sleepless nights - they seem to start happening more in the 50's, hope this soon passes.

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  7. Looks like a nice sweater when you finish. I can offer no help at all as I can't knit. Hope you have a nice Easter and enjoy the last days of school holidays Judith.

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  8. Ack...hope the edge works out. I know I would restart it...but I'm interested to see if a short rib edging works. Might be a nice touch actually. As to knitting...it's so relaxing, I do enjoy it. And as with you, it replaces sleep when sleep doesn't come. Ravelry is great! I'll look for you there and send a friend request!

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  9. DON'T IRON IT! Please!
    Pin the work the way you want it to lie, and then steam it with the iron. A little! And then let it dry for a day.
    The roll might block right out. Alternatively, you could hand-stitch in a grosgrain ribbon facing - or knit a facing, using smaller needles.

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  10. I agree with the commenters above--block first, *then* panic. It may be fine.

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  11. Blocking is your friend - couple of towels, cold water and lots of pins. first time I did it my heart actually stopped beating but somehow it works! Simple pattern????? But lovely

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  12. I was reading your post and recognizing myself in your words, I tried my best at Christmas time to make a simple pullover for my girl that ended up wrong...I can make the stitches but I cannot give the whole thing shapely!!! Your proyect is looking very good to me!
    I tried to cross over to the dark side...but the dark side thinks I´m not good enough!! :)

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  13. Love the colours in your cardi and agree blocking might be your answer. I love my knitting it is more portable than my sewing machine��

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  14. Caught me I'm afraid, though I'm missing my sewing now! Have you tried pinning out your knitting and putting a damp cloth on the top. This is called blocking. It might stop the roll under.

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  15. I have been knitting since I was 12 years old. Love it! I think you will be very happy to make the leap to "the dark side!" it really isn't all that dark here :)

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  16. Just soooos you know, I've been missing you a whole bunch!

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