Monday 17 March 2014

On Getting Knitting Wrong - Part Two

And this time it's for a world famous super star knitter. Ugh.

So I talked about Amy Singer's cardigan t'other day and how I got it wrong. This time it's nothing major and it hasn't caused me problems that require any thought, just perhaps, sheepish admittance to Amy that I cannot read a pattern...

See this photo here?

Taken from the (fantabulous) Beatnik pattern on Knitty. 

Look at the sleeves. Looks a bit like moss stitch doesn't it? Kinda? Except not quite because on moss stitch the stitches change every row, so where you'd normally purl you do a knit and vice versa. Oh no. This is a special version of moss stitch where you do two rows essentially in a one by one rib and then you swap it over and do two rows in a one by one rib but the other way. Make sense? I'm sure there's a word for it but I can't keep up with Irish moss stitch, double moss stitch, seed stitch, rice stitch - too many words and too many variations and too many combinations of stitches and opinions about names. Ugh. Knitting can be so fraught sometimes... 

So, anyway, I kinda looked at the picture, but obviously not enough, and then I looked at the pattern and it said:

"Moss Stitch"

and I didn't bother to read that rest that said:

"
(Worked over an even number of sts; odd-numbered rows are RS rows):
Rows 1-2: [K1, p1] to end.
Rows 3-4: [P1, k1] to end.
Repeat Rows 1-4 for Moss Stitch."

Because I know what I'm doing and I don't need somebody to tell me how to moss stitch.  

Hmmm. 

 My jumper looks like this:


So young. So full of hope. :)

You can't tell but the sides and the sleeves are all proper moss stitch - i.e. it changes every row. And by gum I didn't know that was wrong until a couple of months ago (even seeing PLENTY of Beatniks in the shop and at knitting club...) when Elaine's Mum came in (she's knitting Elaine a jumper. Elaine's a capable knitter. I'm stealing Elaine's Mum. Fact.) and pointed it out to me. By this time I'd already started Amy's cardigan and I'd done enough that I really didn't want to start again. So I checked with Amy and she said it'd be fine but I have no doubt that at some point Amy will see Norah Gaughan and I've just got to hope that Amy will save my face and not wear the cardigan in front of her. 

Anyway, here are some of the bits: 


And you can see that this is really and truly moss stitch. Deffo. But Amy doesn't mind and I want it done. I did say that the sleeve would get done on Friday night but then I got struck down by a horrendous and horrific case of startitis... here's the offending sock at a wedding... 


It's the Regia Fluro in Rainbow, just casually hanging around, having a drink, bit of boogying. LOTS of side-eye-ing for the knitting that night. Apparently, amongst the gazillion guests, there were no knitters and no friends/relatives/acquaintances of knitters. Is it really that odd to take your knitting to a wedding? It wasn't through the service and it accessorised my dress beautifully AND I DIDN'T BLOODY KNOW ANYBODY! Am I just supposed to sit there staring into space?

Anyway, I'm sure Amy understands. And there'll be a blog about the sock soon because I'm so nearly finished (well over half way on the second sock) and I've come up with literally the BEST DESIGN EVER! And I'd like to talk to you about it, even if I don't think I can be bothered to write a proper pattern.   

Right I'm off, 

Love Eleanor. xxxx


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