Grr. Arrgh.
(Come on - I dare you. Tell me that little bit of silliness at the end wasn't your favorite part of a BTVS episode).
But the knitting. Oh, she was a Bad Girl. Not only was La Delphine not exquisite in any way, shape or form, the most exciting (?) part of this project was my complete and utter inability to stop making Moebius strips.
(Yes, I did it again. Let's not talk about how dopey that makes me.)
(We will also not talk about my utter inability to match my swatched gauge. Oy.)
I present to you a picture entitled: Why Math Is A Good Thing, Except When It's Not:
Umm...oops.
See that giant loop of fabric over there on the right side? That's where I pinned this item after realizing I made the loop too big. In fact, I made it huge. So huge that small children could have played jump rope with it. So huge that whole countries could have relocated to vast loop of knitting that I had somehow begun and been unable to count or measure properly. I gave it to the Boy-O to rip, as I couldn't stomach the thought.
Resolving that tomorrow was, indeed, another day, on the morrow, I swatched. Repeatedly.
I checked my original swatch (Cascade's Fixation). I then swatched with the Elann Esprit, thus conclusively proving that these are Not The Same Yarn. The fiber mix is the same. Many of the colors are the same. But the way the yarns knit up? Night and day.
But I digress.
So I swatched. I swatched with different kinds of needles. I swatched with multiple needle sizes. I even swatched some lovely Australian alpaca:
The Search for Meaning.. or at least a pattern you can actually see in this yarn.
I concluded that, despite my best efforts, I was, in fact, a Dumbass. (My apologuies to the Harlot, but I'm blatantly stealing the title of Queen Dumbass from you. You may now return to your regularly scheduled knitting success.)
Dumbass notion #1: the same fiber mix = same suggested gauge = no need to swatch the actual yarn you will knit with.
Duh. I shouldn't be allowed to touch Addi Turbos for a week.
Dumbass notion #2: Drapy, irregular alpaca should be used to do a tiny brocade pattern.
This does not even bear thinking about. Alpaca tests the mettle of the best knitters on the planet; its drape and irregularity are legend. Unless I am willing to do this on 3.25 mm needles -- which I most certainly ain't -- there will be no joy in Dumbass-ville.
Dumbass notion #3: That I can, even in small measure, figure this out through sheer force of will without any help.
That's just hubris. Once I got over myself, I revisited my source materials, and some of my favorite sites, trying not to think about it. And I slept on it, more than once. This morning, just as I awoke, I remembered Theresa's fabulous Sigil cardigan. Could it be? Would that sexy Swedish pattern it be the cable of my dreams?
Voila! The open cable, she is good!
It was and it is. In honor of Theresa's inspiriation, this sweater has been rechristened. Henceforth, it shall be Le Sceau de Delphine.*
Let the rejoicing begin!
* The Sigil of Delphine.
But the knitting. Oh, she was a Bad Girl. Not only was La Delphine not exquisite in any way, shape or form, the most exciting (?) part of this project was my complete and utter inability to stop making Moebius strips.
(Yes, I did it again. Let's not talk about how dopey that makes me.)
(We will also not talk about my utter inability to match my swatched gauge. Oy.)
I present to you a picture entitled: Why Math Is A Good Thing, Except When It's Not:
Umm...oops.
See that giant loop of fabric over there on the right side? That's where I pinned this item after realizing I made the loop too big. In fact, I made it huge. So huge that small children could have played jump rope with it. So huge that whole countries could have relocated to vast loop of knitting that I had somehow begun and been unable to count or measure properly. I gave it to the Boy-O to rip, as I couldn't stomach the thought.
Resolving that tomorrow was, indeed, another day, on the morrow, I swatched. Repeatedly.
I checked my original swatch (Cascade's Fixation). I then swatched with the Elann Esprit, thus conclusively proving that these are Not The Same Yarn. The fiber mix is the same. Many of the colors are the same. But the way the yarns knit up? Night and day.
But I digress.
So I swatched. I swatched with different kinds of needles. I swatched with multiple needle sizes. I even swatched some lovely Australian alpaca:
The Search for Meaning.. or at least a pattern you can actually see in this yarn.
I concluded that, despite my best efforts, I was, in fact, a Dumbass. (My apologuies to the Harlot, but I'm blatantly stealing the title of Queen Dumbass from you. You may now return to your regularly scheduled knitting success.)
Duh. I shouldn't be allowed to touch Addi Turbos for a week.
This does not even bear thinking about. Alpaca tests the mettle of the best knitters on the planet; its drape and irregularity are legend. Unless I am willing to do this on 3.25 mm needles -- which I most certainly ain't -- there will be no joy in Dumbass-ville.
Dumbass notion #3: That I can, even in small measure, figure this out through sheer force of will without any help.
That's just hubris. Once I got over myself, I revisited my source materials, and some of my favorite sites, trying not to think about it. And I slept on it, more than once. This morning, just as I awoke, I remembered Theresa's fabulous Sigil cardigan. Could it be? Would that sexy Swedish pattern it be the cable of my dreams?
Voila! The open cable, she is good!
It was and it is. In honor of Theresa's inspiriation, this sweater has been rechristened. Henceforth, it shall be Le Sceau de Delphine.*
Let the rejoicing begin!
* The Sigil of Delphine.
posted by Cher at
8:50 PM
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