Wednesday 5 January 2011

Damn you cardigan of doom!

Welcome to my first WIP Wednesday of 2011

This is what I had of the blasted cardigan of doom on Monday:

knitting 180

Also a closer look at the now correct cable pattern:

knitting 181

Now I have a tale of woe for you. As I knit up the front and changed to my 10th and final ball of Patons Pompero I thought "hmmm, not a lot of yarn left there". I kept knitting on as my ball got smaller and smaller and I started to panic. I tried knitting faster, the age old knitter response to running out of yarn, I'll see if I can out-knit it. It didn't work. Last night I had about 50cm of yarn left but 10 rows of the front and 16 rows of the cable band that goes round the back of the neck to go. I think I responded admirably, I didn't throw the knitting across the room, I didn't stamp and sulk. I was very mature. I know this was entirely my own fault. I bought the exact number of balls of yarn stated in the project, an amateur mistake. I noticed much earlier in the project that it was eating yarn and even then I made no attempt to get more. I just left it. ARGH!

I now have to hunt down a ball of Patons Pompero in Taupe which will be totally the wrong dye lot, so far I've found it online but I'm looking at just under £3 plus postage, I didn't pay that per ball when I bought it from Kemps last February. Annoyed doesn't begin to describe how I'm feeling now whether I accept it's my own damned fault or not.

Blast and dash and darn and flip.

I also have a new project to show you, it would appear that I am powerless to resist a bit of lace of some description (the cardigan and both my sock projects being cabled in nature) and I wanted to try out a project from my new book, Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders: 101 Patterns That Go Way Beyond Socks. Back when I was a new sock knitter I purchased a ball of rather delightful Wendy Happy and intended to knit socks with it as it was with the sock yarns in the shop I bought it from. I then read reviews about it not really being all that great for socks with little or no stretch and going out of shape when forced to be socks. It sat in my stash doing nothing and perhaps feeling a little hurt as I hadn't a clue what to do with it. I then found this pattern, a scarf with a fish motif "swimming" up it, perfect for my yarn which is in the Pisces colourway!

School at Play Scarf

knitting 176

I think my favourite thing about this pattern is the texture on the fish. It uses a stitch I've not used before "make 2 from 2" where you k2tog, leave on the needle then k2tog tbl. It makes a pretty texture which is supposed to look like scales on the fish and does look rather lovely and add an extra bit of interest to the scarf.

knitting 178

I've only knit the first repeat and I like how it's turning out, unfortunately my mother whose birthday is in early March (and is therefore a Pisces herself) has taken rather a shine to it and I'm not sure I can deny her it as a birthday present. We'll see anyway.

I suppose I am now going to start my pursuit of the extra yarn for extra yarn for the cardigan and in the meantime work on finishing the two pairs of socks I have on the go and get another couple of repeats on the scarf done.

12 comments:

  1. I adore the Pisces colourway in that yarn. I croceted a shawl out of it last year as a gift and it turned out beautifully. Looking forward to seeing the finished scarf; it's a really cute pattern.

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  2. I knit some socks in the Pisces and they do not hold their shape well and they aren't very stretchy. But they are lovely and cool and you don't get sweaty feet in them, so provided you use a very stretchy cast on and a stretchy pattern you are ok.

    By the way have you tried looking on Ravelry for your yarn as people often enter the dye lot on their stash and someone may be kind enough to sell you a skein. Good luck!

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  3. I have that book, and I've been eyeing that pattern- it looks beautiful!

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  4. wow that knitting is fabulous, i love the cable knit and i can't wait to give that try - maybe in a million years LOL. that scarf is beautiful - i cant' wait to see it finished xxx

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  5. Oh no, sorry you ran out of yarn! I'll send good vibes your way that you find the yarn at a good price AND the same dye lot!

    I LOVE that pattern for the scarf! You're using a perfect colorway for it, too. I can see why your mom is already hampering for it.

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  6. Oh pants!! It really is a cardigan of doom. I hope you find the extra ball.

    I used Wendy Happy for the last socks I made. I agree that it is unlike any other sock yarn I have encountered. It's sort of slippy, and a bit splitty. I love the pattern you're making with it though.

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  7. I do hope you manage to find another ball of yarn, after all you've been through with this cardigan. It's going to become your most loved garment, you know that! I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my sock yarn one skein wonders book!

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  8. I'd search Ravelry, too. Someone from my SnB found 2 balls of 20 year-old fun fur that she was short of for a "muppet sweater" there. Good luck!

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  9. wow thats some serious patience you have there girly, i also have the happy ball of wool and am thinking a shawl type thing , good luck with your search x

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  10. So sorry that you ran out of yarn. The sweater is looking great, if that's any consolation. Love the colors of the scarf, it fits the pattern beautifully.

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  11. I love than yarn and pattern you are using for the scarf.

    So sorry you ran out of yarn on the cardigan. I feel your pain.

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  12. I hate it when you run out of yarn. That is so funny about trying to outknit the yarn!

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