off my game
I seem to be off my game lately. Last week I hardly had any knitting time because I was in rehearsals every single night for this opera premiere. I was deep in the bowels of the orchestra pit a mere six feet away from a large, ancient furnace that was its own percussion section, so needless to say I really couldn't see or hear anything besides the conductor and the trombonist next to me, but by all accounts the show was a success, and I enjoyed working with such fine musicians. I'd nearly forgotten how much fun it is to work on new music, especially when the composer is present.
Anyway, in addition to having so little knitting time, it seems like everything I cast on gets ripped out. I started these Girdwood Mittens for Daniel twice. After the second attempt, when he still couldn't squeeze his hand into them, I realized my problem: I was misreading the sizing chart. I thought I was making a mitten 7.25 inches in circumference, when I was actually looking at the number for gauge: 7.25 stitches per inch for a 6" mitten. It's an understandable mistake to make once, but to get halfway through the same mitten twice before realizing I was simply making the wrong size? Duh. Ah well. As you can see from the picture, I hadn't picked colors with adequate contrast anyway:
Those two blues are exactly the same color as his winter coat, which would be clever and all if the color pattern showed up better. All is not lost, however. Now I know my gauge in color work with this yarn in two different needle sizes (Cascade 220 sport in 3.0mm and 3.25mm DPNs), and it turns out this size is just right for Anya. I just have to start all over in colors she likes. After, that is, I make Daniel's mittens in a proper size. I'm frustrated enough that I've put this aside for now.
Then this week I cast on a sweater in bulky yarn for Afghans for Afghans. They need lots of sweaters, and the deadline is next month. I was chugging through the body of a top-down cardigan this evening, feeling all smug that I can knit a whole sweater in just a few days, when I got to thinking "Hey, this seems a little big..." Yup. Too big. They need sweaters to fit kids age 7-16, and my sweater might have been all right for the older end of that range, but I didn't want to chance it. So I started over. The smaller size will go faster, at any rate.
This isn't the knitting I really want to do, though. What I really want to do is selfishly cast on a big comfy sweater for myself (I've got several in mind), and also try out that new mitten pattern Cloisonée, and make myself a warm, slouchy hat that actually matches my coat...must. resist. startitis.
Anyway, in addition to having so little knitting time, it seems like everything I cast on gets ripped out. I started these Girdwood Mittens for Daniel twice. After the second attempt, when he still couldn't squeeze his hand into them, I realized my problem: I was misreading the sizing chart. I thought I was making a mitten 7.25 inches in circumference, when I was actually looking at the number for gauge: 7.25 stitches per inch for a 6" mitten. It's an understandable mistake to make once, but to get halfway through the same mitten twice before realizing I was simply making the wrong size? Duh. Ah well. As you can see from the picture, I hadn't picked colors with adequate contrast anyway:
Those two blues are exactly the same color as his winter coat, which would be clever and all if the color pattern showed up better. All is not lost, however. Now I know my gauge in color work with this yarn in two different needle sizes (Cascade 220 sport in 3.0mm and 3.25mm DPNs), and it turns out this size is just right for Anya. I just have to start all over in colors she likes. After, that is, I make Daniel's mittens in a proper size. I'm frustrated enough that I've put this aside for now.
Then this week I cast on a sweater in bulky yarn for Afghans for Afghans. They need lots of sweaters, and the deadline is next month. I was chugging through the body of a top-down cardigan this evening, feeling all smug that I can knit a whole sweater in just a few days, when I got to thinking "Hey, this seems a little big..." Yup. Too big. They need sweaters to fit kids age 7-16, and my sweater might have been all right for the older end of that range, but I didn't want to chance it. So I started over. The smaller size will go faster, at any rate.
This isn't the knitting I really want to do, though. What I really want to do is selfishly cast on a big comfy sweater for myself (I've got several in mind), and also try out that new mitten pattern Cloisonée, and make myself a warm, slouchy hat that actually matches my coat...must. resist. startitis.
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Dee Anna