December 23, 2004
Off With Her Head
So I have taken to knitting my cabled hats (more cashmerino aran mmmmm…. pattern memorized and adored), but I am also working on Fern. Shhhhh… What you say??? You didn’t tell us that!! Well a few weeks ago I got fed up. It was time in my book to bitch slap that Pretty Wrappy Top into a corner. So I jettisoned it to the “You will be done when I feel like it” pile, and I thought I will swatch Fern.
Did your mother ever tell you that the apocalypse starts with a swatch? Well it does. Next thing I knew it was the swatch which grew into the back. What do you expect from a girl on a “It's mother freaking COLD” Saturday, evading her laundry and in possession of a television? So I went along my merry way. And wow does one ball of Kid Classic go the distance. I like the yarn better than expected, as I am now becoming a bit more wary of Mohair. I think it makes the skin itch. But this one might be ok. *hopes*
As for Fern herself, I am a bit concerned as my “edging” of garter stitch does not stand out against the reverse stockinette of the rest of the project. It does in the photo but not in the reality. Which by the way reverse stockinette, really not as easy to make look pretty and even like stockinette... My perfectionist biddy heart is holding it’s breath a bit on this one. Even worse the pattern has increases all done on the right side. In this case that is the purl side. I have I ever said how I feel about purl increases?? Really I am not a fan. I can do them but boy are they a pigno nel cullo!
Which brings me to the brilliant light shattering idea that I thought up for this post. What are your pattern pet peeves?? We all love patterns and some people do a great job of writing them. Others not so much. Some do but have little bits that grate your ever loving needle tips. So I am going to list my short but sweet list. Feel free to add your own in the comments :)
1. I really dislike it when you don’t tell me what kind of decrease to use. I know there is that whole “make the pattern mine” thing. But honestly I don’t know enough yet about what to do when to make those decisions independently. Put it there and the smart people can decide to fudge or personalize. It is the academic’s motto “write for the intelligently uneducated.”
2. Following the above theme, if you have a specific cast-on that might be the ticket let me know. Up until this year I only knew the long tail cast-on. I have since learned the cable cast on that I decided to use with my cabled hat. Not because I knew the benefits of it over any other cast on, just cause well it said cabled and I was making something cabled. (Yes it turned out ok, at least as far as I am concerned)
3. This is a big one. Not giving me measurements, beyond the generalities. Serious when knitting I do not want to encounter the “can you vague that up a bit” attitude to pattern writing. This is one of the few things I really like about Phildar patterns right about now. This is especially nice since I don’t check row gauge (I like Claudia think that bit is related to the Anti-Christ) and I really am not a mathematician (except after a bottle of wine, then again add another bottle and no dinner and I might just think I am Wonderwoman with a burgundy fleece-i.e. blanket, cape). It makes sure I the non-knowledgeable know a thing or two about the size before I find out I did it all wrong and start invecting everyone’s name in vain.
Now it’s your turn…
And to the rest of the “we lost our Holiday Mojo” people (and the panicking frenetic freaks out there too) the warmest of Festive Holiday season to you all. (Dude I feel like I am ending a Christmas Tale or something) I may or may not be around much for the next two weeks as all shuts down including my internet access. I will try to get a back entered post up about the trip to Stockholm et al. But no promises. However should any of you feel so kind as to send a nice thought or two in my general direction for another contract in January- they will of course be appreciated.
Posted by Stinkerbell at December 23, 2004 04:19 PM | TrackBack