When the valley was low, it didn't stop me...
Ohhhhh......I knew you were waiting....I knew you were waiting for me...
Here's the deal - when I blog I listen to itunes, and you get a title based on my at-times-ridiculous music preferences. There it is. The truth is out. And I love that song. Carrie and I must do this song at karaoke soon. It's IMPERATIVE. Of course, she'll be Aretha, since she can actually SING. Not that George Michael can't, he's fabulous, but I have less of a chance of mangling his part.
Uh, stick to your day job.
Right. SO. Let's talk today about a sweater situation. I began this innocent-enough-looking sweater* in 2004. 2004!! I bought the yarn (Rowan Cotton Glace) in May-ish, and started the sweater, sometime that year.
By October of that year, I had already restarted it:
This, as you can imagine, did not portend good things.
Since then, I have literally re-knit the back of that sweater about five times, the last time frogging at least 11 inches. Why???
1) I had a problem with the size. It had become too small because I gained weight, then I lost weight, had to start over. That was the first frogging.
2) I hated the way the ribbing looked - it's k2p2 and the second stitch of each K2 looked terrible - too wide. I tried all kinds of ways and all kinds of needles - holding the yarn differently, wrapped one time, then two times around my pinky, using STRAIGHT needles even - hahahaha, that was hilarious. Every time it looked like crap.
3) Then, when that started to even out and I thought, blocking will fix it, I noticed the stitch next to the edge stitch looked terrible - way wide one row, then narrow the next.
This has happened before, and was the Riddler to my Batman, the Arvin Sloane to my Sydney Bristow, the Paul Millander to my Gil Grissom, if you will.
Stop channelling Dennis Miller.
You get the idea. No one seemed to know an answer, and I looked it up everywhere I could. Nothin'. It made the seams of my cotton sweaters look TERRIBLE.
Finally I did some kind of crazy selvedge stitch concoction (like a chain stitch edge), and it helped some, but it was going to be a beast to try to seam it.
4) Finally, I gave up. I put it in a bin, for over a year. I tried to forget it. I couldn't. It was like that Michael McDonald song.
AND THEN:
I found The Knitting Answer Book. And the author, the lovely Ms. Radcliffe, suggested I try this (I paraphrase):
Knit the first stitch of the row, but don't tighten it. Put your finger on it to hold it in place, and then pull up with the needle on that stitch to tighten the row below it. THEN tighten the stitch.
And just like that. It was all fixed. I could do it. I could. not. believe. it. I cast on again (getting that right is a whole other blog entry in itself), and knit my way merrily along, and had ALMOST finished the BACK!!!! Joy! Dancing!!!! HOORAY!!!!
5) I then spilled marinara sauce on it.
Oh yes. I did:
I mean, really. For God's sake. Jeez Louise. Jiminy Christmas. For the love of Pete.
There are knitting gods, though, because this bottle came to my rescue:
And no, I didn't drink it.
It worked, I washed it, and here's the back. Recorded here so no one can say I made it up.
Click here to see it big. Somebody. Anybody.
I even finished the front. Here's a pre-blocking shoulder seam:
I am now halfway through a sleeve. Everyone cross their digits, throw salt around, don't break any mirrors, whatever. The voodoo may have lifted.
*Sarah Dallas, "Vintage Knits", is the source of the pain pattern.
Comments
I HAVE been waiting for you! How did you know? So glad that the knitting gods helped you out with this one. Your sweater looks beee-u-tiful, in the post-marinara shot at least.
Posted by: molly | March 29, 2006 07:13 AM
I wish I had known the trick before I finished all the ribbing on my own ^&%%$%^ cotton sweater! The ribbing issue is just one of the reasons I hate knitting with cotton. This looks beautiful though. I think seeing how marinara washes out BEFORE a sweater is finished is a great step. How do you like the Rowan Glace? Did it bloom a ton when you washed it?
Posted by: Kate | March 29, 2006 07:30 AM
Wow, there are things worth having in a bottle that you can't drink?! I learn something new everytime I come to your blog.
The sweater is looking beautiful, it's going to look great on you as it is totally in your signature color palet.
And I'm also impressed at your ability to eat spaghetti and knit, despite the marinara mishap.
Posted by: Anne Marie | March 29, 2006 09:09 AM
I'm still trying to digest the thought of you singing the George Michael part. You know, I played him first. Yes I did. Like back in middle school when I was all "Wake me up before you go-go." I was NOT planning on going solo.
And, maybe you should stick to eating, you know, blue food while you knit that sweater. Just sayin'.
Posted by: Rachel | March 29, 2006 09:31 AM
We are SO singing that song at karaoke. I'll be your Aretha, baby.
And you are going to be HOTT in that sweater! It's gonna be worth it, I know.
Posted by: Carrie | March 29, 2006 09:31 AM
I just finished at sweater last night and I did notice that while I was working on the collar that the second stich in the ribbing looked a little wonky. But not wonky enough for me to piss around with it. Here is how I fixed it: I decided that no one would see it because it was on the outside of the turtleneck, and would be hidden when the turtleneck was folded over. Me = Lazy. Low Energy Jenny, if you will.
Posted by: Jenn | March 29, 2006 09:33 AM
Absolutely fabulous! And of course I love that color! One of my favorites!
That Spray and Wash thingy is just amazing, ain't it? With three kids, I have already gone through several bottles!
Posted by: Leah | March 29, 2006 10:16 AM
the sweater looks fab. i love the color!
Posted by: kim | March 29, 2006 12:18 PM
Magaret Radcliffe is in my sister's spinning group-so nice. She'll be signing books at our booth at the Spring Fiber Festival in Bedford, Virginia...I can't wait to show her your blog post! Jane
Posted by: jane | March 29, 2006 12:23 PM
George Michael...I love him...no matter how many dirty sexcapades he has in WeHo bathrooms or how many times he passes out in his car from drug use.
I love the Spray and Wash picture...it looks like a superhero who flew in to save your sweater. :)
Posted by: Christie | March 29, 2006 01:03 PM
The source of the pain/pattern, hahaha, good one. I almost cried when I saw your marinara incident. Thank goodness it came out. Fingers crossed that the rest of the pain/pattern goes well! :)
Posted by: Karma | March 29, 2006 01:23 PM
Been thinking about you lots! Must pick up the phone. I love the Spray and Wash stuff - it's like my own chemical experiment every time I try to get out a stain.
The sweater looks wonderful - and I know you know I know from sweater pain. ;-) L, C
Posted by: Cara | March 29, 2006 04:05 PM
Thanks for the ribbing tip! I've had that problem for so long and had convince myself that I just didn't know how to purl correctly. I was making myself crazy! The sweater looks great. If you are looking for blue food/drinks for blue knits, try The Grape Bludini Kool-Aid!
Posted by: natalie | March 29, 2006 04:09 PM
So what worked to get the rib thing fixed? I'm having that problem with a pair of ribbed socks, one of the 2 knit sts is wide, and it's making me CRAZY!
So glad you are finally making it work :)
Posted by: Vicki | March 29, 2006 06:08 PM
For a neat second knit stitch in 2x2 ribbing, wrap the yarn counterclockwise on the purl stitch that is next to the second knit stitch.
If you are knitting back and forth, you will need to knit into the back loop on that purl stitch so that it's not twisted, but it makes for beautiful ribbing.
Posted by: Kim | March 29, 2006 08:26 PM
Oops, I meant, wrap the purl stitch clockwise, not counterclockwise.
Posted by: Kim | March 29, 2006 08:27 PM
You are very industrious! I would have probably just attacked that stain with paper towel, water, and curses. I get all frazzled in those situations and never do the right thing.
That sweater's gonna be super cute. :-)
Posted by: maya | March 30, 2006 08:49 PM
KNIT ON! PERSISTENCE WILL TRIUMPH!
Posted by: Lara | March 31, 2006 12:14 AM
You are amazing! I am always blown away by your many talents, and your ability to find a solution. I would have never noticed a wide knit stitch, because I would be too busy worrying about Row 4 that ended up being knitted when it should have been purled and vice versa. (I have a hard time staying with a pattern!) As I said before, I am in awe!
Posted by: Julie | April 2, 2006 11:00 PM
read a lot, don't usually comment, but had to say Love the Gil Grissom reference. ;-)
Posted by: gaile | April 13, 2006 12:57 PM