Bummer! What mistake usually happens when you are doing multiple cables that cross in different directions? You guessed it: I mis-crossed a cable. Thank goodness it never got on the cover of an international knitting magazine! 😉
I have been very careful (or so I thought) as I have been working on my Eala Bahn. Part of it is because the yarn is so small you really don’t want to rip it out. I found the mis-crossed cable when I was at the same point 8 rows later and went, “Rut Roh!!” So I had to drop down and fix it. Ish.
Many of you may think of Sally and me as interchangeable knitters, but we are not. Our overall skill level, interests and taste are very similar, but we do differ. There are things that I do better and there are things that Surly does better. Sally is really good at dropping down and fixing her knitting. It can be rows and rows back and she seems to magically accomplish this feat.
Sally’s Feather and Fan Shawl from A Gathering of Lace. Sally discovered that she had left out numerous yarnovers several rows back — with hundreds of stitches on the needle, she did not want to rip it out. So, she dropped down and spit-spliced additional length into the rows before “re-knitting” the problem area. Okay, fine. Show off!! She has done many other equally amazing things like that.
Like I said, I simply mis-crossed a cable 8 rows back. It should not be that big of a deal to fix. I was able to do it, but it:
a- it was a PITA
b-it looks like $#*&^^%
c-I was actually pitted out! Or maybe it was just another hot flash…who knows?
In my haste to fix the major boo boo on the exact center back of my Eala Bhan, I neglected to take pictures before or during…but here are the after shots:
This picture shows exactly where the mistake was:
It’s sloppier where I fixed it, but I hope with blocking it isn’t noticeable.
I think part of the reason I made the mistake is because I am cabling without a needle. When you do cables that way, you kind of do the cabling backwards. What I mean is, for a 2×2 left crossing cable, the directions would normally tell you to place 2 sts on cable needle, hold to FRONT, k2, k2 from cable needle — left crossing cable. But instead I take the point of my right needle and go BEHIND the first 2 sts, so I can slip the next 2 onto the RH needle. The 1st 2 sts slide off the LH needle and then get put back back onto the left needle. Even though I have been cabling sans needle for years, I think my reptilian brain still cables the old way!
I need to pay a lot more attention.
PS — Thanks for all of your nice comments about the new deck. That is the good news. The bad news is that we are going to need much bigger buns nicer (= expensive!!) deck furniture!!
Wow – it looks gorgeous so far!
I recently did pretty much the same thing – mis-crossed two cables 8 rows back. Even worse, it was stranded knitting as well. It looked pretty sloppy right afterward, but blocking really did work magic on it – I’m sure you won’t notice a thing once it’s done and blocked.
Comment by Cheryl S. — October 12, 2010 @ 1:10 am
You’re too critical. It looks wonderful.
Comment by Marina — October 12, 2010 @ 6:39 am
I agree with Marina – I couldn’t tell which cable it was until you marked it, and I can still barely tell. Blocking should fix it just fine 🙂
Comment by Marcia — October 12, 2010 @ 9:12 am
The fact that either of you can do/re-do/fix any & all of these things simply blows my mind! I frog frog and frog again…. consider yourselves (BOTH) accomplished/professionals who simply MUST co-author a book…. prefereably about knitting! 🙂
Comment by Michelle — October 12, 2010 @ 7:54 pm
I am blushing — my sister said such nice things about me! Of course, I wouldn’t be good at this if I hadn’t made so many mistakes in the first place.
Comment by Surly — October 12, 2010 @ 11:19 pm
I always find it interesting when people talk about “Cabling without a needle ” and then go on to describe cabling with needles. For many years now, I have not bothered to use a cable needle for 2×2 or 3×3 cables. I just slip the first lot off the needle and sort of pinch these stitches, either in front or behind while I knit the others. Then I pick the loose stitches back up. It works for me. I only use a cable needle if there is a more complex crossing to be made.
Comment by Shandy — October 14, 2010 @ 7:26 am
Well I have you both to thank for the lightness in my wallet! My Tierno, Baby Alpaca and Silk, in the color ‘Beach Glass’ arrived today and it’s all because of you!!! I fell in love with the color of the yarn on my monitor after I saw you post a while back and emailed Miss Babs. Fortunately for her she was just about to make another batch and I ordered 3 skeins of fabulousness and they arrived today. All I can say is OH. MY. GOD! It feels every bit as good as it looks and I cannot wait to spend hours upon hours on Ravelry looking for the perfect shalw to make with it.
Hubby says thanks for feeding my addiction, NOT!
Comment by Tora — October 14, 2010 @ 10:45 pm
I made the same stupid mistake! I am working on the first cable edging of the Yggdrasil blanket, almost to the end of the border, and the mistake is very near the beginning — oodles of work. I am seriously considering cutting the yarn on the part that went over instead of under and moving it, then repairing the cut. It won’t look as neat on the back, but at least the cables will cross the right way. Do either of you have a better suggestion?
Comment by Astrid — October 15, 2010 @ 11:41 am
It will indeed block out in that fantastic yarn. Happily, you did not decide to knit this in Red Heart acrylic. 😉
Comment by twinsetellen — October 25, 2010 @ 9:59 pm