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April 15, 2007

From Susan — A Very Minor Setback

Filed under: Eris Cardigan,Peacock Shawl -- Susan's — lv2knit @ 9:45 am

I can’t blame this one on the knitting gods!  I have had to rip back the sleeves a few inches on Eris — I was literally at the point of binding off the sleeves and thought, “Hmmmm, they really seem too small/narrow at the wrist.”  They were.  So now I’m backing up a few inches and changing my decreases to every 8 rows instead of every 6.  I should still be blocking this baby today.

Sally and I both have unnaturally small wrists — we’re such delicate flowers, aren’t we??  Plus, I am unnaturally tall.  So what I usually do is cast on for the smallest size sleeve and continue doing increases to get me to the size I am making, which tends to be one of the largest sizes.  I can then accommodate my delicate wrists and the unnatural length of my arms in one fell swoop.  That often works.  What I also do is take the bottom hem of the garment and wrap it around my delicate wrists and pull it over my hands to see how many sts I need for the wrist and then calculate my sleeve increases (or decs when top down) from there.  I did both these things, but it was still a little bit off. 

I am working on the silk Vittadini top.  It is not quite as mindless as I had hoped: even though it is stockinette in the round, the ten-ply yarn can be split easily so you need to look at it while knitting.  Darn it!

Romi just started her Peacock Shawl, so I’ll be able to knit vicariously through her for the next few days whilst I await my yarn.  The good news is that she is using the same Zepher yarn Sally used (and that I am waiting for) and LOVES it.  She says the shawl is flying off the needles.  Be still my heart.  So, I will track her progress and hopefully get to start mine before she finishes hers.

To the sleeves, Batman!

6 Comments »

  1. Grrr. Sorry about those sleeves. I have every confidence you will persevere!

    Comment by Karen B. — April 15, 2007 @ 10:05 am

  2. I wish you had told me that you were going to purchase the Zephyr! I have 4, one lb. cones on their way to me and I could have used some help deciding what colour to get. If you change your mind about the Peacock colour, I’ll have white (to dye), ebony and Cinnabar. The last cone is Zephyr DK. And yes, they’re souvenir yarns 😉

    Comment by Marina — April 15, 2007 @ 10:06 am

  3. Susan- If there’s one thing that knitting makes you aware of- your body’s assets and faults.
    I have the opposite problem, short arms, long body. I can adapt any pattern to accomodate this.

    I would describe you as “willowy” and be thankful for your height. You can wear most things and
    look amazing.

    Comment by Lorraine — April 15, 2007 @ 10:40 am

  4. Dude! You *will* overcome this. Meanwhile, just be happy that you are tall and willowy, with slender wrists. There are many of us who are (very, very) jealous out here!

    p.s. I’m on chart 2 and loving watching the pattern emerge. 😀

    Comment by Romi — April 15, 2007 @ 2:48 pm

  5. No, that you blame on your parents. 😉

    Comment by Carrie K — April 15, 2007 @ 6:06 pm

  6. Where do you get pound cones of Zephyr? Why wasn’t I informed immediately?

    Comment by surly — April 15, 2007 @ 7:48 pm

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