theraineysisters knitting and so much more

August 5, 2013

From Susan — But for One Little Problem

Filed under: Updates — lv2knit @ 1:36 pm

Last spring my knitting peeps and I participated in a knitting shop hop.  One of our stops was Needlework Unlimited.  They were hosting a trunk show by a designer that I had never heard of before: Bente Geil or Geilsk on Ravelry.  She is Danish and many of her patterns are in German.  A sweater was on display that I fell in love with called Dydsmønster…whatever the heck that means!!


Bente Geil’s Dydsmønster

It wasn’t yet available so I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Until my birthday.  Then I rushed over and bought her Geilsk Tweed yarn and the pattern – in English!!  I started it right away and have been working on it quite regularly ever since…but it is a slow knit (32 sts and 34 rows per 10 cm).

I think I would be done with it by now but for one little problem.  Yes.  That pesky little problem called “did you read the pattern?”  I thought I read the pattern, but therein lies the problem.  I missed one very small and very important sentence: Continue 8 row repeat 6 times.

When  I joined the body and split off the sleeves,  I missed that one little sentence.  As you can tell from the picture, the bottom flares out quite a bit – in actuality, you almost double the stitch count by adding two sts per cable section every 16 rows.  Because I failed to do the straight away section, I started my flare right after the underarms.

So instead of the sweater shown above, I got this:

The bright red is what I knitted – the dark underneath shows what it was supposed to be.  It was a lot of extra knitting.  A lot of WASTED knitting, because I had to rip it all out back to the underarm.  Thousands and thousands of sts and hours and hours of knitting.  But I’m not bitter.  Emoji  I kept thinking there was something wrong and I should have trusted my instincts, but every time I looked for that all-important sentence, it eluded me!!!

Despite it all, I plunged forward yet again.  I really like the design and the fit.  So I am far from done, but still enjoying it.

It looks much better on a person with arms (sorry, Lettie!).  I just love the bold raglan shaping:

The triangular wedges are on the fronts, the shoulders, and the back.  I have several inches to go on the body but decided to take a break and work on the sleeves.

You can see how nicely the cables flow, even though the direction of the knitting under the arms is reversed.  I added the cabling right under the arm where the sleeve starts, which was not in the pattern.

I hope when it gets done it is cute and fits because it sure is a lot of work.  This designer is very talented and there are a few more of her designs that I like.  Her yarn and patterns are available at Needlework Unlimited so you do not have to order from overseas.

Replay to Laila:

Thank you for commenting and giving us a definition of dydsmønster!  Actually, the cables are not true cables — they are worse!  You make elongated sts on the WS row and then pull the last 4 sts over the 1st 4 one by one on the RS row.  They take longer to make than regular cables if you cable without a cable needle.  Also, they do not rip back as easily!!  Emoji

 

15 Comments »

  1. Oh nooooooo….. I wail for you. Trust your instincts!

    Comment by June — August 5, 2013 @ 4:04 pm

  2. It looks marvelous! At least you like to knit. You just get to do some more of it. And now you’re doing it even better. Well, at least that’s what I tell myself when I make mistakes. 🙂

    Comment by Elizabeth Risch — August 5, 2013 @ 5:26 pm

  3. Based on your taste, I actually called the store and ordered a copy of the pattern for myself – I’ve got tons of that type of yarn sitting around just waiting for something appropriate to be made with it … also, based on your (totally human) mistake, I will make a point to read the pattern *thoroughly* before I start it 😉

    Comment by margaret — August 5, 2013 @ 6:21 pm

  4. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who does those kinds of things. At least what you will end up with is one heck of a sweater. Especially those raglan lines.

    Comment by Chloe — August 5, 2013 @ 7:27 pm

  5. The sweater looks well worth the pain of ripping out and re-knitting. It is stunning.
    So here is another voice cheering you on.

    P.S. Google Translate says that Dydsmønster is Danish for paragon or paragon of virtue

    Comment by Elizabeth — August 5, 2013 @ 8:00 pm

  6. I love this!

    Comment by Kathy Filkins — August 5, 2013 @ 10:47 pm

  7. There was a very similar sentence in the directions for Eala Bahn, and I completely over looked it. It was tucked away between a bunch of much more interesting sentences, and hence was really well camouflaged. So frustrating!

    Comment by Joanna — August 6, 2013 @ 2:59 am

  8. It’s a gorgeous sweater. I’d probably have ripped back too but just looking at all that work makes me feel ill at the thought of all the hours you spent knitting that had to be undone. I do hope it’s a “perfect” fit when you are finished and that you love it to bits!

    Comment by Wool Free and Lovin' Knit — August 7, 2013 @ 12:25 am

  9. It is just gorgeous – but the ‘monster’ in “Dydsmonster” should have been a tipoff! :-).

    Comment by Barb — August 7, 2013 @ 8:34 am

  10. Wow! That’s so beautiful! I can’t wait to see it finished.

    Comment by Evie — August 8, 2013 @ 12:54 am

  11. This is one beautiful sweater! The lines of it prevent a bulky look with all those gorgeous perfect cables . Well worth the ripping! The underarm cables are beautiful!

    Comment by Kathy W. — August 8, 2013 @ 11:25 am

  12. So sorry you had to unknit, but it will be worth it when you are finished. Beautiful sweater, beautiful workmanship, as always!

    Comment by Mary Lou — August 10, 2013 @ 8:09 pm

  13. Dydsmønster = dyd (virtue) and mønster (pattern) so a dydsmønster is someone always doing the right thing all the time.
    It is a lovely pattern and I have been trying to prevent myself from buying it (all those cables is going to drive me insane) but … one day I will probably crumble
    (Love the colour!)

    Comment by Laila — August 12, 2013 @ 7:41 am

  14. Oh, it’s lovely! It’ll be well worth the ripping in the end. Just listen to happy music and remind yourself how much you’ll love it. 😉

    Comment by Lisle — August 19, 2013 @ 4:56 pm

  15. Hallo, lovely pattern and what a beautiful work you did.
    But I want to ask you, where did you buy that pattern. On the website of the designer it is not available in english.
    Thank you

    Comment by Rosaline — September 5, 2013 @ 3:52 am

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