I am about 5.5″ into the front of Blue Canoe. I have one more inch before I begin my Front bust shaping. This is good as any change makes it a little more interesting! I’ve actually knit 2″ more than I have because there was a little frogging on Sunday. I failed to consult my pattern, and did the shaping like the back bust instead of the waist shaping. So I ripped back. Monday night I used all the yarn I’d undone plus some. Now it is smooth sailing to bust shaping.
So other than not paying attention, or because of not paying attention, at this point of any project I’m looking for things to think about or notice while I’m working through the inches. So here are my observations thus far:
1. The strong diagonal created by the four rows of Purl-Twist Knot make it easy to see if you get off pattern.
2. Any Row 1 of the pattern, working across the pattern repeats, begins with k2, and ends with P-T. Any Row 3 of the pattern will begin with a P-T and end with a k2.
3. On waist decreases, put a marker 4 stitches inside the edge stitch on each end of row, then work decreases. This will allow you to easily keep in pattern on those non-decrease stitches between the markers.
4. If you place markers at the beginning and end of the pattern repeats when working increases, then place the increases outside the marker, you can easily be sure your pattern is lined up. You can move the marker out 4 stitches as four stitches are added at each end of the row.
4. To count rows quickly, count each P-T knot as 2 rows. So for 3″ at 8 rows/inch you need 24 rows–or 12 P-T knots.
Really. That’s it. This is pretty easy to execute. If you remember to follow the pattern.
Today I had a nice laugh at Linda. She brought in a swatch she’d done. She cast on 24 stitches and knit 22 rows. Since I laughed at her, I blocked her swatch. She is on gauge, but I am always amused at how resistant knitters are to swatching–when there is so much room for error if you get it wrong in the garment. I made her give me her swatch so I could photo it. I put it on top of mine. See, really not that much more knitting is required to get a swatch for really accurate measuring.
I have just ordered new sheets for my 90-year-old mother. She got pretty good mileage out of the old ones, and I appreciate that paying $50/per sheet (on sale) is difficult to wrap your head around, but she’ll be happy to be back to nice sateen sheets. That I can order things online and have them shipped to her makes it easier for her to ask because it doesn’t require extra trips by me. So done! She’ll get a package next week.
Leave a Reply