The Endless Collar From Hell
Picking up stitches for a collar like the one on Starsky should not be done at night when you're kind of tired and your reading comprehension is lacking. I took a look at the pattern and saw that I was to pick up at the usual ratio of 3 stitches to every 4 rows, ending up with a number that is a multiple of 6 plus 3 extra stitches. I wanted to have a multiple of 6 plus 5 extra stitches, so that I could slip the first stitch of every row for a smooth bottom edge and have it not interfere with the 3x3 ribbing. I picked up stitches on both sides equally, at the same time, using waste yarn on the other side as a placeholder just to make sure I was picking up in the exact same spots. I picked up all around, counting as I went, and ended up with a perfect number. That is a lot of stitches. I worked two rows around. Then I read the pattern again.
[...] pick up and k 3 sts for every 4 rows along lower front edge to bottom of neckline shaping (marked with safety pin), 1 st for each row along right neckline edge [...]
FUCK.
I maintained the 3-to-4 ratio all the way around the neckline, picking up in every stitch only for the back neck. I thought about it, and realized that this would mean that I would have too few stitches at the neckline edge for the collar to lay flat at the sides when it was folded back. I ripped it all back to the first neckline edge and picked up again.
Instead of picking up in every row, I used the ratio of 5 stitches for every 6. Because my row gauge is tighter than the pattern's, I figured picking up in every stitch could cause the collar to ruffle a bit. I made it around to the other side where I realized I had picked up 7 stitches more on the left neckline edging than the right. Why did I suddenly have so many more stitches on the left edge than the right? I know when I knit the front pieces I knit them both with the same number of rows. I looked closely and realized I had marked the beginning of the neck edge too high on the right side. Rip. Rinse. Repeat.
Finally, on my third try, I got it right. I've got 275 stitches around. Before I went to bed I got halfway through the short-row shaping and with any luck I'll finish the collar this afternoon, when I'll be able to steam block it with the iron.
The good news is that it looks like I'll have enough yarn for both collar AND belt. Whew.
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Comments
damn, i admire your tenacity. i totally would have been so frustrated by now i would have said fuck it. good luck!
sandra · Nov 15 · 2:27 PM
I have a secret. I yell and swear and throw things (usually the knitting). The I pick it back up and start again.
Maggie · Nov 15 · 3:35 PM
Well I certainly understand why I will never be a super knitter. I would have definitely just thrown the whole thing in the garbage. I do not have that sort of patience. It also explains to me why your stuff always looks like a machine did it. You are a perfectionist. Good on you!
Can't wait to see the finished product.
*littlestar. · Nov 15 · 4:59 PM