These Salt Peanuts are Making Me Thirsty
I’m going to swatch this up today. I’m excited to finally start on this project as it’s been sitting in my closet for a few months. I should be working on stuff I’ve already started, but I can’t wait any longer.
Okay, since I began this post a few hours have gone by and I’ve forgotton I was in the middle of writing it. In the meantime I’ve gotten gauge on the recommended needles, US10.5. I started off using #9 bamboo, figuring that since I knit loosely and usually use smaller needles to get gauge, but this time I had so much trouble trying to keep the yarn from stretching and bouncing in order to keep the stitches even. With the larger needles (Addis) I can pull the yarn as tight as is comfortable for me to knit, and when it relaxes it springs into the correct gauge.
Knitting on such big needles with the Bergamo is heaven compared to the White Buffalo Unspun. Apples and oranges.
Too Big Needles, Too Big Yarn
I do not enjoy the White Buffalo Unspun. It’s too big. I had this crazy idea that knitting up a coat would be so fast, considering it would be like knitting a sweater half the size of what I usually make for myself, stitch-wise. But it’s not. It’s taking a really long time. Using US10.5 needles sucks. It takes me the same amount of time to complete a row that’s half as wide as when I use US5 or 6 needles, there is no “flow” and my hands get tired. I will finish the coat, but it’s going to take forever because I can only knit about 4 or 5 rows before I want to stop.
What? Time for Knitting?
As you all may or may not know, I got married over the weekend and since I spent a lot of that time drunk and subsequently very hung over, there was no time for knitting and subsequently no time for knitting content. I like to say, subsequently.
The daily grind has resumed, and I have about 6 episodes of Starting Over to catch up on, which gives me lots of time for knitting this weekend. My husband is working (if you could see me in person you would see me waving my left hand around as I overenunciate the word, husband).
There is nothing new on the needles. I’m still working on my Wedding Shawl (which was not worn during the wedding), cable cardigan (green), unspun coat (pink), and the backgammon bag from Weekend Knitting.
Catch!
I’ve finished the scarf that I planned to toss instead of a bouquet at our wedding reception. I was worried that it wouldn’t be good enough to give away, but with the ends woven in and some really pretty wooden beads tied to the fringe, the scarf looks great and I’m proud to give it as an example of my knitting. It’ll be giftwrapped. Instead of fishing a garter out from under my dress and tossing it to the single men, Remy is going to buy a nice tie and wrap and throw that.
Nevermind
I have figured out the Cartridge Belt Rib. I don’t know exactly what I was doing wrong, but I’m following the pattern exactly now and it’s working out just fine. Thanks to everyone who offered to help.
I Found It!
My Weekend Knitting book ended up being in my son’s room. I must have left it upstairs and my mom, assuming that all the books in the world belong to my son, shoved it in a bag with some of his stuff and left it in his room. I am really happy to get it back. I was ready to buy another copy.
But now I have a problem. The bag I want to make (Backgammon Travel Set - p 50) uses a stitch pattern called Cartridge Belt Rib. I think there is something wrong with the pattern as printed because my ribbing does not turn out like the ribbing in the photo. My ribbing is ugly fugly and bumpy and messy and without reason, not to mention the fact that it’s just. not. ribbing. What am I doing wrong?
I searched google to see if there was a variation on the stitch pattern but I found nothing. The stitch pattern in the book goes like this (from Notes on p 52):
Cartridge Belt Rib (multiple of 4 sts +3)
Row 1: K3, *sl 1, K3; repeat from * to end.
Row 2: K1, *sl 1, K3; repeat from * to last 2 sts, sl 1, K1.
Repeat these 2 rows for pattern
In the Notes it also specifies that stitches should be slipped purlwise with yarn in front unless otherwise noted. I tried the pattern that way, I tried it with stitches slipped purlwise with yarn in back, knitwise with yarn in either position. Nothing turns out the lovely rib pattern in the photo. Has anyone knit this before? I’d love some help, please!
Mittens!
Yesterday and today I knit a pair of mittens. These are Noro Shinano #9 and the pattern is free. I changed it a bit because I didn’t like the way it looked when I increased stitches after the cuff, so I omitted that part. Who knew a thumb gusset was so easy? I still have enough Shinano to knit a hat and scarf. One of the mittens was originally a hat I knit last year in much too loose a gauge, so it ended up huge. I’m going to reknit the hat in the proper gauge.
White Buffalo Unspun Coat or Holy Shit is This Ever Bulky!
So here is the beginning of the back of my White Buffalo unspun coat in Ice Rose. It’s a much nicer pink in person, I think. Anyway, the gauge is 2.5 stitches to the inch which would make it knit up really fast, except that it’s so bulky that it’s a bit hard on my hands. So I’m taking breaks often.
The problem here is that I’m not entirely happy with the edging I put on the bottom. It’s seed stitch but it’s not sitting well and I’m thinking of ripping it all out and starting again. Or perhaps starting a front panel with a different edging and seeing if I like that better. Because I don’t want to get to the end of the coat and decide I hate it, know what I mean? I’m not sure what to do.
I’m not using a pattern for this. With such a bulky yarn, should I be making a set-in sleeve, or is drop-shoulder okay?
