Tuesday, November 25, 2003
The problem with teaching yourself to knit...
The trouble with teaching yourself to knit is that you make dumb mistakes. I am not saying that people who take classes don't make mistakes too but I think I make more than the average gal. I am working on a present for my nephew- forget the vagueness even though his mother reads this blog- it's a sweater. In fact, it's the ChildHood sweater from Knitty without the hood. (Cathy, don't you dare click on that link! Let's keep some things a surprise!) The picture of the sweater is girly. Imagine it in an appropriate color for an almost 2 year old boy. He is going to be the most handsome boy in town. Did I mention that my sister entered him in a contest at her local mall and he WON! That's right- most beautiful baby!
Anyway, back to the sweater. The pieces have been knitted and blocked. The button bands have been knitted and attached. Last night I started picking up stitches for the neckband. Guess what? I don't know how to pick up stitches for a neckband! I thought I did, but I didn't. It looked all holey and yucky. For starters, I was picking up the edge stitch rather than one in from the edge. Secondly, what I was calling "picking up" was not actually picking up. So tonight, I will be taking out the ugly stitches that I "picked up" last night and starting over. I thought I had ruined this sweater last night. I wanted to cry. I read knitting blogs everyday and so many times I have read things like "People ruin a sweater with sloppy finishing." Even though I am a beginner knitter, I take pride in my projects and would have been so sad if this piece that I have been working on for weeks was suddenly really stupid and homemade looking- rather than sweet and handmade looking. See the difference?
I did my online research though and I think I know what I need to do. If not, I'll keep searching tonight until I find an illustrated website that shows me exactly what to do. Then, I will pick up stitches while sitting in front of the computer. I really need the Vogue Knitting book or some other books that covers basics thoroughly.
I learn something new everyday!
Anyway, back to the sweater. The pieces have been knitted and blocked. The button bands have been knitted and attached. Last night I started picking up stitches for the neckband. Guess what? I don't know how to pick up stitches for a neckband! I thought I did, but I didn't. It looked all holey and yucky. For starters, I was picking up the edge stitch rather than one in from the edge. Secondly, what I was calling "picking up" was not actually picking up. So tonight, I will be taking out the ugly stitches that I "picked up" last night and starting over. I thought I had ruined this sweater last night. I wanted to cry. I read knitting blogs everyday and so many times I have read things like "People ruin a sweater with sloppy finishing." Even though I am a beginner knitter, I take pride in my projects and would have been so sad if this piece that I have been working on for weeks was suddenly really stupid and homemade looking- rather than sweet and handmade looking. See the difference?
I did my online research though and I think I know what I need to do. If not, I'll keep searching tonight until I find an illustrated website that shows me exactly what to do. Then, I will pick up stitches while sitting in front of the computer. I really need the Vogue Knitting book or some other books that covers basics thoroughly.
I learn something new everyday!
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