Thursday, April 28, 2011

Busted!

In my family I have many titles--She Who Will Be Obeyed and She Who Always Puts The Toilet Seat Down being several among many. But the title that's probably most often used is She Who Reads The Directions. (I know what you're thinking. Cranky bitch isn't a title; it's a description. So there.)

DH used to buy me a new cell phone anytime he upgraded his, because he knew I'd open up the manual first thing and follow the instructions for setting up email, taking photos, using the apps--all the things you actually buy a cell phone for. I've also installed hard drives in our computers, a new thermostat in our home, and re-lit the pilot light on the furnace because I READ INSTRUCTIONS. You'd think this would carry over to knitting. Ahem.


I present to you two pieces of lace. This is the edging for Jared Flood's Rock Island Shawl. Notice how the lace on the right is wider than the lace on the left, even though they're both knit on the same size needle, with the exact same yarn. The lace on the left appears narrower because its left side curls up slightly. Not a good scenario. Embiggen the next photo for a clue as to why.


In case you aren't able to read the text under the Edging Chart section, it says something about "executing the symbol action that corresponds to the side of the fabric you are working on." Then, check out the symbol chart at the bottom. The same symbol on the opposite side of the fabric IS NOT WORKED THE SAME WAY. More than a minor detail, wouldn't you say? I might have noticed this way before I'd knit a couple of feet of lace if I'd read the instructions, ALL OF THEM, thus saving me from having to start all over again. I might even have noticed it if I hadn't ignored the little voice in my head that kept saying, "Something is not right here." I surely would have noticed it if I'd gone to Ravelry and looked over other knitter's project notes, especially the ones that said "a k2tog on the wrong side is a ssk on the right side." I'm pretty sure that would have gotten my attention.

Learn from my mistakes, people.

Yours truly,
She Who Acts Like She Knows How To Read A Knitting Pattern But Clearly Does Not

11 comments:

  1. alright, kill me for saying this, but REALLY. Jared Flood is, after all, Jared Flood. He is NOT Elizabeth Zimmerman, not even on his best day.
    I feel your pain, sister!

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  2. Blame the yarn fumes. You were so excited to get started it distracted you.

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  3. Yikes. Ugh! Right side Wrong side. Stitches change. I'm in trouble. I am going to order this yarn for my Mother's Day present I think. Then I am going to come sit by your side when I start! (I know I've said this before.)

    Oh it's going to be beautiful though!

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  4. I can read charts. I understand them. But when it comes to what you've just shown me,if there aren't written directions, I will not be giving this a go. I don't think you are entirely to blame.

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  5. You are a gem even if your lace is not perfect. I know absolutely nothing about knitting - but you make me laugh.

    Wanted to also know if you heard of the Brown Sheep yarn. Ironically I grew up in this tiny town in Nebraska and only recently learned of it. I met some folks from Colorado who went to check it out. Totatally clueless if this is oldhat info.

    http://brownsheep.com/

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  6. lol, live and learn, live and learn. I too have had this problem. Now I've learned to listen to my inner voice and try to figure out why it is yelling "something doesn't look right!"
    Your shawl will be beautiful when it is done.

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  7. I've been there! I kept ripping out a granny square that wasn't coming out right, until I finally realized I was leaving out several stitches even though it was right there in the directions (and also a pattern I'd already made with great success).

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  8. Bugger! I hate when I know something isn't quite right but I keep plugging away anyway.

    Both versions are pretty though!

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  9. vigorously nodding my head in agreement!

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  10. I blame it on those fancy-shmancy new needles you bought. Clearly they are too haughty to read directions. (And I'm not saying that just because I'm terribly jealous about those Signature needles. No way. Not me, the Queen of Denial and Parenthetical Comments.)

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  11. If it helps, I did it too and had to pull 2 repeats out.

    Rock Island-2
    Me- 0

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