There is a special kind of brainstorm that pushes this knitter along mightily, that is when I'm not sure if I will have enough yarn for a project. As I knit toward an estimated target my heart races and the pace of needle clicking creeps up. A feeling creeps up from behind even faster than that, that I haven't enough to finish. The longer I carry on hoping the more adrenaline swills about and I fly along the rows knowing it may be in vain.
Today I hadn't enough and the truth dawned on me, slowly grinding my industry to a halt. By halfway up the sleeve of the wee jumper I got the sinking feeling strongly. I took the piece to the kitchen scales and balanced the sleeve against the yarn I had left. So I knew for sure, not enough yarn for two long sleeves. There is no more of this yarn, what I have is not enough. I frogged half a days knitting and return to the planning zone. David assures me that men don't wear short sleeved jumpers so let's see...a vest?
| Most guys are not the right age to carry it off, see http://sadetsyboyfriends.tumblr.com/ |
I'm going to join the side and shoulder seams, then put a 1x1 rib around the armholes to pull in some of the dropped shoulder fabric snugly to his oxters. What is left of the wool can make a matching husky collar to keep the wind out. The deep moss ribbing will make a smashing insulating body warmer for winter trips. No sleeves mean the thing will stay dry when the boy guddles in water. *sigh*
Next task, sewing in a squillion joins between all those frayed ends to prevent further wasted effort. It only takes one hole to wreck a fabric. I'll have to put more thought into which joining method to use for each project. Some fabrics can take knitting in of a new length of yarn (knitting a few stitches with the end of the first thread and the start of the next), but sheer finishes like stocking stitch or symmetrical motifs like ribs could look lumpy. Mary Thomas gives a method of grafting in one of her books that I should try where you cut half of the strands from a few inches shy of each end of yarn and knit with the two other halves twisted together, for a few stitches. For this vest I 'll use a reef knot and a needle for weaving.
| This knitter neatly avoids an uncomfortable knot in a sock. |
Adage for the day; I knit because I like it, so I will not care about time wasting mistakes.
Check it out: http://stitchesofviolet.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html sock wool grafting, 8th March.
