I have had one of those weeks. You all know what I mean…
Wednesday I woke up, looked in the mirror, and saw a little red spot in my eye. I knew what that meant… I’ve broken a blood vessel in my eye, probably caused in some way by stress. I don’t know if you’ve ever had one, but it gets worse and worse until half the white part of your eye is all bloody looking. It’s harmless and will go away (I had one before) but it’s scary looking. I’ve spent two days going everywhere with sunglasses on, so as not to make people think that a zombie invasion has started.
You know how sometimes you have a nagging feeling that things are not going to turn out well on a project? I’ve been having that feeling lately about my current WIPs. First up is the tilted duster. Ah… tilted duster. I made my usual size (32) knowing full well that the sleeves were said to be small. But hey – I have teeny tiny arms, right? They’ll be fine for me. Well… they aren’t. I blocked them, and then I seamed the top half, and they were really tight. Worse, they’re a little short… and the shoulders don’t really fit on my actual shoulders. I convinced myself that the edging would fix all and continued on. Today I tried it on for Marc, who was the voice of wisdom.
“Frog it,” he said. “Maybe you’ll be able to get it on, but you’ll never wear it because it isn’t how you want it.” And of course he is right. (also, isn’t it great that he knows to say “Frog?”
Tilted Duster: Sept 2007 – Oct 2007
I may make the 36″ size, but I would have to buy more yarn… perhaps in a different color. I like the avocado, but I’m not sure I want a duster out of it anymore. I really love the gray ones I have seen. Or maybe a different duster? I like the idea of a duster, but I’m not really entirely sold on the shape of this one anyway. Does anyone have another favorite long sweatercoat pattern?
And then there’s the pair of socks I’m making from Austermann Step. I love the colors. I hate the yarn. I hate the yarn so much, in fact, that I’m considering giving up on this pair of socks. I am only halfway through the first sock, and the thought of having to make another whole sock in this dreadful splitty yarn makes me want to quit, especially when I have so much nice smooshy sock yarn to knit up.
So there you go… a clean knitting slate. It’s kind of nice, I have to say!
In celebration, I started the most boring scarf in the world out of the Kochoran I just got.
I swatched garter, seed stitch, a few ribbed patterns, and the 1 row handspun scarf with this yarn. I decided I didn’t like ribbing, and while seed stitch was nice it would have made my hands fall off. I have already made the default noro scarves (multidirectional, short row rib, entrelac) So garter it is! Everything else just seemed to compete with the yarn. And this will be fast, which is good since I have gotten the yarn for Marc’s scarf.
It’s Malabrigo in Red Mahogany, and he picked it out himself! Thank you for all the scarf suggestions… I’m either going to use the One Row Handspun scarf or “My so called scarf” and I will start it soon! He has also requested a new scrabble tile bag, and I’m planning to use the pattern out of “last minute knitted gifts” and some Caron Simply soft to whip one up.
I also bought yarn at the same time to make Georgina from the new Debbie Bliss book. I’m using Cascade 128 (chunky weight) in a nice burgundy ( darker than this photo.)
Georgina’s smallest size is 34.5 inches in the bust. I’m not sure if I will try to get an inch smaller, or if I will just go with it as written. In my experience, knits with larger yarns do not look good with negative ease. I’m also not sure this will be next… I have many decisions to make!
My Friday evening plans? I’m going to go to Borders and Target… I know, my life is so exciting! Marc is at a scrabble tournament in Notre Dame, so it’s just me and the cats! I also see some frantic housecleaning in the future. I’m on the lookout for a knitting stand or some such thing to keep by the sofa… knitting has not had the most positive effect on my neatness!
Green apples - Stitchywitch Creates 
what about a long silver belle from vogue/debbie bliss? Do you have to frog the whole duster? What about just the sleeves? I love the green colour.
Not really a duster but the Minimalist Cardigan is on my list of to do’s (from the last IK) It didn’t strike me until I saw some of the FO’s online.
I love that malabrigo.
I hate Austermann Step. I never felt any aloe difference. The patterned sock yarn I had came out o.k. but the whole business gave me a bad vibe and I can’t exactly say why-
It was for the best. And congrats on teaching your man the proper knitting terms. I’ve been thinking about the basic duster/coat from Norah Gaughan’s Berroco book.
i’m sorry you’re having a bad week! that’s too bad about the tilted duster, but you know that marc is right! i’m surprised you dislike the austermann step so much. i didn’t LOVE the yarn, but i did like it…probably because it’s so soft. here’s hoping georgina goes better than the duster! oh, and ps, my friday evening plans include yarn, a computer, and dvr! 🙂
Oh dear, well I guess that happens sometimes…rip Tilted Duster.
I think Georgina will look wonderful in that dark red color!
Sorry to hear about your tilted duster. Do you like the Hex Coat from Knitting Nature, or Flicca from My Fashionable Life? Those are two of my favorite long sweater coats. There’s a nice one in Rowan’s Denim People, too, I think it might be called Haven? And of course there are the old classics from knitty, Starsky and Josephine.
I just love that Marc knows our knitting lingo. Too cute!
Did you try on the duster without the sleeves? Did the body fit right? Seems a shame to frog the whole thing when just the sleeves are to blame. Of course, half the fun of knitting is picking out a new project! Happy Hunting!
What a disappointment. Well, you’ll find good use for the yarn, youknit such beautiful sweaters! Good luck with the hunt for another duster pattern!
I have so been there when things didn’t work out as hoped/planned! :op
I love your perspective of having a clean knitting slate! YAH!
I really want to try that 128!
And you are right knitting does have an effet on your neatness….it looks like a knittng shop in my living room! LOL
Sounds like you’ve got some tantilizing projects on the horizon – there’s nothing like looking forward to something exciting to take the sting out of frogging. And if you aren’t all that enamoured with the project, I guess it’s better done now than do all that work and have it sit in the closet unloved.
I totally agree about the neatness factor – I’m in the midst of a switch-over myself, and there’s about 6 square inches of floor space in my living room right now!
Ugh, frogging is the worst. But you are so lucky to have such a great voice of reason living in your home! I don’t know how many projects I soldiered on with, knowing at the back of my brain that they were going to fail, but there was no one there to stop me from the madness….. what a great husband!
hey there,
well, it’s nice to know you’re human along with the rest of us! LOL! i mean, most of your items turn out soooooo freakin’ amazing, i find this post oddly reassuring. yes, that’s just a telling comment about my own crafty insecurities, but what can you do? the good news is that i can completely empathize with you. i have a couple projects right now (the BSA cropped cardi for one) that i am contemplating frogging, and it’s kinda heartbreaking after all that work etc. but marc is so right–if you won’t end up wearing it, then what’s the point?
my week consisted of getting my Ravelry invite (woo hoo!!!) and spending all my knitting time at the computer “setting up” my account. makes me wonder what the point was, given that i got Zero knitting done this week as a result. *giggle*
I’m dismayed by your experience with the Tilted Duster. I decided to do the body before the sleeves and I’m almost done with it. It seems kinda small, too.
My favorite long sweatercoat is Laura Chau’s (she’s cosmicpluto). You can see it on her website and order the pattern from Lettuce Knit. Lots of stockinette, though. I used a handpainted yarn for mine.
Alternately, I love the look of the Hedgerow Coat from the Fall 2007 IK, but I haven’t made one myself. Lots of cables, so great for a solid color yarn.
I’m sorry about your duster. Thats just too bad.
Its very obvious which end of the couch I sit on at home. There are patterns, and yarn, and projects all around that side of the couch. lol