Its Evil Twin
January 22nd, 2007
Remember the mittens I mentioned two posts ago? Well the first one came out beautifully. It is complete, has been washed, and tried on to my satisfaction several times. The second one? Not so much.
The ribbing started out fine, and I got along to the stockinette stitch for an inch or so. I decided to measure up the first to the second to see if the ribbing was the same length. The second one was several milimeters off. After some stewing and thought (and convincing from my husband) I decided to carefully rip back to a couple of rows before the end of the ribbing. Continuing to knit in stockinette for several inches this time, I realized that I had forgotten to do the increase rows for the gusset. Doh! Rip back again, only to do it correct this time. Knit up to the thumb, make the hole for that and set it aside for later. Now onto the home stretch. Just some plain stockinette for several inches, a short row point for the fingertips, and I’m done.
Except…
I even got to the grafting of the opening closed. Yes, I had to rip back again, only this time unsuccessfully. Trying to ungraft a piece of knitting composed of thin alpaca yarn that will easily rip is-not-fun. I managed to work it out and untangle the mess that resulted, and even re-grafted it to completion. It’s sitting beside me now, the end at the fingertips woven in. It looks terrible. I haven’t even gotten to the thumb yet (no yarn left).
I have determined that this second of the pair is the original’s evil twin. The first mitten knit up beautifully, was so wonderfully easy to figure out, and looks perfectly snug on my hand. The second, its evil twin, has been ripped back three times, re-grafted once, run out of yarn, and looks like crap despite my best efforts. I’m so tempted to not even bother trying to salvage this yarn, and buy a whole new skein and start over completely. I think the yarn on this mitten is tainted anyways.
Oh kri, I sympathize! My first sock I made was a disaster. I’ve dubbed it Sockzilla and decided to not hate it for being so gigantic and misshapen and instead love it for being my first sock. I learned a lot making it and my second one is turning out much better so far. So in the end I will have three socks, just as you will have three mittens!
Thank you Annie for the sympathy
That’s a good outlook to take on!
Ooh. That sucks. Well, your next one will be awesome. At least you re-attempted when you ripped out. I usually quit a project when I have to rip. I absolutely detest having to reacquire all the stitches with the correct twist, etc., when I am done ripping. I need to take one of those “Anatomy of a Stitch” classes. Sad, given that I have been knitting for, like, 25 years.
E-mailed to Michelle, I thought I’d share this handy Knitty article with everyone on ripping back: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/FEATwin03TT.html
It’s the technique I use when I have to go back more than 2 rows and don’t want to frog.