As you may already know, Ravelry has organised the 2008 Ravelympics. An enormous number of people have signed up to try to complete an astonishing number of projects during the summer Olympics in Beijing.
That folks - is 17 days. Now, when have I ever managed to finish anything within 17 days?!
Let alone three things. Shuddup, yes, you did read that correctly: three things.
Okay, let me be honest here - I only signed up for three events because I wasn't sure what to work on. Then, as it turned out, I did not notice that one of my projects had not registered correctly, so actually I am down to a choice of two things to work on over the next two weeks.
It's a shame, as I thought that I had entered the Vomituous Lake of Plastic Nastiness into WIP Wrestling. It's 80% done, so it's completion is achievable and I thought that you might get a giggle out of seeing it finished, as I have been so rude about its plasticity!
So, what am I doing instead?
Choice 1 - Baby Dressage: a sideways knit kimono for a 1-2 year old.
Pretty, eh? It's Rabbitworks Fibre Studio DK Merino-Alpaca in the Raspberries colourway.
Except that I have not got correct gauge. I have gone down a needle size but I am still out. So I am going down a garment size, in the hope that it will give me the correct sized outcome. I just hope that I have enough yardage, as the 1-2 year old size needs about 89yds more yarn than I have. Fingers crossed.
I have noticed a problem with my rib. I seem to have a consistent loose column of stitches that form on the left hand side of each repeat. Where I bring the yarn forwards to purl. Can you see? It doesn't happen on the leading column of knit stitches. I've tried to pull the yarn tight, like I would on dpns, but it is still happening - how do I eradicate it?
Mind you, this project is only Choice 1 because I am about to rip out the second start on the sleeve.
This is my first attempt, which shows some pooling. Which I quite like. However, this is going to a non knitting, French-Italian couple. So I am nervous, in case they do not like it.
The second attempt (not pictured) seems to have resolved the pooling but I am finding that the yarn tangles hopelessly when I try to work with the inside and outside of the same yarncake. So I think that I need to rip back and work from two different yarn cakes.
So two false starts and nothing more to show for it yet than a tension square and a picot cast on.
Choice Two - Scarfstroke: a test knit for Robynn
I do not pick up the pattern and the yarn for this until after work tomorrow - so that has not yet been started. From the pictures that I have seen of the scarf, some of the stitches look like they will be interesting to work (read super-slow to work in my case).
So, if you are keeping an eye on the Ravelympics over the next two weeks...
...look in one direction for the enthusiastic leaders, racing over the finishing line with finished objects.
Then turn, look back at the direction that they came from, and there, way behind the stragglers in the slow lane, yes - that little, very slow moving speck on the horizon?
Yup, that's me, with my two projects.
2 comments:
Two projects! You really are too brave. Isn't the idea that doing just *one* thing is a big challenge? Gosh.
About the rib - I have the same problem, always have had. It's getting better but from all my research, there is no easy way to beat it. (This would be one reason I hate ribbing.) The best solution does involve learning to pull the yarn tighter at that point, but also using your needle to jiggle the stitches on previous rows to distribute the yarn more evenly... if that doesn't make sense, ask me to show you tomorrow.
Good luck with the Ravelympics! I didn't sign up because I've had it with deadlines for a little while.
As for the loose rib stitch, try knitting through the back loop on the last knit stitch before the purl. Or you can try purling through the back loop through the purl stitch. Ptbl is tricky to execute but it will be more invisible than ktbl.
Post a Comment