This is not a race!
We haven't made it to the starting gate yet! So, I was able to spend some quality time with my team this weekend, and learned some basic truths about my team. We spent the weekend on Lake Winnepesaukee with family, so I packed up the team and support staff and off we went.
My goal with the team is to have the right combination for each circumstance:
Quiet time - Icarus, with lace weight Alpaca.
Travel knitting - lacy socks, both Arizona Lace and Broadripple.
TV/conversational knitting - Branching Out.
There were some challenges with Icarus, mostly overcome, and we should make slow and steady progress over the course of the summer. First of all, organization - I thought I was ready, but overlooked some critical items. I copied each pattern and put the important parts in sheet protectors (they'll be kept in a 3-ring binder when not in use). For Icarus, I copied the front page, and enlarged chart 1, leaving the magazine at home. The stitch guide was on the part of the page that I didn't copy. Luckily I was able to email Silver Arrow Knits, who sent back the crucial bits. For the life of me, I couldn't remember if / meant SSK or K2tog.
Then, I had remembered the stitch markers, but they were all too big, and didn't work well. The dangly ones are pretty, but don't work on lace, at least for me. So, two major obstacles with Icarus, all of which slowed me down. With the lace weight yarn feeling like cobwebs, speed is not a goal. Nothing that couldn't be overcome with friends and a visit to the LYS (which is Patternworks - unfortunately I missed the tent sale by a week.)
Next up, BroadRipple:
My original intent was to knit BroadRipple for myself from Cascade Yarns Fixation in black, for a pair of summer socks. First obstacle was the needle selection - I'd brought my size 3 DPNs with 4 in the set, and the pattern is based on a set of 5. So, since I already needed to go to the yarn store for the proper stitch markers, might as well get the correct needles. While at Patternworks, my SIL asked if I'd knit a pair for her and picked out the pink and green. Much more fun to knit than the black, so I started on those. The pattern is pretty straightforward, though I'm concerned that it's not too lacy looking. It has YO and SSK and K2TOG, so it's lace. No trouble with this, and the socks will make good travel knitting. The temptation is strong to make the toe on the pink sock green and vice versa - have to check with the designated owner on that.
Not much to show on the Arizona Lace - another nice pattern that was written for Knitpicks Essential and size 2 needles for my shoe size - who needs to swatch? Well, right now it's way too big for me, so I need to figure out what to do. The pattern is based on 4 repeats of 20 stitches, so the only way to make it smaller to use use a smaller needle size. So this teammate is on the bench until I figure out how we can work together effectively.
Last, but not least, is the Branching Out in bamboo. I'm almost done with the first ball of yarn, and it's not looking long enough. So, LYS to the rescue with another ball of bamboo yarn in green. The big question is whether or not to knit the two halves separately, then kitchener together so each end is heading in the right direction. I have a little more time to make that decision. This teammate is the most solid right now, as I know the pattern, have enough yarn and have successfully fixed any errors that I've found. Mostly I forget the last YO on the first line. You'd think I'd learn.
My goal with the team is to have the right combination for each circumstance:
Quiet time - Icarus, with lace weight Alpaca.
Travel knitting - lacy socks, both Arizona Lace and Broadripple.
TV/conversational knitting - Branching Out.
There were some challenges with Icarus, mostly overcome, and we should make slow and steady progress over the course of the summer. First of all, organization - I thought I was ready, but overlooked some critical items. I copied each pattern and put the important parts in sheet protectors (they'll be kept in a 3-ring binder when not in use). For Icarus, I copied the front page, and enlarged chart 1, leaving the magazine at home. The stitch guide was on the part of the page that I didn't copy. Luckily I was able to email Silver Arrow Knits, who sent back the crucial bits. For the life of me, I couldn't remember if / meant SSK or K2tog.
Then, I had remembered the stitch markers, but they were all too big, and didn't work well. The dangly ones are pretty, but don't work on lace, at least for me. So, two major obstacles with Icarus, all of which slowed me down. With the lace weight yarn feeling like cobwebs, speed is not a goal. Nothing that couldn't be overcome with friends and a visit to the LYS (which is Patternworks - unfortunately I missed the tent sale by a week.)
Next up, BroadRipple:
My original intent was to knit BroadRipple for myself from Cascade Yarns Fixation in black, for a pair of summer socks. First obstacle was the needle selection - I'd brought my size 3 DPNs with 4 in the set, and the pattern is based on a set of 5. So, since I already needed to go to the yarn store for the proper stitch markers, might as well get the correct needles. While at Patternworks, my SIL asked if I'd knit a pair for her and picked out the pink and green. Much more fun to knit than the black, so I started on those. The pattern is pretty straightforward, though I'm concerned that it's not too lacy looking. It has YO and SSK and K2TOG, so it's lace. No trouble with this, and the socks will make good travel knitting. The temptation is strong to make the toe on the pink sock green and vice versa - have to check with the designated owner on that.
Not much to show on the Arizona Lace - another nice pattern that was written for Knitpicks Essential and size 2 needles for my shoe size - who needs to swatch? Well, right now it's way too big for me, so I need to figure out what to do. The pattern is based on 4 repeats of 20 stitches, so the only way to make it smaller to use use a smaller needle size. So this teammate is on the bench until I figure out how we can work together effectively.
Last, but not least, is the Branching Out in bamboo. I'm almost done with the first ball of yarn, and it's not looking long enough. So, LYS to the rescue with another ball of bamboo yarn in green. The big question is whether or not to knit the two halves separately, then kitchener together so each end is heading in the right direction. I have a little more time to make that decision. This teammate is the most solid right now, as I know the pattern, have enough yarn and have successfully fixed any errors that I've found. Mostly I forget the last YO on the first line. You'd think I'd learn.
posted by Elizabeth at 6:27 PM
5 Comments:
Wow! You have tons of teammates! I might follow in suit if my Sampler Shawl doesn't shape up!
I am glad that I could help you out with Icarus!
Good job, overcoming adversity early in the game. It should prepare you well for whatever the race/lace throws at you over the course of the summer.
What a great idea to have a bunch to team-mates . . . . each with designated knitting times. Sounds like your off to a pretty good start . . . those little problems didn't seem to slow you down much. :)
Oh yeah, I think I have your banner and button all set (as long as you like them!!) I just wanted to check which address I should e-mail them to (I don't want to e-mail you too much at work).
For the Arizona Lace Socks, you can make it smaller by simply deleting the P1, k1 at the beginning of each segment of pattern repeat and the k1, p1 at the end of each segment of pattern repeat. This reduces the stitch count by 8 and that should make a noticable difference. The cast on is then 72. Adjust the heel flap and gusset decreases appropriately.
~Arizona Lace Pattern Author
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