So I knit this a long time ago, according to ravelry, I worked on it from August 5 to September 9 of 2009. So it's been over a year. I'm not really good about updating the blog about these things, and I've been thinking about starting a new blog since, but I have enough stuff from this one that I don't want to get rid of it yet.
The original pattern is by Mary K Saunders and is called "Ms. Brend." The original blog post disappeared, but if you want the pattern, let me know. I worked on these fingerless mittens and made a few alterations to the chart and the finger sizes. The original fingers were huge, and Princess's fingers were not huge. I think I changed the cable a bit, I can't remember how, though. But I do remember that the chart was really hard to follow and the gauge was as bit tight. Even though the pattern was fiddly, and the whole project was kind of a pain in the ass, I ended up falling in love with them. When the time came, I couldn't really bring myself to give them away. If I didn't promise them to her already, I would have totally kept them for myself.
I had some problems getting the fingers to go on seamlessly. I kept getting these gaps, and I think next time I'll knit them on smaller needles or knit through the back loops or something. I knit these on US 2 (2.75 mm) with Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport - A Bit of blue (030).
Showing posts with label Round. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Round. Show all posts
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Hope Springs Eternal
In all honesty, part of the Natayla pattern is a free form adventure. I found that I do not fall into the category of "average" when it comes to most knitting patterns. In the end, I modify a pattern so that it fits me. Which is why I tend to do things like scarves, or hats, or things that are easily modified to fit me, which isn't all bad. But I have a problem when it comes to things that require fine-tuning for it to fit. Like the Natalya arm warmers.
Let me set the stage: I have already guessed/estimated/taken-a-stab-in-the-dark about the circumference of the pattern. I went down a needle size to compensate for the fact that I understand that I'm smaller than average. I work the pattern until I feel that it's time to work the thumb gusset.
The thumb gusset in the pattern is, well, really long. I do not have large hands, so I try it on and estimate that I should stop when I have approximately 9 gusset stitches. Then I realized that it's wayy too long, so I rip back and set it at 7.
I then estimate what's supposed to be the top of the hand. I apparently start on the wrong row or something, probably because I didn't do the thumb gusset the way that the pattern tells me to. So estimate that the top of the hand would be a repetition of 4 and an extra one (I probably should have done extra two instead).
Then I estimate the size of my fingers compared to the rest of the population that makes up "average." Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. That takes approximately 400 million eons to work out. I take up the normal 11 stitches for the index finger, then realize that I should probably decrease. Takes me 3 tries. I start with 11 and decrease to 8. Then my middle finger is taking 10 stitches and then keeping it that way; it took 5 tries to get that figured out. My ring finger uses 8 stitches and keeps it that way; that took 5 tries as well. The pinky needed to add two stitches to the leftover 6 stitches; that took 3 tries. The thumb needs me to add 3 to the 7 from the gusset; that took me 4 tries. All five fingers required me to rip out 20 times. I am learning to hate this project.
To add insult to injury, the fingers had gaps between them that needed to be repaired, stitches would fall when I ripped back, I needed to add yarn because there wasn't enough to go all the way for a finger...
And there's one more to go. I am not terribly excited about it. But the hope that through all this trial and error the left hand will go more smoothly and I can remember to cross the cable the other way.
Let me set the stage: I have already guessed/estimated/taken-a-stab-in-the-dark about the circumference of the pattern. I went down a needle size to compensate for the fact that I understand that I'm smaller than average. I work the pattern until I feel that it's time to work the thumb gusset.
The thumb gusset in the pattern is, well, really long. I do not have large hands, so I try it on and estimate that I should stop when I have approximately 9 gusset stitches. Then I realized that it's wayy too long, so I rip back and set it at 7.
I then estimate what's supposed to be the top of the hand. I apparently start on the wrong row or something, probably because I didn't do the thumb gusset the way that the pattern tells me to. So estimate that the top of the hand would be a repetition of 4 and an extra one (I probably should have done extra two instead).
Then I estimate the size of my fingers compared to the rest of the population that makes up "average." Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean. That takes approximately 400 million eons to work out. I take up the normal 11 stitches for the index finger, then realize that I should probably decrease. Takes me 3 tries. I start with 11 and decrease to 8. Then my middle finger is taking 10 stitches and then keeping it that way; it took 5 tries to get that figured out. My ring finger uses 8 stitches and keeps it that way; that took 5 tries as well. The pinky needed to add two stitches to the leftover 6 stitches; that took 3 tries. The thumb needs me to add 3 to the 7 from the gusset; that took me 4 tries. All five fingers required me to rip out 20 times. I am learning to hate this project.
To add insult to injury, the fingers had gaps between them that needed to be repaired, stitches would fall when I ripped back, I needed to add yarn because there wasn't enough to go all the way for a finger...
And there's one more to go. I am not terribly excited about it. But the hope that through all this trial and error the left hand will go more smoothly and I can remember to cross the cable the other way.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Giving In
I would like to think that despite who I am and what I do, I'm a rather practical soul. I mean, it's not like I have my little, secret, in-the-closet-only joys, but there's always going to be a part of me that will demand that I be practical. It's not something that I can avoid, but it's not really something that I think that I should avoid at any rate.
Thus, leading me to my problem with arm warmers. I don't understand them, I really don't. I don't understand where they're supposed to sit on my forearm, I don't understand why they never have fingers, I don't understand how they're supposed to keep my hands and fingertips warm, et al. I just, don't get them. I understand why someone would make them. I usually wear long sleeves under the jacket in the long, cold Davis winters anyways, so the only part of me that really feels the cold isn't my arms, but my fingers. Arm warmers would warm the part of me that is already warm and leave my fingers to deal with the bitter cold. Granted, I'll admit that not having the whole mitten or a full glove gives far more finger mobility and usefulness, but fingers aren't useful if they've gone numb.
But I have given in because I found Natalya by Jody Pirrello. They're amazing. I'm overlooking the lack of full fingers, which I could add on my own, I'm overlooking the fact that getting them on when I'm wearing long sleeves will be a pain in the ass, I'm willing to overlook a lot of things. It's a quick knit and I'm doing it at a tighter gauge so that it'll fit better at the wrist. I'm enjoying it, we'll see if I can make it through two of them and not crap out half way.
Thus, leading me to my problem with arm warmers. I don't understand them, I really don't. I don't understand where they're supposed to sit on my forearm, I don't understand why they never have fingers, I don't understand how they're supposed to keep my hands and fingertips warm, et al. I just, don't get them. I understand why someone would make them. I usually wear long sleeves under the jacket in the long, cold Davis winters anyways, so the only part of me that really feels the cold isn't my arms, but my fingers. Arm warmers would warm the part of me that is already warm and leave my fingers to deal with the bitter cold. Granted, I'll admit that not having the whole mitten or a full glove gives far more finger mobility and usefulness, but fingers aren't useful if they've gone numb.
But I have given in because I found Natalya by Jody Pirrello. They're amazing. I'm overlooking the lack of full fingers, which I could add on my own, I'm overlooking the fact that getting them on when I'm wearing long sleeves will be a pain in the ass, I'm willing to overlook a lot of things. It's a quick knit and I'm doing it at a tighter gauge so that it'll fit better at the wrist. I'm enjoying it, we'll see if I can make it through two of them and not crap out half way.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Replacement Scarf
I really, really honestly thought that I had uploaded the pattern to my replacement scarf, but I guess that I never really got around to it since the new quarter started and there were a few doubts in my mind about the goodness of the project. But since I have actually come a long way on this project, it really would be such a shame to frog it, especially since people have told me that it is rather cute. Nevermind that it is spring in Davis now and I really have no particular need for it, but remember, boys and girls, winter comes again every year.
I'm using the left over yarn from other projects, so to be honest, I'm not really 100% sure about the yarn requirements, but this is just a guess.
Materials:
- 5 US 7 dpn
- 2 balls Patons Classic Merino Wool: Winter White (A)
- 2 balls Plymouth Encore Worsted Weight Yarn: Navy Blue (B)
- 2 balls Ella Rae Worsted Weight Yarn: Red (I'll look it up later) (C)
- Yarn needle
- Crochet Hook
Directions: (Realizing that I nearly typed in "Procedure" like in a chemistry lab report make me a little sad inside)
1. In C, CO 48 stitches and divide evenly between 4 needles (12 sts per needle). pm.
2. Join round.
3. Work striping pattern until you get so sick and tired of it you want to set it on fire, or work until length desired.
4. BO and weave in ends. To be honest, I just let the ones in the middle dangle.
5. Make and attach fringe using the crochet hook.
http://z.about.com/d/crochet/1/0/f/Q/swsk62005fringe.jpg
Striping pattern:
24 rounds in C
8 Rounds A
4 Rounds B
8 Rounds A
24 Rounds C
8 Rounds A
4 Rounds C
8 Rounds A
The End!
It's very basic and it's just a replacement for the other scarf that I made that randomly disappeared. I am very distraught over its loss, but it happens sometimes. C'est la vie. Still think that la vie is super unfair though...
I'm using the left over yarn from other projects, so to be honest, I'm not really 100% sure about the yarn requirements, but this is just a guess.
Materials:
- 5 US 7 dpn
- 2 balls Patons Classic Merino Wool: Winter White (A)
- 2 balls Plymouth Encore Worsted Weight Yarn: Navy Blue (B)
- 2 balls Ella Rae Worsted Weight Yarn: Red (I'll look it up later) (C)
- Yarn needle
- Crochet Hook
Directions: (Realizing that I nearly typed in "Procedure" like in a chemistry lab report make me a little sad inside)
1. In C, CO 48 stitches and divide evenly between 4 needles (12 sts per needle). pm.
2. Join round.
3. Work striping pattern until you get so sick and tired of it you want to set it on fire, or work until length desired.
4. BO and weave in ends. To be honest, I just let the ones in the middle dangle.
5. Make and attach fringe using the crochet hook.
http://z.about.com/d/crochet/1/0/f/Q/swsk62005fringe.jpg
Striping pattern:
24 rounds in C
8 Rounds A
4 Rounds B
8 Rounds A
24 Rounds C
8 Rounds A
4 Rounds C
8 Rounds A
The End!
It's very basic and it's just a replacement for the other scarf that I made that randomly disappeared. I am very distraught over its loss, but it happens sometimes. C'est la vie. Still think that la vie is super unfair though...
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