Tuesday, October 04, 2005

Five plus two is... Seven?

Some times stuff happens that makes me reevaluate myself or my life , it doesn't happen very often but it happens. And it has happened! I have realized that I can't do math. Now, I've never claimed to be a math genius but I do remember learning addition and subtraction in the first or second grade, and being quite good at it as well. That is what my math teacher told my parents anyway. I don't know what happened, if I never actually had any talent or if I have just lost my talent recently.
So you ask, how did I discover my lack of math talent? It's the Baby Bobbi Bear. Look at him, doesn't he look cute? He doesn't look at all like someone who could make people realize life altering things about themselves does he?










He is almost done, I have knit some arms for him (T thinks they are a little short - I haven't made up my mind about that yet) and stuffed him. Now he needs some ears, and here is where the life altering thing happened. The patterns says:
"Cast on 5 sts, work back and forth in rows, cont as foll:
Row 1 and all odd rows: Purl to end
Row2: knit 1, Make 1, knit 1, make 1, knit 1 [5 sts] "
Huh? Five? Please correct me if I'm wrong but if I've got five stitches and I make two more stitches I should have seven stitches total, right? I don't get it, do they want me to cast on three stitches and end up with 5 or do they want me to cast on 5 stitches and knit 1, make 1, knit 3, make 1, knit 1 and end up with 7 stitches?
Or the even more disturbing possibility, the math in the pattern is correct and I'm just to stupid to get it!?

The knitting has been a little lazy. I've started a new pair of Broadripple Socks. These will be for my mom - for Christmas! I can hardly believe it, we're only in the beginning of October and I've already started on my Christmas presents. This is a definite first for me.










Mom got to pick out the yarn and pattern herself! Fortissima Colori, Mexico-Disco-Color! Pretty!

Sunday, October 02, 2005

Done!

Taa daaaaaaa!










Can you believe it? CC is finally done. It turned out that I did have enough yarn to knit a wider collar and I even have one third of a skein left over. The collar is wide enough to cover my chest, and I can wear it open or closed with a pin. I've pressed the collar and the cuffs (with the collar I might have been just a little too efficient with the iron, I've basically ironed away everything ribby about it....but I think it looks and feels ok.)
I have learned some things knitting this sweater, some of which I surely will have forgotten next time I knit a sweater.

  • Making a gauge swatch is really important, especially if I don't want to reknit half the sweater.
  • Read through the pattern before you start knitting, if you don't want annoying surprises.
  • When knitting in the round - the rounds can be VERY long.

I'm so happy with the way my Chocolate Cover turned out, I think I will wear it a lot this fall and winter.

Specs: The pattern is # 14 50 58 05 from HP Garn, the yarn is Iceland from Løve in a brown color. I've knit a mix of size M and L, and have knit the collar at least 10 cm wider than what the pattern describes. I've also changed the collar and knit it in the round instead of back and forth. I bought 6 skeins and have used all but one third skein.

Now I have to consider what to knit next. I'm really into the Lace Garland from Shawls and Scarves, and have already knit up a test, just to check out if I'd be able to follow the instructions. And to se how difficultt it is to knit in the round from 6 stitches....See I told you I'd forget what I've learned knitting CC - the rounds can get VERY long.... Visse vasse, the rounds will be just fine.