ripping sleeves with wild abandon
Bristow mostly looks like more of the same, though this time in sleeve form:
I actually ripped back quite a bit last night, when I realized the increases were just too frequent for my taste. I think in the size I'm knitting, there are 17 increase rows on each sleeve, and the pattern has you do them every 6 rows. I ripped back so that the first 10 increases were at 6 row intervals, but then changed to 10 row intervals. I'll probably go down to 8 row intervals at some point. I just didn't want the sleeves to be as wide as they were halfway up the arm, and I certainly don't need them to reach their full width that much before they are full length.
It was the first time in a really long time that I've ripped back (as in pulled the needles out and unravelled inches of work), as opposed to just carefully tinking (un-knitting) back. In fact, I can't remember the last time I did that that didn't involve ripping a whole piece of work apart. That I do fairly regularly with socks. I was impressed at how easy it was to capture those empty loops, given the fiber content (merino/silk) of the yarn. Truthfully, the prospect of ripping back like that and the potential for dealing with massive amounts of stitch laddering is much harder on my nerves and patience than intricate colorwork or working on needles in the multiple-zero size range. I much prefer repair methods that are more methodical and conrolled, like tinking, or dropping a single stitch down to correct a colorwork mistake. But I wanted to go far back enough on this sleeve that ripping back was worth the potential chaos.
I'm really starting to feel the itch to get back to the Vertical Stripes sweater, which is good. I'm also brainstorming ideas for the Amazing Lace poetry challenge. I'm doing my best to think positive thoughts, so I don't come off as a deranged sock torturer for this challenge. I already have an idea for a poem from the sock itself, which makes me giggle a lot. I'm not sure if I can translate it into written poetry form well enough to do justice to the snippets floating around in my head. But it should be fun to give it a try!
I actually ripped back quite a bit last night, when I realized the increases were just too frequent for my taste. I think in the size I'm knitting, there are 17 increase rows on each sleeve, and the pattern has you do them every 6 rows. I ripped back so that the first 10 increases were at 6 row intervals, but then changed to 10 row intervals. I'll probably go down to 8 row intervals at some point. I just didn't want the sleeves to be as wide as they were halfway up the arm, and I certainly don't need them to reach their full width that much before they are full length.
It was the first time in a really long time that I've ripped back (as in pulled the needles out and unravelled inches of work), as opposed to just carefully tinking (un-knitting) back. In fact, I can't remember the last time I did that that didn't involve ripping a whole piece of work apart. That I do fairly regularly with socks. I was impressed at how easy it was to capture those empty loops, given the fiber content (merino/silk) of the yarn. Truthfully, the prospect of ripping back like that and the potential for dealing with massive amounts of stitch laddering is much harder on my nerves and patience than intricate colorwork or working on needles in the multiple-zero size range. I much prefer repair methods that are more methodical and conrolled, like tinking, or dropping a single stitch down to correct a colorwork mistake. But I wanted to go far back enough on this sleeve that ripping back was worth the potential chaos.
I'm really starting to feel the itch to get back to the Vertical Stripes sweater, which is good. I'm also brainstorming ideas for the Amazing Lace poetry challenge. I'm doing my best to think positive thoughts, so I don't come off as a deranged sock torturer for this challenge. I already have an idea for a poem from the sock itself, which makes me giggle a lot. I'm not sure if I can translate it into written poetry form well enough to do justice to the snippets floating around in my head. But it should be fun to give it a try!
posted by Rebekkah at 12:50 PM
5 Comments:
Oh, ripping (vs. tinking) gives me the willies! But then, tinking more than an inch does, too. Your ripping went well and the sleeve looks great - congratulations!
yes, i have to have either some chocolate or wine nearby for ripping. it's truly heart stopping to pull out the needles and just let it RIP!
Ah, the batwing effect. A true classic.
Good luck on the poetry - you've been so creative so far, I know it'll be good.
I can rip with wild abandon, but prefer to tink. Who wouldn't? But sometimes you just have to.
Good luck on the poetry. And well, you were a deranged sock torturer! The humanity!
I can't get over how elegant that central pattern is. That is going to be one heck of a sweater.
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