Here is my latest knitting project. 
I picked it up at Michael's a couple of months ago, and I am just now getting around to beginning. It uses three balls of yarn, but at $2.00 per ball, this makes a very affordable charity knitting project. I think this one will be perfect for a wide number of recipients. However, I don't love acrylic yarn as a rule, for two reasons:
I picked it up at Michael's a couple of months ago, and I am just now getting around to beginning. It uses three balls of yarn, but at $2.00 per ball, this makes a very affordable charity knitting project. I think this one will be perfect for a wide number of recipients. However, I don't love acrylic yarn as a rule, for two reasons:1. I prefer natural fibers to anything synthetic for environmental reasons.
2. I prefer natural fibers for texture, feel, and breathablility.
However, some of my family members prefer acrylic because of the ease of care. Likewise, most organizations accepting charity knitting prefer acrylic or acrylic blends for ease of care reasons. So, I try to choose the best acrylics I can find when I [have to] use them. Impeccable by Loops & Threads is a new line available at Michael's, and is as inexpensive as Red Heart. (I must admit, I hate Red Heart yarn unless I am making a dog toy or a pot scrubber, and I refuse to purchase it new...only at thrift stores or via free hand-me-downs.) Impeccable is much softer than Red Heart, though not as soft as Caron by any stretch. But I think it is functional and adequate.
Now, for the pattern. It's a free pattern, so I can't complain too much, but I really hate patterns that I have to de-code and re-map with painstaking effort. This is one of those. As written, I would need two row counters going through the entire project.
Here is the pattern from the card [click the photo to enlarge]:
Here is my translation:
[I have numbered their "next row" designations as 1 and 2 so I don't have to re-type the entire pattern. It works on a 14 row repeat, so I have only had to translate up to 19 rows, then the repeat will be from row 6 to 19.]
Cast on 76 stitches
Knit 5 rows (garter stitch)
Here is my translation:[I have numbered their "next row" designations as 1 and 2 so I don't have to re-type the entire pattern. It works on a 14 row repeat, so I have only had to translate up to 19 rows, then the repeat will be from row 6 to 19.]
Cast on 76 stitches
Knit 5 rows (garter stitch)
row 6: do "next row" 1
row 7: do "next row" 2
row 8:do "next row" 1
row 9: do "next row" 2
row 10:do "next row" 1
row 11: do "next row" 2
row 12: do "next row" 1 with Cable Panel Pat 7th row
row 13: do "next row" 2 with Cable Panel Pat 8th row, (which is "next row" 2)
row 14: do "next row" 1
row 15:do "next row" 2
row 16:do "next row" 1
row 17:do "next row" 2
row 18:do "next row" 1
row 19:do "next row" 2
This may seem redundant, but if I don't have the pattern lined out in rows that I can follow with a counter while I watch t.v. or listen to music or talk to my family, I am likely to miss rows, miscount, and make mistakes. I know they print the pattern the way they do for ease of fitting it onto a 5" x 7.75" card (and to make it appear an easy and quick knit) but I hate when I get to row 6, and then I am lost in a swamp of quicksand and have to dig my way out with a pencil and paper to map myself to land.
row 7: do "next row" 2
row 8:do "next row" 1
row 9: do "next row" 2
row 10:do "next row" 1
row 11: do "next row" 2
row 12: do "next row" 1 with Cable Panel Pat 7th row
row 13: do "next row" 2 with Cable Panel Pat 8th row, (which is "next row" 2)
row 14: do "next row" 1
row 15:do "next row" 2
row 16:do "next row" 1
row 17:do "next row" 2
row 18:do "next row" 1
row 19:do "next row" 2
This may seem redundant, but if I don't have the pattern lined out in rows that I can follow with a counter while I watch t.v. or listen to music or talk to my family, I am likely to miss rows, miscount, and make mistakes. I know they print the pattern the way they do for ease of fitting it onto a 5" x 7.75" card (and to make it appear an easy and quick knit) but I hate when I get to row 6, and then I am lost in a swamp of quicksand and have to dig my way out with a pencil and paper to map myself to land.
Anybody else, or is it must me?
4 comments:
Very stylish!
Happy blogoversary :)
I can relate to your post as I have the attention span and memory of an ant. I graph on one sheet of papter my rows and check them off as I go along. This helps me to find my place when I pick the project up. I'll do a section at a time. If the pattern states repeat rows 1 & 2 6 times, I graph that out. I make notes for items such as changing colors or size needles. The other thing I do for a multiple row pattern is to write one row out on an index card. Next I punch a hole in one corner of index card and use a large ring to hold them together. This allows me to flip through cards without a mess.
I do the same thing. Then I use a post-it note to track where I am. Or lots and lots of pencil marks.
I got your comment about crocheting just chains - it took me a few months to persistence, but I got the hang of it just a year ago & I am loving it! Even just to add edges to knit-wear, I think it's worth it.
I hate Red Heart too and not because I'm a yarn snob. There are some acrylics that I actually enjoy working with but not that crap. I will have to check out your pattern adaption. Looks like a good project for watching TV. I hate reading charts personally. I don't know why they confuse me so much.
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