Lately, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of knitters coming to the shop with pattern-related woes. This is an open letter to them… and maybe you, too?
Dear Knitter,
Don’t let a confusing or challenging pattern stop you from knitting.
Get another knitter’s advice, check on Ravelry in project notes to see if others have had issues with the pattern, or check the designer’s or publisher’s websites for corrections. If you’re still frustrated or don’t like what’s coming off your needles, find another pattern – or change it to make it the way you want it to be.
Yes, some written directions can be confusing, regardless of whether you’re a newbie or seasoned knitter. But never let a pattern undermine your confidence in your own skills or waste your time once you realize you won’t be happy with the piece when it’s done.
When you don’t love what you’re knitting, that’s when you stop. Look for another project or switch out the technique or feature you don’t like for one you do. Your time and your materials – that wonderful yarn you got at Gosh Yarn It! – deserve better. There are always multiple paths in knitting to arrive at the same result. Knitting is only making fabric with yarn and needles, and we knitters have total control over the process – not the designer. Take charge of your knitting and know that your success has been in your hands all along!
– A friend at your local yarn shop
On a very small scale, I faced this issue recently with Wallagrass, a perfectly lovely pattern from Amy Christoffers that begins every row with a yarnover. You can see how my Wallagrass was turning out in the picture below.
The designer must have liked the look of those loops along each edge, but I didn’t. Since that “yo” added a stitch each row, I started over and replaced the yarnovers at the beginning of every row with “knit 1, kfb.” I added 4 stitches to the stitch count before beginning the pattern repeat, which established a 2-stitch garter border on each edge that incorporated the “knit 1, kfb” and kept the increases outside of the pattern repeat. My Wallagrass now looks like this:
I solved my problem my way and am very happy with the results.
Jill just made another Clincher* cowl, one of her favorite patterns. Loops are the main attraction here!
For this clever design from Ash Kearns she chose Malabrigo Arroyo and Freia Flux Sport.
It’s knit flat, and here’s how it looks before you thread the narrow end through the loops to make it a cowl:
Our The Big Y* shop sample in Kelbourne Woolens Scout, a pullover from Hinterm Stein, continues to inspire others to cast on for one of their own. Here is Debbie’s completed The Big Y, also in KW Scout in the beautiful color Meadow Heather. What fine knitting!
More fine knitting, both technically, creatively, and size-wise, comes from Rebecca, who added two more tiny original sweaters to her collection for her holiday wreath. You’ll find the first six included in the last post.
Speaking of the last post, this Saturday, July 31, is the deadline to order the Emma’s Yarn custom kits for Casapinka’s Snark-o-meter Mystery Knit Along, and you can see all the available choices there. Also, Our Manos del Uruguay Alegria colorways are starting to sell out, so don’t delay picking up your favorite from the shop. You’ll want to be all wound up and ready for the first clue on August 14! The designer has posted a full project page for the MKAL here with the latest details.
Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!