No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better...

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Defiance

So, I had a very definite idea as to the way I wanted the ripple scarf to look.  And I thought Karin Bole's pattern would be just the ticket.  The pattern called for US6 (4mm) needles.  But I only had US8 (5mm) ones.  And not just any old US 8 needles.  THESE knitting needles:


Bought from a nice Australian shop called Coffee and a Yarn.  I mean, who wouldn't want to knit on these, right?  And what's a millimetre between friends?  So I cast on and did a few rows.  



And it was all ripply and everything.  But somehow, well, it wasn't quite right.


The thing is, I really didn't want a ridge between the changes of colour and the pattern called for a knit row after the ripple row.  But because I am so clever (sic), I knew that all I needed to do was purl that row instead.  

So, I ripped it all and started again.

And then I decided that I wasn't happy with just a couple of ripples per row.  So, I figured out that by adding 18 stitches and repeating the ripple row repeat three times instead of two, I would achieve what I wanted.  Are you with me?  So, I ripped it and started again.

And then I figured out the reason the pattern called for US 6 rather than US8 needles - the larger size left larger holes in the ripple.  And I didn't like it.  So, I ripped it and started again.  This time with the right needles. (Sensible ones without the toadstool tops.  Sniff.)


And that's when the fun started.  I have already mentioned here that I am a Serious Person with a Serious Job.  I went to school for a long time and everything.  So, somewhere along the way you would think I might have acquired the capacity to count to six.  That's basically what the pattern requires.  But no.  I have lost track of how many times I have lost track of where I am in the ripple row.  It's not difficult.  You just need to concentrate every third row in four.  And even then, and allowing for the extra 18 stitches, they are not long rows.  56 stitches.  C'mon.



Okay, so there's a definite ripple.  And that's a good thing.  And there are no ridges between the rows, so my cunning plan worked.  But the middle ripple sort of wavers there in the first few rows until I got a grip and settled into it.  And by then I'd ripped it so many times that I hadn't the heart to start yet again.

So, here it is.  The beginnings of a wavery ripple.



And no-one could ever accuse it of being shop bought...

I have to say that, despite looking a bit more hairy than I expected, the wool is lovely to knit with and it feels soooo soft.  I think when I finish it, somewhere around 2045, I'm going to love it. That's if I don't rip it and start again.

C.x


10 comments:

  1. You go, girl!!
    It looks gorgeous- I love the colours AND the ripple too!
    Xx

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  2. Don't you dare rip it, it's looking great. Seriously, my favourite colours with a groovy pattern, it'll be fab!

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  3. I think the ripple looks great, and its incredible you can knit ripples!
    Funny in one of your other posts, I noticed that we are both the same age, and in this one noticed that we are both Serious People with Serious Jobs who went to school/uni for s Seriously long time!

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  4. It may (or may not) be a consolation to know that I too am a Serious Person with Academic Credentials and a Serious Job, and I can't count to 7 when knitting. I learned this by knitting half of a hat for a newborn baby cousin and discovering the ribs staggered back and forth like drunken sailors.

    Everything I knit is now done up with markers for every pattern repeat.

    Your scarf looks fine. Once it's done give it a good soak in cool water and pat it out flat to dry. Works wonders, I promise.

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  5. I'm working on a ripple scarf/stole, too. Are you going to leave the end straight? I'm going to try to graft on a short ripple part with 3-needle bind-off, probably at the row 1 knit line. I keep track by writing line by line on index cards, which I put on a ring. That way I don't forget which line I'm on, even on this little 4-line pattern.
    Kathy from Michigan

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  6. I like it, and I didn't notice the early wobbles :) I tried a similar pattern and I have to say that counting to 6 got the best of me too!

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  7. Every now and then I take the notion to knit something. Usually, it's a bit like you, I don't have quite the right yarn or needles, and I rip it out over and over, and I wonder why I ever wanted to inflict this on myself. Well done you for persisting and working it out. It looks lovely. and I like the colours together. Love Linda x

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  8. Oooo I missed this post, you are very quick, or I am very slow, one of the other. I love the scarf it is fabulous and looks great. What do patterns know anyway.

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