Ravellenic Games- Fail.

For the first time since the Ravellenic Games/Ravelympics inception, I couldn't finish my knit in time.

My parents were on vacation during this time, and I went to spend a week in Sudbury with them, so they could spend extra time with Lila. They were a great help, but even with all the extra support, the very real truth emerged- my knitting time is nowhere near what it used to be, or what I've imagined it to be.

I took it pretty hard, to be honest. I had been working on a new design and put it on hold for a couple weeks believing I could dash off this lovely sweater in the alotted time, since I've always been able to complete a sweater during the Olympics before.  But as the closing ceremonies began, and I had neither a finished design nor a completed Ravellenic Games sweater, I felt like failure. I cried. Because this was the clearest signal since little Lila came into the world- my time is not what it used to be.  Not in a bad way, but in a new way that I still have to adjust for. I'm not sure how I'm going to do that, but it's definitely something I have to mull over. And be much more realistic about how long it takes to knit or design something these days.

Next Ravellenic Games, I'll tackle a smaller project. Maybe it'll still be a sweater, but it'll have to be a Lila-sized sweater.

Knitting Fail

So I'd been working on the Agathe Pullover recently, and was all excited to finish it at the cottage over our 2nd wedding anniversary. When I finished the body (but not the sleeves), I tried it on, and......

Fail.

Lesson learned: Face up to the reality of the schematic information. The schematic clearly shows that it's an A-line sweater, and it clearly showed that it was going to be big on me. I thought I could just subtract 20 stitches from the cast on and all would be well. I was so, so wrong. it's still huge around the middle, and snug across the bust.

Second lesson learned: I thought this was a boatneck, because it was tagged as a boatneck on Ravelry pattern info page. And it's pretty believable- the photos on the project page is indeed a boatneck. However, a quick look at the schematic shows that it's a crew neck, and further pattern reading indicates the model is wearing a sweater that is several sizes bigger than what she'd probably normally wear. Again, should've taken that schematic more seriously. The designer had all the accurate information out there, and I chose to imagine an alternate knitting reality.

Third lesson learned: I suck at jogless stripes. Like, really suck. I've read several articles, watched several tutorials, and mine look terrible. I was doing the stationary slipped stitch method. Anyone have a moron-proof jogless stripe technique?

What absolutely kills me is that I was so excited about this sweater. I love the colours, I love the yarn, and I want to love this sweater so badly. I had visions of it being the classic striped boatneck sweater, the perfect thing for me to wear regardless of trends for years to come. So I'm crushed. I haven't frogged it yet, but I don't know what else to do. Ripping the whole thing out and starting over is so depressing. The only other possibility I can think of is to frog to below the bust and add more room in there, and make it a slouchy, sort of oversized sweater. And, of course, make it a boatneck.

FO: Tea Rose Tank Fail

Pattern: Tea Rose Halter

Needles: US 11 / 8mm

Yarn: Patons Cotton DK in royal blue

Mods: Cast on only 74 stitches for the body, decreased to 62 for the ribbing, increased back to 74 when the lace resumed for the bust. Added two crochet chain straps for a tank top configuration, instead of a halter.

Notes: My darlings, I have a problem. And I'm not sure if this is something that is just a given, or if I'm doing something wrong, but every time I try to do ribbing in a cotton yarn, the ribbing bags and pouches. it does not pull things in, like it's supposed to (like ribbing does when knit in wool, for example). This pattern is knitted with DK yarn held quadruple (which is what I did), do you think that was part of the problem?

So... see how the lace pulls in everything, gives a great shape? And see how that ribbing just makes it... wrong? What happened?! This is not the most flattering thing I've ever knit, that's for damn sure.

 I speedily knitted this up in hopes of wearing it on the recent TTC Knitalong, but no go. I wore this instead. I think, sadly, that the Tea Rose Tank is destined for the frog pond.

FO: Fail.

I had recently spent a night at a friend's place (who is an interior designer, so I shouldn't feel badly) and coveted her beautiful apartment on the spot. Not the location, not the price, but just the way it felt. You walked in and instantly knew that this was a great apartment- the walnut floors, the dove grey walls, that just-so mash of furniture and textures that looks unstudied, but is actually the product of great style and years of practice. There were even peonies wilting perfectly in the summer heat on the dining room table. It was like walking into a magazine. And I was jealous. Now, I'm the kind of person who refuses to feel jealous. I'm convinced that people are the architects of their own lives, and that if we want something to be different, then we damn well have to change it ourselves. So, G and I walked around our cluttered, poorly organized apartment and talked. We talked about the design styles we both like, parts of the decor that were working, parts that weren't. And what we were going to do about it. And how we were going to get started right away. One of our biggest challenges is storage, and the fact that my yarn stash pretty much consumes it. I spent several hours hauling out my yarn stash and carefully cataloging it in a spreadsheet: (oddly blurred screenshot. This is only a small portion of the spreadsheet!) Which was really useful, because now I find myself hunting for specific projects that will deplete the stash. I'm not on a yarn diet, but I feel like I just need to be smarter with what I've got. So, the perfect storm of wanting to be more decisive about my decor, and needing to use up some stash, is how I ended up attempting a big puff:Pattern: Puff Daddy Needles: 15mm Yarn: 5 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun, held 5 together Mods: none Notes: Okay, this is a total and utter fail. My puff does not look anything like the pattern puff. Last night, while staring at this weird thing, I realized that it's because the giant rectangle that you are supposed to knit (and then join and seam) wasn't long enough, resulting in not enough expansion room to round out the puff to it's preferred dimensions. I think it would have been more helpful if the pattern noted the dimensions of the rectangle. G looked at it, and helpfully suggested that if we rearranged the stuffing it might improve. I tried to rearrange the stuffing, then he tried to rearrange the stuffing. It would round out one side, but then collapse and dent the other side because it was being pulled too tightly. Which means that I either have to a) frog and re-use the yarn for something else, or b) buy more of the same yarn. Which is frustrating- I was trying to destash it!! Although, I will say that this yarn seems really well suited to the pattern, and the price is excellent. I know a lot of people turn their nose up at Walmart-stocked yarns, but for something that will take a beating on the floor of your place, you probably want something hard wearing and and won't cause you to freak out if someone spills wine on it. Now, to wipe away the image of failure from your eyeballs, please feast your eyes on these AMAZING knitted chairs at Melanie Porter.