I started a project from One Skein Wonders edited by Judith Durant (Storey Publishing). It's the floral mesh shawl on page 196. I may have bitten off more than I can chew. It's a lace pattern with a chart. Patterns are mathematical and I am not very mathematical. Knitting charts--and this is quite a small one besides--make me break out in a cold sweat, but even the verbal instruction seemed beyond me on this one.
The first attempt was a disaster so I pulled that out. At least I had only completed the tedious collar and only about seven or eight rows of the pattern.
The second attempt went better for the tedious collar but there were problems as soon as I started on the body. For one thing, it clearly was not going to be a shawl but a poncho. A poncho I could live with, but too many other mistakes have led me to unravel twice now. I got thirty-nine rows into the pattern before completely messing up one of four sections. I could not figure out what I had done wrong let alone attempt to correct it.
I may not be be a natural born knitter or pattern understander, but I am stubbornly persistent. So...I have started take three. Once again I got through the tedious collar. I managed to make the transition to the body of the shawl without turning it into a poncho. I have made some progress on the pattern now and--lo and behold--the pattern seems to be actually speaking to my fingers. I stopped trying to wrap my head around the project and am trusting the spiritual knitting guides. I may actually get a shawl out of this!
Good thing I don't do this knitting so I can sell completed items, because no one would be able to afford a handmade shawl that takes sixty thousand hours to knit.
The first attempt was a disaster so I pulled that out. At least I had only completed the tedious collar and only about seven or eight rows of the pattern.
The second attempt went better for the tedious collar but there were problems as soon as I started on the body. For one thing, it clearly was not going to be a shawl but a poncho. A poncho I could live with, but too many other mistakes have led me to unravel twice now. I got thirty-nine rows into the pattern before completely messing up one of four sections. I could not figure out what I had done wrong let alone attempt to correct it.
I may not be be a natural born knitter or pattern understander, but I am stubbornly persistent. So...I have started take three. Once again I got through the tedious collar. I managed to make the transition to the body of the shawl without turning it into a poncho. I have made some progress on the pattern now and--lo and behold--the pattern seems to be actually speaking to my fingers. I stopped trying to wrap my head around the project and am trusting the spiritual knitting guides. I may actually get a shawl out of this!
Bless you for attempting lace. I finally gave up my guilt over not knitting lace or anything else compicated. Now I just cruise along with simple, soothing socks.
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll post a picture for us to see when the shawl is finished.
I was going to ask how you could knit at the beach until I saw the yarn. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAll I wanted to do was to knit a simple lace bookmark. Not having done lace before, but not being a total dummy either, I decided I should do a test run with some larger needles and worsted yarn.
ReplyDeleteFour days and at least 20 tries later, I decided I didn't want a knitted lace bookmark after all.
I love knitting, but I only do variations on rectangles because the patterns just make me nervous. I can only knit and purl. But what I really like to do is knit something and then felt it. I'll have to post the next thing I make.
ReplyDeleteI think this a great undertaking. Even if the piece takes hours up hours to finish, think of the great workout your brain is getting. I think that benefit alone is enough to keep this thing going.
ReplyDeleteMy reply: Hats are my soothing projects. Socks are still a challenge because I haven't mastered a round needle method.
ReplyDeleteThe color is what keeps me going on this--I REALLY want to wrap myself in that color.
So very wise to start small and even do a practice piece first. I am not that smart--which is why the brain workout is so badly needed.
Felting--my first few hats were felted into artsy little containers. No, I mean I was practicing hats while my intention was to make artsy little containers.
That color would be a driving force. Keep on keeping on.
ReplyDeleteThat is a pretty color!
ReplyDelete