journal

Behold insanity

Well, not really insanity, just mild stupidity.

Worsted weight silk-wool twisted single + 2.5 mm needles + lots of twisty little stitches, all alike = not very clever.

Since, of course, silk-wool singles like this — while they may not pill as soon as you look at them — do tend to at least fuzz up to some degree while they’re being manipulated on the needles, I planned to knit the yarn at a denser gauge than its weight ordinarily called for.

That was only half-clever, because the increased handling as a result of the denser gauge (and the texture design) seems to have negated that advantage.

And possibly adding to the problem is the fact that forming the traveling stitches can remove the twist from individual stitches, making it harder to catch every last fibre in the strand. Especially when you don’t use a cable needle.

Not to mention the twisting of the individual stitches themselves, since all the RS knit stitches are through the back loop. That undoes some of the twist, too.

Still, I love the feel of this yarn when knitted up. I just wish the texture didn’t remind me of the tasseled cords used to tie back my parents’ living room curtains, circa 1977 (mmm, rayon tassels!). At least the colour’s not the same.

[It’s a cardigan. Never mind her working name, because she doesn’t look like her name. Tubular cast-on to 1×1 rib, extends to small cables leading into ogee arches. I’ve been working at it on and off for a few months, and I’m not even done the short row shaping to bring the back and front to the same depth before reaching the shoulders. Because of the shaping, the repeats actually vary in size — smallest in front, and larger in the back. They work up into having the same width (i.e. stitch count) by the end of the short rows, but have different heights. Estimated completion date: uh, whenever.

The yarn is eggplant over brown aran-weight (I call it worsted weight) silk-wool blend from Sundara. I have to sit on my hands when she updates her site. I go so far as to compose an e-mail listing everything I want to order, and then I tell myself sternly that I have plenty of yarn, and I usually listen and delete the message. I don’t feel bad, though, because when I check back ten minutes later, the yarn is all gone.]

6 Responses to “Behold insanity”

1. 1
   sarah said on February 13th, 2007 at 9:12 am

   Whatever her name, that sweater is lovely now and will be stunning, absolutely stunning when finished. I know precisely what you mean about Sundara’s stuff. I’m knitting her aran silky wool myself, in black/charcoal over blue. So soft, and such glorious colours.

2. 2
   Karen said on February 13th, 2007 at 11:16 am

   Twisty little stitches, all alike… I know I’m dating myself by knowing exactly what that’s taken from, but it cracks me up. Beautiful beginning to the cardigan!

3. 3
   turtlegirl76 said on February 13th, 2007 at 6:29 pm

   Given your penchant for tiny cables on tiny needles (I’m thinking Shedir) I’m not surprised to see this. It’s gorgeous and it’s a shame that the yarn is reacting the way it is. I hope it doesn’t take away from the FO.

4. 4
   Corbie said on February 13th, 2007 at 7:01 pm

   Looks lovely from here! I know, in person it’s probably fuzzier, but the picture, so far, looks promising.

5. 5
   juliagr said on February 16th, 2007 at 11:34 am

   Will be checking back on progress until, um, whenever. Bee-you-ti-ful. Where, Girl, do you find the TIME?

6. 6
   Jennifer said on March 27th, 2007 at 3:47 pm

   I bought 2 skeins of the same colour from Sundara. You must have bought the rest! It’s beautiful.

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