Allrighty Then...

I'm declaring an event. Olympic event that is.  It's not high on technical difficulty, but rather an endurance event.  I declare myself officially on Team Cable USA with the Cabled Shrug, Fall '05 IK.  No I won't be competing using cashmere, though.  The Cherry Tree Hill Potluck Bulky will have to do.  So, move over Pat, I'm on my way to the village.  Enough pussy-footing around!  I'm in!

On the Technical Front

Thanks to those who sent and posted answers to my query of this morning.  Ruth reminded me of the actually Jaywalker stitch as Grumperina wrote it, which would be wonderful, except my stitch count would be wrong and I'd have to totally rip...I'm going from 4 stitches to 2 where the JW goes from 3 to 1 -- a double decrease, but not for this blanket if I can help it.  Margene's tip seemed to be right on.  Tried it and got the same, I mean exactly the same result.  Still had bars.

Then Georgia, my LYS owner and the queen of all things knitting, my hero, reminded me of something.  Which I have actually read on the web somewhere lately -- remind me where if you remember.  This yarn is Italian.  For those of you for whom this is not 'nuff said, let me continue. 

Many Italian mills hedge their yarn bets.  They spin very fine gauge yarns, laceweight or smaller, usually two-ply, for machine fabrication -- the clothing industry.  They then ply that already two-ply yarn into yarn for handknitters.  Two birds, one stone.  This yarn is made up of eight of those two-ply strands.  Here's the kicker.  My right-leaning decreases (k2tog) twist this yarn 1/4 turn to the right -- tighter.  So those stitches nestle themselves down into the knitting and disappear -- tighter gauge, smaller stitch.   My left leaning turns untwist the yarn a quarter turn.  So, this loosely-plied, lofty yarn is going to grow -- these bigger, larger stitches ride on top of the knitting.  Georgia said Margene's trick should have fixed it, Would have done in different, less lofty yarn -- one with fewer strands in it.  But this yarn won't fix.  But what if I pull it from the outside of the ball, I asked.  You guessed it, then my other decreases would be wonky.  She's right.  I tried it.  So, short story long, wonky this blanket stays.   It's the nature of the yarn and I love this yarn so it stays.  And, really, only a total Cliff Clavin of yarn would know, notice, or care.  Call me Cliff.

 

Comments

[Laura]

My view about the bar is that the receiver will think of it as a pretty part of the pattern. I love the color and look forward to seeing the FO. Your Georgia is so smart - we need her as a technical writer in a knitting magazine! :)

[margene]

In the all of it it won't matter. The total pattern is busy and beautiful and that's what everyone will see.

[Ruth]

Oh. But at the end of the day Laura and Margene are right ... the recipient won't give the bars a second thought, will just assume they're supposed to be there. My mother's scarf has those bars on the center decrease, and she couldn't care a whit. Thinks they're a lovely decorative touch.