I Knit Something!

 This is my 4th post this year. Wow. A new low. That indicates also, how little I've knit (or sewn, or crafted) this year. Until the end of June I was too swamped with work. Then I started the summer out with an injured toe. I was sitting a lot, but researching a vacation, learning Canva, and doing digital art. The toe recovery created knee issues which required more time doing nothing. As vacation loomed, I realized I didn't want to (or needed to) knit dish cloths again. I really wanted a couple shrugs. They're so versatile. When the air conditioning is blasting in the truck, when you go into a building with A/C, in the fall when you're warm inside but need a bit more on your arms under your coat. I had a "white" one I knit on the Singer 327 a long time ago (2010?!). I like that one, but the ruffle on the sleeves is a bit much sometimes, especially inside a jacket. I did a lot of searching of the books I have, and my "queue" on Ravelry, and opted for 

A shrug would be perfect road trip knitting, right? Haaa Haaa. I'm not sure exactly when I started, but it was before we actually left. I have a swatch picture from July 23, though it's not the stitch pattern I ended up using. I ended up using Drop Stitch Shrug pattern but modified the shape a bit.

We left on Aug 6 (at 4:38AM!), and I'm sure I had cast on before we left because I knew I would not be able to do that in the dark. I remember I did a crochet cast on so that the cast on and cast off would match. I sort of recall doing it at a "Brass on the Grass" concert (free summer concert by our local brass band), and trying to remember how to do it, especially since I didn't have a crochet hook with me.

As I got into this, I realized I had probably misjudged the gauge and so I increased more for the arm. I had a hard time working the increases into the double rib pattern. As such, the seam on one arm is okay, the other arm, not so much. When I finally got to sewing up, I was done with it. 

I also had a hard time remembering to add the yarn over to the first group of stitches on every other pattern repeat. When the pattern had you drop the yarn over in the first group, it was easy to remember, but when it started with just a knit 2, it was hard to remember to yarn over--even though it came right after a marker!! Then I'd discover this 6 rows later. The yarn over is not just for lace, it creates a stitch that gets dropped after six rows, and it only drops down to the yarn over row. You can't add in that extra width that is created by the dropped stitch (like how with a lace pattern you can squeeze in a yarn over and ladder up a few rows...if you then try to drop that stitch, the ones on either side close in again). So, I'd knit 12 rows, take out 6. After a few times, I'd take out four, then twist the strand into a yarn over two rows below.  Eventually I started to check more carefully. It probably didn't help that most of the trip was raining, or I was navigating.

I added length to the sleeves. I added width to the cast on bit (I was basically trying to recreate the white shrug). Apparently I didn't add the same to both edges (these get sewn together at one underarm). Then, on the back, I apparently added a whole new column to the stitch pattern instead of ribbing it (I had lost the stitch marker for the left edge). I was not ripping back. It is noticeable :( as it's in the middle of the back. I thought maybe if the top rolled over, it wouldn't show. The top doesn't roll over, the bottom doesn't roll under, but it's under my hair if I wear it with the mistake at the top.

I actually started two shrugs. I thought this was going to be a quick knit. I underestimated the yarn thickness. It's Sirdar "Country Style" Double Knitting  (45% acrylic 40% nylon, 15% wool). I had found a stash of it years ago on sale at a yarn store (I think) and bought it up to make a cardigan. I had envisioned a Fair Isle band around the bottom and a shawl collar (yes, I might be an 80 year old man). Then I found even more of it somewhere else....so I have a few colours. The recommended gauge is 4mm, 22st/28rows. I ended up using 3.5mm. What?! That's the needles on the end table beside where I had been knitting the last few rows. No way I knit this on 3.5mm. I know it couldn't be knit too loose or the dropped stitches would lose their shape, but 3.5mm?! No wonder it took me so bloody long.

Once school started again, I really didn't have many opportunities to knit. I don't watch TV anymore. We switched from Rogers to Bell, so I lost hours of recorded series, movies, and special shows. I tried to watch TV again, but 1)the commercials drove me crazy 2) I couldn't find my stations and the guide channel was in French and not helpful and 3) I couldn't figure out the recording options. Finally, I was determined to finish.

I didn't do the greatest job with seaming one sleeve. I couldn't tell where to go in the edge stitch. When I had set up the pattern, I didn't think ahead to seaming. All in all, not my greatest knit. I do love the finished result though! Exactly what I wanted, even if one sleeve seems to be 6 rows (1 repeat) longer than the other. I also can't bend my arm/shoulder enough to grab the bottom edge to stretch it out once I put it one (I have to put it on over my head like a hoodie LOL). I might give it a shot of steam. 

Maybe I'll have the other one finished by Christmas. I just don't know what else to knit. Megan didn't want a gnome for her college residence :( I have lots of shawls (barely wear them, mainly as scarves), enough hats, mitts, scarves...the charity I used to make blankets for folded (I had 7 or 8 still to donate so they went to the Christmas bazaar at my inlaw's church). I made the hat and mitts for Lucy's boyfriend but I don't know if he wants anything more. Megan's boyfriend is in Thunder Bay, but I doubt she'll want me to make anything for him. I have plenty of wool socks that I rarely wear. I don't knit for newborn photographers anymore. So what? Someone tell me what to knit so I can use up some yarn!

Yarn In:  0g
Yarn Out: 150gr + 470gr = 620gr
Balance: 620gr more OUT than in
Costs: $0