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Friday, September 30, 2011

I See Dead [Knitting]

Every fall, when they cut hay on this odd shaped field, I think it looks like a garter stitch shawl.



Yarn over increases in the middle and everything.



Just like this UFO (unfinished object).



The right side got a little wonky there, but nothing that a good blocking wouldn't fix ;-).



Garter stitch ridges.



The UFO is not only an unfinished object, but also a 'most likely never to be finished object'. I saw this shawl on display at Midwest Fiber and Folk Art last year and fell in love with it. It's a basic garter knit shawl pattern alternating two skeins of yarn - a colorful skein and a gradient light gray to black skein.

So what happened you ask. It looks like you are at least halfway done with it you say. As slow as you knit, there have got to be tons and tons of hours of knitting in there! You would be right.

The colors aren't matching up in the same order as the original shawl. And I noticed that early on but thought it would be okay, never dreaming orange would get paired up with dark gray/black somewhere down the road.

I've thought about just ripping back those rows and picking up a different part of the skein(s), but without starting it from the top in exactly the same combinations there's no telling what the next combinations would produce.

The design of the whole shawl is just based on color combinations. That I don't like. I'm trying to get up the nerve to frog it (rippit out ;-) and start fresh. I really did like the original version.

Any better ideas?

10 comments:

I'm gonna tell Mom! said...

Can you just rip back to the section of color combo you don't like, break off the yarn and remove that one color and splice the skein back in? Also- It may not be as bad as you think if you just keep going- once more color is added in the section that looks awful (to You) right now may not be so offensive when surrounded by the rest of the shawl.

kim

p.s. I think it looks LOVELY, and I see garter stitch in those fields, too. I am happy to know that I am not the only person who sees knitting possiblities in unexpected places!

jordiw said...

Read Kaffe Fassett and just keep knitting. You will be surprised to find that the next combination will blend with the prior one and it won't stick out at all. I have done several scarves like this, mostly scarves, not shawls, and the only one I hated was the one I tried to eliminate a color combo from.

Just do the process, like so many other processes, you have to keep on. I will bet you that it will resolve itself and you will be glad you did.

The other alternative is to send it to me and I will finish it (i knit fast) and you can have it back if you like it..

there are always options!

Dawn said...

I think its pretty now, but if you really dont like it, finish it and donate it to a nursing home. I am sure there is a cold person out there that would love the warmth.

Sheepmom said...

I vote to finish it, but if you still don't like the colors, try throwing it in your next walnut dye pot!!

Michelle said...

I think it's beautiful and would be loved by SOMEone on your gift list, so finish it and be one gift ahead of most of us!

Alice said...

Such good ideas you’ve been given!!
I agree that you need to finish it. Then if you don’t care to keep it, I know places that would find it a treasure and the toasty shawl on their shoulders would also put a warm spot in your heart ( and theirs, too).

Alice said...

addendum: Intriguing photos!! They DO look like your shawl pattern ( kinda of eerie).

Jennie C said...

That is so cool...the field do look like a garter knit shawl....

And I think you should finish the shawl to Sara... It looks great :)

Terry and Linda said...

You are ever so right...farming does look like stitching...very cool!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

flowerweaver said...

That little field is interesting. I don't think the shawl looks bad at all. If the orange and black stand out, wear it on Halloween!