Sunday, February 14, 2021

Yopping Update #33 - Two wrongs do make a right

 


It seems like socks are all I want to knit right now, although after this week's fiasco I may have to re-think my 'inspiration'.

Before I regale you with my sad (and stupid) tale I can post my finished Hermione's Everyday Socks.  


I love the fit, and I will definitely knit this pattern again. 

Then after much hemming and hawing I started a new pair of socks that have been in my queue for years. 

Maryana was a mystery knit back in 2013 and the pattern comes in four installments.  Ravelers' pattern notes indicate that this sock knits up big, so I chose the smallest size and cast on the required 66 stitches.  So far so good, right?

The leg is divided into two sections - the back section of 26 stitches and the front section of 42 stitches. 

The back section is p2,k2 through the next 71 rows. The front section is K3, (p2, k2) ending with another K3 for 41 rows and then start the cable pattern.  Simple, right?  I was off.  I whipped through the 41 rows and the next day was ready to start the cable pattern.  

Here is where things went seriously awry.  I chose the cable pattern, and on the first row I realized that I had misread the instructions and the front section should have been k3, p2, k3, (p2,k2) ending with another k3,p2,k3.  What??????

I did not want to frogged 41 rows of ribbing so I thought (being the smarty pants I am) that I would ladder down the stitches that needed to be changed from purls to knits and vice versa.  With me so far??

I had laddered and picked up about six stitch rows (each row - ladder down 41 rows, ladder up 41 rows. )  About half way through I realized that it wasn't working count wise - I was never going to end with the 3 knit stitches.  

Because?     Well, because I had done it right in the first place, but by accident I was now looking at the cable chart for the medium size!!  

So what did I have to do you ask??  

Well, I had to go back and ladder back down, and ladder back up the rows I had changed. 

Doh!!  Rookie mistake.  (Of which I seem to be making a lot of these days.)

Lucky for me once I got myself sorted (and now have LOTS of practice laddering down and picking up stitches) the cable pattern went quite quickly.  

Ok - truthfully I had made one cable mistake about four rows down and did have to ladder down and up again to fix a left cable that I had made a right cable.  (Thank God for the tiny crochet hooks I have from my Grandmother that makes picking up 2mm stitches easy peasy). 

I am now on the heel - and things are going smoothly (knock on wood, throw salt over my shoulder, avoid walking under ladders).  Walking under ladders!  No pun was intended, but still that is pretty funny. 

I like how the colourway is working up


It has been colder this week, but drier weather wise so I did get out for a walk everyday except yesterday.  

Worrying about the ducks as the pond is frozen over

Every day I take a different cowl out for my walk 


Hubby and I shoveled the driveway and the back deck yesterday which displaced my walk and today I feel some muscles I haven't noticed for quite some time.

It is still snowing today, and looks very pretty and peaceful out my living room window.  It is not the first time in our 39 years here that we have had a snowy Valentine's Day.  In fact, I have come to expect it.  

 

I love the look of snow on the cedars

That was my week.  I leave you with a hopeful picture of proof that spring is coming.

Red chlorophyll shoots

To follow other yoppers you can see their posts at the right side of this blog.  



12 comments:

  1. The snow is so pretty ours is as good as gone unfortunately. Your sock is gorgeous and worth all the pandering....I hope!

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  2. WOW. Congrats on all the laddering. I'm still not too good at it and often have to rip out rows instead. :( I also love the Hermione pattern. Easy but looks great.

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  3. well done for sorting out the socks - I am a stickler for fixing mistakes :-D

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  4. You lost me when you said "the leg is divided into two sections". That said, I admire your tenacity for resolving the problem, and I look forward to seeing the complete pair when you're finished. :) And how fun that you have enough cowls that you can wear different ones when you go for your walks. Something to aspire to. Both winter walks, and numerous cowls. :)

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  5. OHH!! I love that you are intentionally taking a different cowl out each day. A bright knit makes a dreary day a little nicer.

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  6. Oh Mary-Anne.......I hate to say this but............I had tears rolling down my face while reading you adventures of sock knitting. You have fabulous stamina to ladder down and up 41 rows, not once but twice. Goodness sakes. My socks would have been in time out long before that. Your Hermione socks look very nice. The colorway on your new adventurous socks is great too.

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  7. How frustrating, I absolutely feel your frustration I’ve made similar mistakes moving from one pattern size to another and I was right all along but not after going down so many rows. If you are worried about the ducks then on your next walk take some frozen peas with you and by the time you get there they’ll have defrosted a bit and are ideal for ducks. Bread is not good for them which I’m sure you’ll know but not many people know about frozen peas.

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  8. Well, I didn't quite understand all that you described but glad it all turned out in the end! I am not ready for Spring...we are getting snow now and I love it! I love your cowl!

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  9. I would have given up on those socks lol! Although truthfully I don't think my skills are up to socks anyway. Is Spring coming? I really hope so.

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  10. You're a better woman than me, I would have tossed those socks into the "Maybe Some Time In the Future" OR "never again" piles. Kudos and the finished socks look lovely.

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  11. Don't feel bad about your 'silly' mistake. It's easily done. That's the sort of thing that I do, especially when affected by fatigue. I'd imagine that, if you were affected by anxiety or stress through all the pandemic, health issues etc., your concentration would be impeded. In other words, please do not chastise yourself for those knitting errors.
    It is pleasing to see you wearing the "sheep-sheep-alpaca-sheep" cowl. (What is its proper name again?) It looks cosy and perfect for outdoor pursuits. I'm enjoying your sock adventures too.

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    1. the cowl is called 'I'll pack a cowl for Rhinebeck'. You can find the pattern on Rav

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