This week on the blog, we’re excited to feature a post from our teammate Erin. After decades of knitting, she discovered there are still “firsts” to be had.
One of my favorite things about knitting is that there’s always something new to learn, no matter how long you’ve been at it. Next February will mark forty years (!!) since I first picked up needles as a student in Germany. After years of scarves, hats, socks, and baby gifts, I fell in love with the world of shawls. Lace, colorwork, cables, beads—the more challenging, the better!
When I moved from long-term client to brand-new coworker at Monarch last year, it gave me the push I needed to tackle my fear of adult sweaters. I had knit a couple before, but the fit was never quite right. Inspired by my amazinginly talented coworkers and our wonderful clients, I decided it was time to try again. I've now finished three sweaters - two of them I had to pull out completely and start over after massive fit disasters, so it's really more like five sweaters! But they fit, they match what I had in mind when I selected yarn and pattern, and I love them all. I learned so many lessons in yarn selection, top-down sweater construction, and finishing my knits!
As soon as I sawn Bergliebe by Isabell Kraemer, I knew I wanted to knit it in Cricket, a tweedy, rustic yarn from Kelbourne Woolens. I did plenty of swatching, since Cricket knits up differently than the yarn in the pattern. After years on computers, arthritis has already crept in and I found that my hands prefer wooden and square needles. My gauge changes drastically going from metal to wood, and it even changes a bit between different types of wood needles.
Once I found the right needles to create the fabric I wanted, it was time to compare my gauge to the pattern gauge: 20 sts x 28 rows instead of 23 sts x 34 rows = 4 inches. I read through the entire pattern and made notes of the changes I would need to make as I knit to adjust for my gauge.
FINALLY, I was ready to cast on! All that prep gave me confidence as I focused on gauge, short rows, and textured stitches—and I was having so much fun. The only hiccup was a stiff needle cord, which I assumed just needed breaking in.
Dear Reader, it was not the cord.
For the first time in all those years of knitting, I twisted my cast on. I had made a beautiful two inch wide Möbius strip of wool!
I've learned the hard way NOT to pull anything out - especially late at night - until I've set it aside and had a chance to look at it in the clear light of day. I even had my colleagues confirm. Yep. It's a Möbius strip.
I'll set it aside and work on a quick Christmas gift project to clear my mind, but I'll cast on and begin again in a few days. I still love the combination of yarn and pattern, and I still want to wear the sweater I can see in my head.
Turns out, there’s always another loop, twist, or surprise in knitting. There is always a new mistake to be made, a new lesson to learn, and more knitting to do!
What about you? Any mishaps or stitching bloopers to share?
Lol Erin so brave to share, but inspiring. I have a doesn’t fit oversized, like could fit a horse oversized, sweater staring at me each time I open my closet. You have given me a little push, to perhaps one dark stormy night get it out and rip it apart. LOL Happy knitting.
Hi Erin,
Please share the pattern and the yarn used in the cowl in the photo that you are wearing. Its lovely!
Thank you,
Irene
Bloopers – where to start?! How about starting a new skein in the middle of the row instead of on the side – yes, I know better! Or tightening loose under arm stitches and cutting then tying the yarn instead of ripping out and reknitting? (Did one then the other – I also know better) What I didn’t know was that using a provisional cast on at the sweater neck would result in a super loose cast on row on the collar side of the neck. So after adding the ribbing I went around and tightened stitches. Now I have some super long yarn to cut, tie and weave in. It would have been easier to do a normal cast on and then add ribbing – or go down a few needle sizes for the cast on. All I know is that I am not starting the whole sweater over. I think it will be nearly invisible. But lesson learned!
What a great inspirational story. Love this. Thank you so much for sharing your journey!