Thursday, May 2, 2013

I'm not speaking to my handknit legwarmers

Knitting: sometimes you can't get enough, sometimes it's torture (and yet you still can't get enough.  what gives?)

This past winter I discovered the practical value of wool legwarmers to fill the gap between top of boot and bottom of miniskirt, and I was excited to knit a pair in an actual colour and not just black.  So excited to get the yarn wound into cakes and cast on and start knitting.  Yay! Stripey legwarmers!

But warning bells started almost right away, even though I got to knit on the sofa while watching some really good movies.  Behind the actors' dialogue, a love/hate conversation in my head went like this:

These stripes are so pretty!  And so boring to knit!  I'll be finished this round soon (yeah, if you count next week as 'soon'.)  Yay, only an hour to get half an inch!  and I wanted, what, 16 inches?  No problem!  It's so much fun to knit this stripe and will be for another 63 hours of bliss!

Translation: something was not right with my stitch count.  Finally I gave up and went outside to take note of reality, aka new legwarmers vs. old.


You know I measured and checked gauge and measured again and did math before I cast on, right?  Because I am good that way, even though it's no guarantee bad stuff won't happen.  As proven by this picture because not only are the handknit legwarmers about 2" wider around the top than the ones I had already, the ones I had already sometimes fall down when I'm walking.  Even though the ribbing at the top of the handknit version is narrower and should hold, I suspect this doesn't bode well.

and yet, the stripes are so pretty:


and - holy crow, that is just massive, isn't it.  I mean, it fits comfortably around my leg well above my knee where I want to be warm, but I'm probably going to want them to work in more environments than just 'testing for two seconds while sitting on the couch with an audiobook'.

In other news: hello, yardage?  I did more math and it looks like I'll definitely have enough yarn to make these as long as I wanted even at their current top circumference.  Just enough.  Which counts!  But isn't exactly reassuring.

Two options, people:

1/ keep knitting, because they're probably fine and I did measure and I shouldn't second guess myself all the time especially when the problem may really be that I'm not superhugely enjoying the yarn/needle combination I've got.

2/ frog... even if only back to the base of the ribbing for a quick stitch reduction before I go on; better to lose 2 hours' work than go on for another 63 hours plus reknitting time.

Right now I'm going with Door Number Three, which is 'ignoring the legwarmers into submission.'  I'll let you know how that goes.

Meanwhile, have  a great day, and I'll see you tomorrow!


ps yes, I checked - the legwarmer start is the right size for my leg, yet too small for a hat.  probably I should not be annoyed by this, but rather grateful that my leg isn't the size of my head.

2 comments:

Leslie said...

I have a current hat/scarf project on the needles that I hate. I am almost finished with both (matching set, should have said that), but man, working on it is such a hassle. Good thing winter is a long way away! :)

Mary Keenan said...

You are so right Leslie: and in fact, spinning season is just around the corner!! Take that, legwarmers!