So, here I am - admitting that biting off a big ole chunk of lace project is a bit more than I can chew. No worries - calm down...I'm still going to do and am extremely excited about the lace KAL Secret of the Stole...I'm just going to try it in a fingering or even worsted weight yarn first. Let's see if I can make sense of this for you...
I've always preferred larger yarns and have done most of my many years of knitting in worsted or larger. (My thinking must be: "Bigger is Better" and then there's that whole "Instant Gratification" thing which comes with using bulky yarns). Then I was injured on the job several years ago and have lost most of the feeling in my right hand and arm...so doing delicate work is a challenge. I can no longer manage actually holding a needle in that right hand (it sucks to always be dropping both the needle and stitches), and I have to run the yarn across all 4 fingers to feel it enough to maintain any semblance of tension. So I've adopted a rather unusual method of knitting.. I prop the right needle - in my waistband, a tummy-fold (you know what those are), the crease of a thigh-meets-hip...get it? This leaves the right hand free to wrangle with the yarn with all fingers. It works but boy howdy, is it not fun to deal with fine delicate "thread".
I chose this gorgeous lace weight Merino from Italy - it's a deep teal and soft as a baby's you-know-what...but it's freaking thread! It makes my sock yarn feel like rope! (Or mooring line to the watery ones amongst us). I laughed so hard at myself as I tried and tried again to make this work. Casting on and knitting the first 3 rows was fine...delicate and nerve-wracking but OK. And you can see in the pic how open-minded I am about all of this...I have 5 or 6 sets of needles ready to try. (I was pretty determined to make this work!) Then I somehow added 3 stitches to the next row....tinked a bit but added 5 more stitches to the next row! 6 times I frogged the whole mess and started over but I must admit defeat. Here...you can see for yourself...
Now, granted, I only slid the other needle through half of the stitches but you can see...I got all catter-wampus right off the bat! Fingers can't feel it, eyes are yelling at brain which defends itself by yelling at fingers who sit there and go "Duh". Not gonna work - not gonna make myself crazy but instead, am gonna go shopping for a fingering or maybe even a worsted that "speaks" to me as being do-able for the SotS KAL.
I'm gonna do it. I just have to do it "my way".
And in maintaining my mantra of "It's All Good", I do get to brag and feel awesome about a couple of things here. First - I used the chart! Woohoo! It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought! Silly me for worrying about it...all I had to do was try. (Sheepish grin here and yes, pardon the pun). Secondly, I sit proud knowing that as I work with the smaller yarns, as I knit along with loads of other folks...I will learn to not only become more comfortable with the finer stuff but just might also pick up some tips on a better technique. How cool will that be?!?
9 comments:
Fantastic! Loved the whole post and I am so glad you are more comfortable with charts now. Whoo Hoo!!
Yup...proud grin cuz charts aren't nearly as scary as I thought! Once I got used to that whole "go backwards and up-side down" way of reading them, it was easy! And since I'm a backwards sort of gal, it makes way too much sense - LOL! (Jimmy Buffet on the iPod and the lawn awaits - must do my domestic duties to make it to "knitting time"!)
I have real trouble with very fine yarn too and will probably be working this in fingering weight as well so don't feel all alone :)
I have often worked shawls and lace in worsted weight. With the right patern and the right yarn, it works just fine :) You know, the other "fine"!
Hi Robbyn!
I adore your theory of "the other fine"!
I figure since I adapt so many daily activities to my own version of "fine" that by now, it's accepted as "awesome"!
How reassuring to know that others will be doing the SotS KAL in fingering and/or even worsted...whew. And hey, I get to go yarn shopping again!
Vykky, I'm using the same yarn, but in navy. It's the first time I've used lace-weight for knitting, although I have used #30 cotton for edgings and even #70 in tatting, but that was years ago and the fingers don't work as well anymore.
Since you love the color and feel of the yarn, what if you bought another skein and used it double?
Hi Anne and thanks for reading and your idea. A couple of others are encouraging me to think about trying using this gorgeous stuff as a 2-strand and since y'all have MUCH more lace experience than I, I'm starting to think it would be a good idea. I wonder though...since it's so very fine, would it tangle and break easily? I would imagine that trying to hide a break/loose end would be a nightmare in a lace pattern. (shivering to consider it). Hmmm...more to think about. Well, if all else fails...after I've done my "first" lace project with the help of y'all...I can always confidently come back to this delightful stuff and proudly do another! (What's that saying about pride goeth before...? LOL!)
I joined the Secret of the Stole KAL too. It will be my first try at lace knitting, I ordered my yarn and should receive it withing 7 days, I don't know if I'll add beads yet.
I do the same as you for knitting, I only have three fingers in my left hand so I put my left needle at the same places as you, I grinned when I read you post, I guess we do what we have to.
I really enjoyed reading you blog!
Maybe I should've added that my left arm is also about 6" shorter and doesn't have full range of motion.
Hi!
Just don't give up on lace knitting - my first stole (ms2 that was) I knit in heaver-than-sock-weight yarn, because then I did not actually know that yarn comes in lace weight! It tuned out to be quite a stole, but warm, long, and cozy are not really bad attributes when added to something you knit with love.
Oh, and I'm totally thrilled that I'm on your blog link list. Feeling quite the celebrity here :)
Peachy / Kiina / Barbara
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