Way To Brighton Shawl

Talking about this has not gotten easier.  When I taught my niece how to knit, I tried to mitigate the inevitable frustration.  I told her "even experienced knitters make mistakes".

She has since quoted this back to me, in correct context, numerous times.  Yes, even Mr. E has reminded me of what I said, always with a grin.

I am still not entirely sure that I believe my own PR.

Way To Brighton is knit in two stages.  First, a band with bobbles (actually double bobbles) is knit.  Then stitches are picked up across the band.  Rows are knit (short rows) across, ending every few rows with another bobble.

Ignorance was NOT bliss for long.  The problem can be summarized thus:  RTFP.

First, I watched the recommended tutorial for the bobbles.  Mastery was not hard, although the bobbles were irregular.  They were not identical, but they met the man on a galloping horse test.  There were so many of them, I didn't think most observers' eyes would rest on their imperfection.  Most Ravelers complained about the same thing.  I knit on, picked up stitches, and knit about 15 rows.  Then I re-read the pattern, and saw that Joji used a different bobble method.  My Youtube-generated method used purl stitches.  I feared I had used more yarn than Joji, and that I would run out.  So I ripped back to the bobble row, eliminated one bobble, picked up the stitches AGAIN, and knit on.

1.  I ignored that the bobble row with band was short.
2.  I seemed to have many more problems picking up stitches than anyone else on Rav.  There did not seem to be a discernable pattern.  I ignored that also.
3.  As I knit, after making two or three bobbles, a discrepancy appeared.  The bobbles I was making were farther apart than the ones on the starting row.  I scratched my head, and knit on.
4.  Soon, as the short rows got shorter and shorter, it became apparent that I was not using enough of the remaining yarn. 

I decided to read that pattern again.  

RTFP is not the same as RTFP.  I read the pattern more times than I can count, but clearly did not read it.

To make the bobbles, one repeats rows 4-6 after making the first bobble.  Alas, after making the second bobble, I was supposed to repeat rows 1-6.  Instead, I repeated rows 4-6.  The instant of realization carried with it the undeniable knowledge that the entire shawl, including the bobble row and band, had to be ripped back to.....nothing.  And so I did.

The yarn is in its project bag, taking a breather.  (Maybe I am the one taking a breather.)  I cast on for French Cancan.  

I felt perfectly awful about this for weeks.  Stupid, even.  But I felt much better today when Susan Rainey posted that she had done the same sort of thing on another pattern.  She is a knitter with a capital K, and she had done it also.  Suddenly, I felt more...normal.  (See here, post dated August 5, 2013.)

French Cancan is done, and needs only blocking.  I have Tour de Fleece progress, French Cancan pix to come.  I cast on for mindless knitting (Natsu).  Even casting on turned out not to be as mindless as I had hoped, but I learned a GREAT new cast on.   

The garden is strong this year.  Some plants like the excess water, some don't.  It all evens out.  This is a picture of the herb containers. 

Comments

[Angie]

If you had done this as often as I have, you would not have obsessed about it, or at least not for that long. Repeated attempts to become the kind of person who does not skip essential information--beginning with the signs for service changes in the subway--have failed. I feel your pain. Did you consider just binding off and using it as a hot pad?

[Anne]

I commend you for the intestinal fortitude to even tackle that many bobbles in a single project.

If it makes you feel better, my normal process these days is to cast on, (*knit, rip entirely), then repeat from * x3. NO MATTER WHAT.

[Lynn]

And yet on Saturday we'll go to Fiber Revival and buy more yarn and fiber, pretending blindly and blithely that wondrous shawls and sweaters and socks will flow effortlessly off our needles in the future. Ha!

[kmkat]

Been there, done that, although not with bobbles. I had to start and rip my latest sock three times before I got it right. And not one of those ever got past the cuff ribbing.

...and that is why we love knitting. There are always [insert favorite ordinal number] chances to get it right.

[Carole]

Oy. But yeah, we've all made similar mistakes.

[margene]

Alright, you know what what I'm going to say so I won't repeat it.
It hurts every time and we feel stupid every time, but we never stop, we persevere, which means we are all knitters with a capital K. Fiber Revival! How fun!

[margene]

P.S. Your herbs look marvelous! We love our herb garden.

[Peg in Kensington, California]

I no longer do bobbles of any kind. You are much more persistent than I would have been.

[Caroline M]

I wish half reading a pattern was something I could get over but it clearly isn't. Know that you are not alone.

[gayle]

All those little bobblies would have driven me stark staring mad. Gibbering in the corner mad. With possible drooling. I salute you for even trying.
And, yeah, even experienced knitters make mistakes. I've been knitting for over 50 years and still make monstrous screw-ups. Know that you're in good company, are a perfectly normal knitter, and knit on.

[Cheryl S.]

Woe. I feel your pain. We've all been there - not that it makes you feel any better.

A good time-out always helps.

[mary lou]

I won't do bobbles. Also, I thought RTFP must stand for Rest The FxxK in Peace...project never to be seen again.