the blue blog archives: boy, do I feel better

Since I was already feeling miserable over the weekend, I decided to tackle that rather unsatisfactory ribbing on my sooty mango. If you recall the problem was with my tension while knitting continental and switching between knit and purl stitches. I tried Stacy's suggestion of twisting the first purl stitch after switching from knit to purl and had some definite improvement, but a faint line still developed at the left of each rib. So, it was off with the ribbing! I've done this before and it worked well, so as far as I'm concerned it's ALWAYS and option!

A few pics from the sofa: I threaded the needle through the stitches right above the ribbing, snipped the edge stitch below the row now on the needle, and pulled the yarn through each stitch to unravel. Here's the ribbing completely separated, then a quick check of the pattern (read it backwards!) and begin reknitting the ribbing in the other direction. And with the other hand!! And now I've got some respectable ribbing I'd be happy to wear.

posted by alison at 8:13 am | in sooty mango , techniques

Comments

Cutting...hmm...I am thinking (only thinking) about doing that for my alpaca scarf, as I think it's a little too wide. If I decide to go along with it, will you hold my hand? Glad you are feeling better!

Posted by: Dava at November 10, 2003 9:01 AM

So glad that you are feeling better. Boy, you really put some effort into that ribbing didn't you? So glad that it all worked out well, it does look great.

Posted by: kerrie at November 10, 2003 9:08 AM

Ah, the old snip, unravel and knit down trick. I ripped the ribbing off my Lillehammer that way. Hold Dava's hand, willya?!?

Posted by: claudia at November 10, 2003 11:00 AM

Ribbing, the bain of a neat perfectionist knitters life. Mine always does the same, the left of each rib, loose-ish. I ignore it!

Posted by: Kristine at November 10, 2003 11:37 AM

I love knitting surgery.

Posted by: Melissa at November 10, 2003 2:11 PM

So that's how you do that... You're very brave and I am admiring your fortitude. The new ribbing came out so beautifully compared to my own humble attempts to rip from the cast on edge rather than frog the whole thing. Eventually I fudged it, but who knew there was such a nice way to do it! Feel better!

Posted by: Michelle at November 10, 2003 5:29 PM

You are brave. The new ribbing looks wonderful. I have yet to cut my knitting, although I am dieing to try a fairisle pattern.

Posted by: Tiffany at November 10, 2003 10:47 PM

Very clever solution! If my selvedges look weird I usually do something like what Stacy suggested. I haven't had to cut yet, but if I did I'd probably scream at the same time.

Posted by: Becky at November 11, 2003 2:05 AM

Happy to hold your hand Dava, but your scarf looked wonderful on Sunday. Not too wide at all!

I love this "solution" of cutting and reknitting the edging. It has worked so well both times I've done it and is a great fix for pieces that were knit too long or have to be made longer or where you want to change the bottom for some reason. There's no discernable change in the stitches were I started reknitting. You would never know that the knitting had been cut.

Of course, if I'd been willing to reknit it and get it right in the first place (like you would do, Becky!) then I wouldn't have had to cut at all. :)

Posted by: alison at November 11, 2003 9:21 AM

At first I was going to scold you for being such a perfectionist. But then after further thought I realized I would have ripped out the entire sleeve if the ribbing bothered me. So, thanks for the tip. You'll save me time next time. -- A sheepishly grinning, Stacy

Posted by: Stacy at November 11, 2003 1:40 PM