the blue blog archives: middle age spread

In two directions, as B is helpfully demonstrating. Yes, as I've been knitting along late at night (watching the reruns of Amazing Race on the Game Show Network mostly), and working the K2tog/M1 pattern that creates the diagonal shape, I've forgotten the K2tog a few (okay, 5) times. Over 3 feet, that's not such a bad percentage, right??

And no, I'm not going back to "fix" this mistake either. Here's why. As I was about a foot in, I thought the scarf might be a smidge on the narrow side. I didn't notice that the scarf was wider until the first two balls of yarn ended (that's three feet I got out of two balls of yarn!) and then I just sort of thought, oh this isn't too narrow at all. Only after I counted the stitches and laid the scarf out flat (something you never really do with a scarf) did I see that I'd missed a few decreases. I'm planning to keep the scarf this wide for about another foot, then intentionally forget to do some (well, 5) increases over the following 3 feet. That way the scarf will be wider in the middle where it wraps around the neck and a tad narrower at the ends where the extra fabric simply hangs down. Brilliant!

posted by alison at 9:44 am | in the scarf file

Comments

You're not a dork! You wanted it a bit wider so you subconsciously made it wider. Your fingers are wise! :)

Posted by: brooke at July 29, 2005 9:59 AM

totally, it could have been a subconscious "forgetting". I like that it has some character with the increases and decreases.

Posted by: Diana at July 29, 2005 10:43 AM

I had a similar experience with a bias scarf like that- except mine got skinnier and skinner and longer and longer. Had to redo the whole thing- It was almost 12 feet long!! Whoops!

Posted by: Erin at July 29, 2005 10:44 AM

Welcome to dorkdome. I find myself there everyday in one way or another. And you know what? It's ok cuz they like me there!

Posted by: Erin at July 29, 2005 10:47 AM

It's not a mistake it's a design feature.

Jayme

Posted by: Jayme at July 29, 2005 10:47 AM

Not dork, design innovator. Soon there will be a new school of design named after this scarf-widening insight.

Middle age spread..hee.

Posted by: Juno at July 29, 2005 11:12 AM

i think your "knitting zen" is right on these days...the great decisions you are making about whether or not to go back and correct inconsequential mistakes...bravo, you give me the courage and inspiration not to have to knit perfect everytime....

Posted by: lisa b at July 29, 2005 11:46 AM

But you the best kind of knitting dork, the BRILLIANT knitting dork!

Posted by: Christie at July 29, 2005 12:07 PM

Ah, the Unintentional Design Feature. I think I have been visited by that one from time to time too.

Posted by: Nadia at July 29, 2005 12:45 PM

What a GLORIOUS scarf!
Honestly, those design features
just keep us humble, you know?
Dorks R Us!

Posted by: greta at July 29, 2005 12:50 PM

Sweetheart, we love you *because* you are a big knitting dork, not in spite of you being a big knitting dork. It's our knitting dorkiness that brings us together.

Posted by: Jenn at July 29, 2005 1:01 PM

You are so silly! As mentioned earlier, you are not a GIANT KNITTING DORK, ( maybe a medium sized one but definitely not a GIANT one! tee hee). Seriously, I think that is a GRAND idea to make it wider in the middle where you need it. Too much bulkiness in the ends makes it a mess to wrap/knot anyway!

Posted by: knittingnurse at July 29, 2005 1:40 PM

I agree a design feature for a fun scarf! Knit on!

Posted by: michele at July 29, 2005 3:51 PM

"design details"

Posted by: Krista at July 29, 2005 4:49 PM

First of all, it's a sign of mental health that you weren't compelled to rip out all your work to fix this "mistake" (as some of us compulsives would have been).

Second of all, this pattern is amazing! Where is it from?

Posted by: Shawna at July 29, 2005 5:45 PM

Nevermind -- I saw that the Jilly pattern is available in the Rowan free pattern archives (2001), so I bought a membership to gain access. Maternity leave is a real boondoggle for online commerce.

Posted by: Shawna at July 29, 2005 5:59 PM

...Or you're a giant knitting genius! That scarf is so darling. You make the coolest, funnest stuff.

Posted by: Norma at July 29, 2005 11:46 PM

Diana called it >subconscious "forgetting", and I call a Freuedian Slip (I just hope I can spell it) Doh! at any rate it looks fab and i'm sure none will notice and it MA you sure need that extra width to keep your neck warm.

Posted by: Orli at July 30, 2005 11:59 PM