I'm happy to join Kat and the Unravelers today, with something old and something new. Last week I expressed concern that I was subjecting you, dear readers, to the same photo of my Hitch on the Move week after week. I'll put this in the "be careful what you wish for" department. I was happily knitting along when I noticed that I had dropped a stitch. After securing it with a locking stitch marker, I attempted to fix it. This is not exceptionally difficult but I seem to become all thumbs when repairing garter stitch.
I decided to tink back down six or seven rows. That would give me fewer rows to fix and still ensure that I was able to keep track of the pattern. When knitting Hitch on the Move you only work with one side/one color at a time and tinking would make sure that I didn't mess up the pattern. After a few hours of unraveling, I was left with some loose ramen yarn because it had only been knit for about 12 hours or so.
Then I spent another hour with a crochet hook working the dropped stitch back up. I finally finished at about my bedtime and decided it was best to put it down and look at the repair in the bright light of morning to make sure it really was fixed. And it was! I knit all the loose ramen, so the picture below really is pretty much like last week. I'm trying to be more careful and not drop stitches so I don't have to do all of that again.
So I bought 100 Little Knitted Projects and some catnip. John just shook his head when I said that I wanted to take my grand-cat a few small presents when I visited her, but I'm betting that all of you understand. I haven't cast on anything yet, but I might start with the pig if I can find some pig-appropriate yarn in my stash.
I've finished four books since last week but this post is already long enough, so I think I'll review them separately on Friday.
What are you making and reading this week?
I really hate "fixing" dropped stitches in garter stitch. I have a special "tool" for it (it's like a crochet hook with "hooks" at each end), but it is not at all intuitive to use and I have to spend so much time looking at YouTube videos every time I want to use it . . . that I usually end up doing exactly what you did and ripping back. But your fixing-time-investment is paying off in a lovely knit! (And I totally understand the cat-knitting!) XO
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily have an issue fixing a dropped stitch in garter, but sometimes the different tension is enough to make it worth tinking back. Your fix looks excellent! And I don't think you're crazy at all for wanting to knit tiny cat toys. Sometimes the best knitting is something tiny and frivolous!
ReplyDeletethank goodness you saw the dropped stitch before the piece was cast off! I have ripped back and I have fished up and no matter which one they both take time. (if the yarn is wool and 'springy' I will try to fish but if it is slippery - I rip out)
ReplyDeleteI am nodding along with you on that unraveling... I too struggle with the garter stitch pick up the stitch (or really, anything that is not plain old normal stockinettte!) I do love that close up of your variegated yarn... wow, it is lovely! That is going to be one stunning HotM! (and I am all in for catnip-filled knitted grandcat toys!)
ReplyDeleteGarter stitch is such a pain to fix and so easy to drop stitches on. Having just gone through a major unraveling myself I felt your pain. Times like that make me wonder why I ever started knitting in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI had a few of those thoughts myself while I was unraveling. I'm trying to be careful and not drop stitches, which is fine until I forget to check.
DeleteI agree with you that garter stitch is a pain to fix a dropped stitch! I dropped a stitch on the Hitchhiker I'm making, but I was lucky because I found it when it was only two rows back.
ReplyDeleteKnitting cat toys sounds like fun...for both you & the cat!
I'm glad I'm not alone with dropping stitches and my difficulty in fixing those dropped stitches!
DeleteI hope to cast on for a little pig soon, but it's a good thing I love Nugget. Some of those projects look a bit fiddly!
I made a real mess of a garter project while traveling several years ago. More than one dropped stitch... I tried to fix it, and I guess *technically* I did. I really should have started over , but I didn't, and now I hardly ever wear it. Lesson learned. So glad yours worked out for the better!
ReplyDeleteCat toys -- brilliant! Every wins! Fun for kitty, fun for you...and what a great way to use up some scraps.
There are a few things I've learned in my years of knitting and one of them is that I'm not going to be happy if I don't fix the big errors. Usually, I spend a couple of rows trying to convince myself that the mistake isn't that big of a deal before I accept that it is (or will be in the long run) and just fix it!
DeleteI can knit acres of stockinette perfectly, but screw up garter stitch on a regular basis. I have a collection of double-ended crochet hooks for the express purpose of fixing garter errors. They have served me well.
ReplyDeleteI wish "little knitted things" weren't so darned fiddle-y. because they are cute. but gah!!! and yay for fixing - really fixing! - the dropped stitch in your Hitch.
ReplyDelete