Cable Scarf Coming Together and Contemplating Rule Breaking

Part III

Slow and steady seems to be the way to go with this one.  It's starting to look like the picture on the pattern.  What a simple pleasure.

As one who doesn't often follow the directions or rules to a tee, I feel the need to modify this pattern.  The original pattern calls for you to complete the scarf flat and make the pockets separately, then sew one onto each end.  I have a problem with this since I don't really enjoy sewing.  And sewing knitting is even less fun for me.  I don't have the knack for it.  Hand sewing the pockets makes me envision unraveling and cell phone falling out of the increasingly larger hole.  So I've devised a plan that I think will work.  Feel free to let me know if this is a bad plan before I'm too far gone.

OK, the plan:  knit the pockets as one solid piece with the scarf.  Then simply fold over the pockets and only have to sew the side seams.  Sounds simple, right?  The glitch is the cable pattern.  If I just knit the scarf 6 inches longer on each end (the size of each pocket) and fold over the ends the backside will be showing instead of my carefully made cables.

My final step in the plan is to continue knitting, but reversing the cable pattern so the back becomes the front. Then once the pockets are folded over the cabled side will be facing front on the scarf and the pockets.  Does this make any sense?  Have a I lost you?  I'll post pictures as i go along.

So, now it's your turn.  Tell me how you've modified a pattern to make it work better for you.

New Pattern - Take 28. AKA the Knitter Makes a Comeback

continued from previous post
In what can only be described as an Oprah aha moment - I figured it out!  I took pen to paper and wrote out the blasted pattern until I had it broken down into manageable, unconfused pieces. And guess what?  It made sense! (you get a scarf and you get a scarf and you get a scarf!! sorry, I was still having an Oprah moment.)

You can see the first 14 rows on the needle, which is one complete round of the pattern.  It even includes the first cabled row.  So we now know I'm not completely hopeless, just slower to catch on.  If you are new to knitting, like me, I would highly recommend writing out a complex row of stitches.  It helped me not only with the math, but with visualizing how that one row would set the stage for the project.  As I was writing out the knits and pearls I could see what the scarf would look like and it all clicked into place.  Then once I began knitting it almost felt like I had done it before.  Ok, well I had done it before, 27 times before, but they were all wrong so I'm not counting them. 


Anyway, after getting through the first two or three rows I had a feel for the new pattern and it came very natural.  The needles just seemed to know where to go.  I have to say, I am feeling a little victory over this little patch of stitches.  Only about 58 more inches to go until I can wear it with pride.

Reading a New Pattern - Take 27

I've chosen a fun scarf pattern to have as an on-the-go project.  It looked easy.  It was a free pattern on a half sheet of paper at the craft store. You would think if the lines of instructions are shorter than your hand it can't be too difficult to figure out.  Even for a newbie, like me.  Well, as you have probably guessed, the score is now pattern 27 - me 0.  And I am in awe that it is the first row that has stumped me.  I've started it over and over and I keep ending up with too many stitches at the end of the row.  Does this happen to anyone else?  (Please raise your hands, I know I can't be alone.)


Here is the devilish row in question:  (RS) K1. KB1. P2. *KB1. (P2. K1. P1. K1) twice. P2. Rep from * twice more. KB1. P2. KB1. K1.


It's the middle part where I get lost...I think.  Is the first "twice" starting from the parentheses or the asterisk? I start going through it and forget if I did the first "twice" twice or if I'm on the second "twice" for the first time.  Either way, it never adds up to 48 stitches.  Right now I am halfway through and had to set it down.  I can already tell I'm off of the count and have no idea why.

Now, lest you think I'm really thick, I have completed knitting projects under my belt.  Several scarves, hats and even a pair of mittens.  I love the process of knitting, of having works in progress when I have to wait somewhere or hanging out at the coffee shop with girlfriends.  I love the feel of the yarn as I'm knitting and the calming affect of a repeat pattern.  But this scarf has brought out my inner competitor.  The pattern will be defeated!  I will wear this scarf in smug victory!


To be continued...