Sympathy ploy: Frogging sleeves

[globaltraveler]

Well, this beginner just found out personally why you should knit sleeves at the same time (because of tension issues). Drat! Now I'll have to frog and do them both at the same time. (Why is it called "frog", anyway?)

On the bright side, this means that I can test the Harmony and Nickle circular sets side by side on the same yarn at the same time.

I suppose this isn't MUCH of a whine, because the sleeves are only two inches long, but it still feels like a setback. This is my first truly big project, and I suppose it serves me right for doing something so ambitious so early. I may make this in two different yarns, actually -- I may do this in the Stella I'm swatching too, if there's enough of it, even tho it's also pink.

[DorothyDot]

Yep, lesson learned.

I think they actually wrote a song about that.... many years ago:

Froggin' in the mornin',
Froggin' in the evenin',
Froggin' at supper time.

Be my little Froggie,
And Love me all the time!



At least it gave you a smile! [I hope!]

Dot

BTW, they call it Frog because... you have to rip-it, rip-it, rip-it-out, rip-it, rip-it. Knee-deep, rippit!

[WandaT]

UGH! Well at least you learned something! What a beautiful sweater!

[globaltraveler]

It is beautiful, isn't it? I'm traveling and it won't be practical, but you know what? I figure you only live once. Everyone ought to have the chance to have a pink, fluffy, girly sweater if they want one!

That entire book is full of great designs, too...there are so many in there I will make!

The sleeves are done again now. I got them done around 1 am. I'm almost afraid to go look at them this morning to see if I got them right this time.

[DorothyDot]

2 sleeves in 1 day???? WOW!

You are one determined knitter, Lady!

Hooray for you!

Dot

[globaltraveler]

Thanks, Dot, but it's not that impressive, as they are literally 1.5 inches long.

I did spend about two hours trying to get the body cast on and the first couple of rows knitted, though. For some reason, as soon as the cast-on goes over about 50 stitches, I start losing track of them. Even using stitch markers every 25 stitches. Finally in desperation I back-engineered the missing two stitches from the tail. Honestly, I'm so SAD!

[Marria]

I understand what you're going through. I just finished the back of a sweater, and if I hadn't had to rip out part of it twice and reknit, I probably would have both fronts done by now. I'm such a perfectionist though, even though someone else may not notice a mistake in my knitting, I would notice it!

A couple of tips for you about things like sleeves--

I do like to do them at the same time, but that's not always feasible for me, so I take lots of notes about which rows I did increases on, stitch counts etc., and

If you end up with the sleeves being a bit uneven tension wise, unless it's really drastic, you might try blocking them before frogging next time. Sometimes that will even up the tension nicely.

Can't wait to see the FO!

[globaltraveler]

Can't wait to see the FO!

Me either!

Thanks for the tips. I'm just taking a break at the moment...from frogging completely on the body. I didn't like the way it looked, the tension was just so uneven I didn't think I could save it in blocking.

Okay...bathroom break...and then..urgh...casting on again...

BTW -- on the cable cast on -- does it just naturally want to flip up on a scallop, or is there something I can do while knitting (use more tension? less tension? I think I'm doing it pretty loosely) to help it not to flip up? (this is the Louisa tunic -- link to pic in my signature)

[Marria]

I've never run into that problem with the cable cast on, but I could see how it might happen if you were casting on really tightly. Maybe try casting on more loosely or with a needle one size larger?

[globaltraveler]

Gosh, if I cast on any more loosely than this last try, I'll be surprised if the stitches hold their form! This last time, I left almost the diameter of the needles loose. We'll see what happens!