An Unfortunate Incident with a Collar
Off with his head!
-Wm. Shakespeare, King Richard III (III, iv, 76)
I really don't mean any harm to the poor, innocent babe, aged negative 3 months, for whom this sweater is a "Welcome to the World" gift. Really. It's just that neckbands are (apparently - I'm only just learning this) the bane of my existence. Remember the trauma of the bands on the Norwegian Roses Cardigan? We had a similar scene last night with the collar of this adorable baby cardigan. A cardigan entirely done except for the unfortunate collar.
Why is the collar so unfortunate?
1. The pattern calls for the collar to be knit separately and sewn on.
Why would it do that? Easier to pick up the stitches and knit down.
2. Picked up and knit the stitches.
Oh, right. If I pick up the stitches from the RS (intuitive, I think), I can see them looking funny around the neck.
3. Picked up and knit stitches from the wrong side.
Breathe easy. Now the folded down collar covers them.
4. Am clever enough to knit the pattern upside down.
Realize that the lace pattern will then point in the wrong way. Think maybe the designer had a reason for knitting the collar separately from the bottom up and then sewing.
5. Rip it out. Start over. Reverse all the decreases in the lace pattern.
Repeat #5 approximately 4 times before realizing that it still won't work. We're stilloptimistic delusional enough to think this is easier than sewing down 62 stitches.
6. Positive action: Decide to reverse the order of the rows in the lace pattern.
Disaster again. Could have been averted if only I had bothered to chart the 6 RS rows (10 st repeat) - how lazy can I be?
7. More positive action: Rip it out and go to bed.
All I have to show for all that work is in the photo above, essentially 62 picked-up stitches.
By the clear light of morning, and with the welcome assistance of several cups of coffee, I've decided that the lace pattern on the collar is going to point in thewrong, er opposite, direction from the lace pattern on the body.
It's a design feature, folks. Learn to love it.
-Wm. Shakespeare, King Richard III (III, iv, 76)
I really don't mean any harm to the poor, innocent babe, aged negative 3 months, for whom this sweater is a "Welcome to the World" gift. Really. It's just that neckbands are (apparently - I'm only just learning this) the bane of my existence. Remember the trauma of the bands on the Norwegian Roses Cardigan? We had a similar scene last night with the collar of this adorable baby cardigan. A cardigan entirely done except for the unfortunate collar.Why is the collar so unfortunate?
1. The pattern calls for the collar to be knit separately and sewn on.
Why would it do that? Easier to pick up the stitches and knit down.
2. Picked up and knit the stitches.
Oh, right. If I pick up the stitches from the RS (intuitive, I think), I can see them looking funny around the neck.
3. Picked up and knit stitches from the wrong side.
Breathe easy. Now the folded down collar covers them.
4. Am clever enough to knit the pattern upside down.
Realize that the lace pattern will then point in the wrong way. Think maybe the designer had a reason for knitting the collar separately from the bottom up and then sewing.
5. Rip it out. Start over. Reverse all the decreases in the lace pattern.
Repeat #5 approximately 4 times before realizing that it still won't work. We're still
6. Positive action: Decide to reverse the order of the rows in the lace pattern.
Disaster again. Could have been averted if only I had bothered to chart the 6 RS rows (10 st repeat) - how lazy can I be?
7. More positive action: Rip it out and go to bed.
All I have to show for all that work is in the photo above, essentially 62 picked-up stitches.
By the clear light of morning, and with the welcome assistance of several cups of coffee, I've decided that the lace pattern on the collar is going to point in the
It's a design feature, folks. Learn to love it.
posted by Theresa at 12:27 PM/Permalink
3 Comments:
Works for me. You're talkin' to a woman who will pick up stitches and then use the 3-needle bind off to "seam" a fingering weight sweater instead of sewing... (If you're curious, at least it didn't look as bad as my seaming does.)
Yup, the final decision is definitely the way to go.
I can't help but read this and laugh - you're knitting techniques (such as the beautiful sweater you made your mom) are more sophisticated then mine, but this collar adventure is something I'd do. (or have done, depending on how I look at it!)
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