A few years ago I bought a skein of bamboo yarn in a beautiful shade of green (now I know you see 'brown', just keep reading). The shop owner also sold a pattern to go with the yarn ... Chevron Lace Scarf. She was even kind enough to show me a certain stitch required to make the pattern. It all looked so easy!
I brought the yarn home and instantly tried to knit the lace scarf. Unsuccessfully. I couldn't understand the pattern. I tried and tried and tried, but for whatever reason, I kept ending up with too many stitches. So I put it aside to try again later ... I figured I would learn a bit more about knitting and come back to it all the wiser.
A year later I brought the yarn out again ... pattern still tucked in with it. I tried the pattern again. And again I was stuck in the same muddle of incorrect number of stitches. "There must be a mistake in the pattern", I thought. I'd had enough of ripping out the darned scarf, so I ended up knitting the entire skein of lovely bamboo yarn into a moss-stitch scarf. Not what I had hoped for ... the lace scarf really, really made the different shades in the bamboo yarn show up wonderfully (there was a sample scarf on display at the shop).
But I had a nice green scarf that took an age to knit (I don't think I would have patience enough to knit anything larger than a scarf in moss stitch!).
Then last year I had checked out a video for something in knitting, but included in that video was a yarn over demonstration. And that's when I realized my mistake! I immediately thought of the chevron lace scarf pattern with all its yarn overs. I grabbed a ball of wool from my stash and started knitting. It worked! I worked away at it for a while, but never completely finished the scarf (I think this was when I was completely immersed in caring for my dad and his affairs). I've now been able to finally finish it up. Done! And all properly.
I was so happy to have realized my mistake because now I can go back and revisit a few other patterns I was having trouble with ... they were probably riddled with yarn overs!!
It's nice to get that excited feeling to be making something again :)
Thanks for stopping by!!
Wendy
Well done you, your perseverance has paid off! It's a beautiful scarf, yes even to the untrained eye it looks.....difficult! I struggle just with one hook, can you imagine the tangle I would get in! :) x
ReplyDeleteHa! Looks can be deceiving ... it was actually quite easy (you know, once I figured out that one glitch after many months!!). Thank you for your kind encouragement Ada :) Wendy
DeleteWEL DONE, also from me, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteYour patience and perseverance has paid off splendidly...Ooh I am so partial to green (fav colour)and I can really appreciate the pattern as Ada says above...difficult! Enjoy your knitting, dear friend!
Love Maria x
Thank you Maria ... yes I love green too, but am lately turning more to blues. More knitting awaits me :) Wendy
DeleteWell done Wendy.....both scarves look great. Isn't it satisfying when you finally get the hang of something.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'l get plenty of wear out of both of them..
Claire :}
So satisfying!! I've worn the green scarf a lot, and am looking forward to wearing the brown ... it's a VERY soft wool :) Wendy
DeleteThat is so lovely and has turned out beautifully - the yarn looks just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteNina x
Hello Tabiboo and thank you for stopping by! The yarn so soft ... a small ball leftover from my mom's knitting. Wendy
DeleteYour patience is rewarded...it is lovely.
ReplyDelete-Gaia
Thank you Gaia :) Wendy
DeleteIt's a lovely scarf and well worth persevering with. Isn't You-Tube brilliant for demonstrating hand crafts? (and much besides)
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine and thanks for visiting ... I agree that there is much to learn through the internet!!
DeleteWendy
Wonderful work Wendy! I have been making a shawl for months because I keep making mistakes and I don't know what mistakes!
ReplyDeleteA shawl!! Wow! I've looked at the patterns, but they all look so intimidating to me. I know what you mean about the mistakes ... I think recognizing what went wrong is half the battle.
DeleteWendy