knittingmonster (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} knittingmonster) wrote,@ 2004-08-31 12:45:00 |
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DNA Scarf Knitalong
So, the inaugral post for this knitting journal is that I'm doing a knitalong for a DNA scarf.
I'm using a washable wool yarn from Dale of Norway called heilo. Dale of Norway are the official sweater makers for Norway's national and olympic ski teams. I'm using #4 needles (addi-turbo). So far I've completed one and a half repeats of the DNA cable.
My big helpful suggestion to those new to cabling (like me) is to use lifelines. Basically, you take a piece of heavy duty thread (or fine scrap yarn), thread it onto a needle, and run through a row of stitches that are on your needle. This way, if you screw up your cabling, it's really easy to rip back to where the lifeline is. I would suggest doing one on the row before you start the DNA pattern, and then maybe every 10 or 15 rows.
Snags in knitting the pattern.
The first may be obvious to more experienced knitters. The pattern mentions selvedge stitches, which I didn't realize you do seperate from the general scarf pattern. I kept on having extra stitches on my needles and was very cross until I realized this. So, the scarf pattern is given as " 5 stitches in seed stitch pattern, purl 2 stitches, 2 stitches in right twist mini-cable, 20 stitches in DNA cable, 2 stitches in left twist mini-cable, purl 2 stitches, 5 stitches in seed stitch pattern." When knitted it's actually "slip one purlwise (selvedge stitch), 5 stitches in seed stitch.....[rest of pattern]...5 stitches in seed stitch knit 1 (selvedge stitch).
The second thing is that I misunderstood how to read the chart. The sitches given on the wrong side rows are not how they should be knitted, but how they should look on the right side. So, you need to do whatever to the stitches to get them appear as knits or purls on the opposite side. I did not realize this, so half of my first repeat has the cable in garter rather than stockinette. I ended up modifying how I was knitting the cable so that the cable was stockinette. I'm still following the pattern incorrectly, since I am knitting the rest of the stitches as they're written. Whatever. It still looks like cabled DNA so I don't care. (reading cable patterns for dummies which apparently I should have printed out and stuck to my forehead)
Below is the swatch I did in scrap yarn (the actual scarf is not this blinding color) following the chart incorrectly. You can see that the cables are messed up. Bah.
So, the inaugral post for this knitting journal is that I'm doing a knitalong for a DNA scarf.
I'm using a washable wool yarn from Dale of Norway called heilo. Dale of Norway are the official sweater makers for Norway's national and olympic ski teams. I'm using #4 needles (addi-turbo). So far I've completed one and a half repeats of the DNA cable.
My big helpful suggestion to those new to cabling (like me) is to use lifelines. Basically, you take a piece of heavy duty thread (or fine scrap yarn), thread it onto a needle, and run through a row of stitches that are on your needle. This way, if you screw up your cabling, it's really easy to rip back to where the lifeline is. I would suggest doing one on the row before you start the DNA pattern, and then maybe every 10 or 15 rows.
Snags in knitting the pattern.
The first may be obvious to more experienced knitters. The pattern mentions selvedge stitches, which I didn't realize you do seperate from the general scarf pattern. I kept on having extra stitches on my needles and was very cross until I realized this. So, the scarf pattern is given as " 5 stitches in seed stitch pattern, purl 2 stitches, 2 stitches in right twist mini-cable, 20 stitches in DNA cable, 2 stitches in left twist mini-cable, purl 2 stitches, 5 stitches in seed stitch pattern." When knitted it's actually "slip one purlwise (selvedge stitch), 5 stitches in seed stitch.....[rest of pattern]...5 stitches in seed stitch knit 1 (selvedge stitch).
The second thing is that I misunderstood how to read the chart. The sitches given on the wrong side rows are not how they should be knitted, but how they should look on the right side. So, you need to do whatever to the stitches to get them appear as knits or purls on the opposite side. I did not realize this, so half of my first repeat has the cable in garter rather than stockinette. I ended up modifying how I was knitting the cable so that the cable was stockinette. I'm still following the pattern incorrectly, since I am knitting the rest of the stitches as they're written. Whatever. It still looks like cabled DNA so I don't care. (reading cable patterns for dummies which apparently I should have printed out and stuck to my forehead)
Below is the swatch I did in scrap yarn (the actual scarf is not this blinding color) following the chart incorrectly. You can see that the cables are messed up. Bah.
