there are days when i wonder whether all my years of book learning count for anything, because my level of common sense seems to exist in inverse proportion to say, my IQ. for example, it did not occur to me to TRY ON the rick socks that i wasnt sure about. i am a little mortified to think i actually put that out there in the public forum. i really didnt think to try them on. i dont know why. i just didnt. like i dont think to screw back on the lid to the vegemite jar, for example.
so thanks for all those brilliant suggestions. i tried it on. it fitted very nicely on the cuff, and went nicely up my calf no problem. i could see that the leg was going to get a little loose and the whole yarn over at the end of the needle on magic loop was annoying the crap out of me, so i switched to 2.25mm DPNs. after i ripped back to the cuff and started the pattern again, of course. they look much better now, thanks for asking:
ripping seemed to be the knitting theme for the weekend, because the girasole got a bit of frog action as well. i knew that something had gone amiss with the stitch count somewhere near the beginning of Chart C but i thought i had worked it out and it would be ok. however, when i moved to Chart D, all hell broke loose. you know how i said i liked the “dealing with mistakes’ section in ‘heirloom knitting’? the line that stuck in my head as i drifted off to sleep on saturday night was ‘the set up rows for lace patterns are the most important’. when i woke up sunday morning, i knew what i had to do.
i laid it all out on a towel so the stitches would be less inclined to slide around and marked what appeared to be the start of the round back at the beginning of chart c:
i removed the needles:
i ripped. a lot. i may have shed a tear.
then i switched to a smaller knitpicks tip and a very long cable,
and carefully picked up 280 odd stitches until they were all back on the needle.
i also, at this point, inserted a lifeline. no, i didnt already have one. i dont know why not (see above). well, partly it was because im lazy, and had been using an addi fixed cable, and it doesnt have one of those convenient little holes to thread some cotton through so it creates the lifeline as you knit. anyway, it has a lifeline now. its also knitting back up very quickly, and is so far, touch wood, mistake free.
as i am reknitting it, i am thinking that i actually missed an entire row. there is a stitch combination that i have no memory whatsoever of performing the first time around. again, the vegemite jar analogy springs to mind. it feels nice to be getting it right this time, however, so the ripping angst was at least worthwhile.
lets hope i can keep my mind on the job second time around.
k xx
a room of my own 
November 8th, 2010 at 11:27 am
what a huge knitting weekend you had! I would shed a tear too. That’s tough knitting. I half expected to hear that you got that far and then just thought stuff it and ripped the lot. Am SO glad you didn’t have to.
That sock looks fab. Truly fab. Sometimes I think there really is a time and a place for DPNs. And for GaaK.
November 8th, 2010 at 11:31 am
growth as a knitter in action – I am impressed
I am completely fascinated when this happens – the moment when good enough is not ok and ripping out is what you do
November 8th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Your colors are lovely. I’m glad you tried the sock on!
And lifelines do help in a large lace pattern (am I starting to sound like a mother here?) Keep up the beautiful work!
November 8th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Oh my god ripping back on a girasole sounds traumatic. And thank heavens you’ve put in some lifelines. That you managed to save it without them puts me in awe of you. (What is the pattern like? It’s in my rav shopping basket).
I’ve been frogging socks left, right and centre at the moment. Glad to hear the crises was averted, and the progress does look good! 🙂
November 8th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Good sock news, hurray!!
Sad shawl news, such a lot of unravelling, but if a job’s worth doing etc. You will always appreciate the extra effort you went too. It’s easy to say that now though. You were very brave.
PS I never use a life line, and even after seeing your angst, I am dangerously carefree about the whole thing!!
November 8th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Phew, I thought for a minute there I was going to have to suggest using a lifeline…heh!
(although perhaps a row counter might come in handy too. Or one of those…what do they call them again…oh yeah, pencils! you know, to mark off each row as you knit it.. heh heh)
But seriously, I do admire your ability to rip and re-do. That’s something, as you know, which I rarely rarely do. I would have shed many tears if I had to rip that much of Girasole!
November 8th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Oh I rip all the time – especially lace. Sometimes a re-do is the only do worth doing. As a matter of fact, sometimes I think everything I knit, I knit twice. At least!
I think the lesson is to do it early and do it without hesitating. It’s only knitting, maybe one or two nights work? And always is quicker the second time (something about muscle memory perhaps)
Far better to get it over and done with now than have it niggle at you for months.
I would also have ripped.
November 8th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
I think you deserve a medal for knitting bravery. Well done.
November 8th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Ouch – well done you for taking that on – my one inch of tangled sock is still sitting there, as I didn’t put in the lifeline after the first rip although I considered it the second time around I now just need to be a lot further away from the knitting before I can pull it all out again! I never realised there were circs that helped you put in a lifeline as you knit – that is genious.
November 8th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Have you ever inserted a lifeline after the fact – I’m sure I read about it somewhere – all possible with dental floss and a tapestry needle perhaps? I’m feeling circular shawl tempted – perhaps a girasole…
November 8th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Does it feel good to know that it’s now right? I know when something is bothering me in my knitting I really just have to rip or it will do my head in. The colour of the sock is wonderful, but the shawl is sheer gorgeousness.
November 9th, 2010 at 1:49 am
To rip or not to rip is always a dilemma for me. But I nearly always decide to rip. And then once the decision is made, it feels so much better. I love the colors of the girasole. It’s so deep and pretty.
November 10th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I’ve discovered that sometimes the only thing to do is rip and I’ve done a fair bit of that lately. Personal satisfaction, and pride too, demands it. Yes, growth.
Knowing your interest in Shetland stuff, I’ll give you a link you may not yet have seen. Knits from the North Sea. Shetland lace knitting. $26.50 from Book Depository, $65 elsewhere here.