I Just Spent . . .

. . . a week knitting two swatches. Two swatches. TWO swatches. TWO SWATCHES! (Oh, and notice my broken shades. Oy.)

I admit, the better part of those approximately 25 hours I was wearing pajama pants. The same pajama pants day after day. They were nice and stretchy. But still. A week spent on knitting TWO swatches is really just too much for me to handle.

I have not ever, in my recent adulthood--or should I say, my "mostly adulthood" since I'm well over the hill by now given my real age and the added years and years that this past week has aged me--have experienced frustration of this level.

When I was a kid, if I tried something, say, a cartwheel, and couldn't do it, I'd try again and maybe a third time, and if I still couldn't do it, I'd shrug and try something else. And these days, if I'm faced with a new challenge, say making French macarons, I try. I may fail. Then I consult and try again. Maybe I fail again. And I might even fail a few times more. If I continue to fail, I throw up my hands, chop the macarons, and use them as some sort of topping and move on.

And when it comes to knitting, and this is a confession of sorts, whenever I encountered knitters who were extremely frustrated, I usually shrugged and muttered, "Hey, it's just knitting. You know: knits and purls! Yo ho!" I guess I'm admitting that I just didn't understand and thought the frustrated people should react more like me, you know, so what? You're frustrated? Move on! Enjoy life!

After all this time, friends, I have met my match. The Lifted Increase(s).

There's a right-leaning lifted increase.

There's a left-leaning lifted increase.

Oh, and didja know that you can do these on wrong-side rows, too? Oh, and these have no resemblance in terms of stitch maneuvering to the right-side ones. We're talking apples and oranges.

Unfortunately, my brain just doesn't want to deal with them. And if you're not familiar, as I was not, they aren't those nice little make-one's. These are funky blankety-blanks--oh, I don't even know what to call them because if I say words like "orphan," "red-headed," "step-yadda," "left-toenail," etc., I'll be in big trouble. But, you get my drift. 

So, this past week I knit, and then I ripped. Then I knit and then I ripped. Then, I got highlighters and highlighted charts like a new college student. Then I got up and fixed a cocktail. I did this day after day after day. And then it hit me: I finally get it. I finally understand what knit-frustration feels like.

Whether it is a knit or a purl or a twist or a yarnover, or if you're reading a chart and end up with too few or too many stitches and are frustrated, friends, I understand.

I'm sorry for being so flip all these years.

(A colleague of mine, a long time ago, called me "flip" during a review and I guess, in all honesty, I am.)

Signed, 

 

Confused and Now I Understand and I'm Sorry Please Forgive Me.

 

Comments

[kathleen]

"flip"

yup, had the flip knocked right out of me by those increases, too

all is forgiven:)

[Melissa]

...and here comes the first of a thousand helpful hints (probably not wanted but, hey, you never know)

I'm guessing lifted BAR increases? I struggled with those but then learned a funky line to help remember ~ Left thru the Front door, came Right Back (for left increase, lift bar from the front and knit into back...for right increase, lift bar from back and knit into front)

you may already know this but if not, there it is ~ once I learned it, it saved me from having to look at my notes every single time I had to do one (although I've never had to do on the flip side so I'm not sure how that translates) ~ hope you get whatever your frustration is figured out, Wendy!

[JenK]

Welcome to the club, sweetheart. Just think how good you'll feel when you do get those increases down. :)

[Wendy]

They're not BAR increases. The ones where you insert a needle through one of the legs of the previous stitches down. Sometimes one, sometimes two, and sometimes in the back side. Don't get me started.

[Renee Anne]

Oh don't even tell me about those lifted increases. I have to learn them for a project I've started...I haven't actually looked at how to do it yet and I'm kind of scared now.

[Nicole]

Ugh, that is by far my least favorite increase method.

Thank you for the stripey fingerless gloves inspiration. I found some Vesper Sock Yarn in the 'Knit and Tonic' colorway in my stash that I'm going to knit up into fingerless gloves too.

[Wendy]

Which reminds me, I want to write a fingerless mitts recipe for you all.

[Melissa]

sorry about the BAR comment ~ didn't mean to be obnoxious ~ just wanted to help if I could :)

[Pearl]

Cat Bordhi explains it in easy to remember terms;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYOYMJBGxrw

[Wendy]

Melissa. No worries. I just capitalized it so everyone saw that I was talking about something else. You are totally NOT obnoxious!

(And sorry if I came off as snarky, there was no intention there. I just copied what you typed.)

: )

[Wendy]

Thanks for the link, Pearl. I hope it helps people. I saw that and I was in the height of my confusion so it didn't speak to me.

Ugh.

Let's just say, I won't be designing with these type of increases any time soon.

[Jane]

You know Elsbeth Lavold adores those increases. I looked at YouTube vids, read multiple how-to's and still can't figure then out! I became so frustrated that I didn't knit for 2 days afterward. I ended up using M1's. I'll check out Cat's YouTube - that's one I didn't see.

[Ruinwen]

I'm not sure if this link will help you, but it helped me. Thought it couldn't hurt. :)

http://www.domiknitrix.com/howtos/pairedraised.cfm

I feel your pain. I played with increases for a very long time and they all started to look the same to me. Maybe put it away for a bit and do something you love. I'm sure you will have a fabulous idea and it will all come together. Hugs! :)

[Mary]

The photo really says it all: the Hitchcockian sense of total despair-- Lost Weekend, near collapse into the drinky! Good grief woman, the photography on this blog is always stellar, so you can feel good about that. And above all, your sense of humor appears intact! I appreciate your humility-- I have a sister for whom all things creative seems to come so easily. Annoying as hell! But we all have our moments of doubt and frustration. The way your brain works is this: put it aside and return later, months or weeks if you must. Next time you will already have some well-trod neural pathways (hopefully not too soaked in booze and frustration) that will make the next attempts an improvement, I promise! But give it time to soak in the ol neurons!

[Donna]

I am working on a submission. I suggested one item, which I already had the chart worked out for. But I have been asked to add another item to go with the first item and the charting is getting me very frustrated. So basically I feel your pain!!

[Lisa]

Perhaps more caffienne is needed. That almost always helps me. Better yet, (and I know this because I also work from home) put some *real* clothes on and get coffee then go home and do a different project until the coffee kicks in THEN retry. Good luck!!

[judith]

Just keep adding cocktails, before long you won't even care if you are increasing or decreasing.

[Pam]

Thank you, Wendy, thank you! Every time I've been stuck -- which is multiple, multiple, multiple times, I don't want to count the number of abandoned WIPS -- I think: Now how do the *real* knitters avoid going through this. You have given me some comfort.

[Barbara]

Can't tell you how much better I feel.

I struggled with increases all last week, too. Is there perhaps something in the air that we're all doing impossible increases?

I'll check out the tips and links, but meanwhile, it helps to know I'm not alone in this.

[Seanna Lea]

I watched the video when I first saw it surface on twitter or in the blogs, but I haven't tried it. After your experience, I think I will put off trying it until a design so beautiful comes along that uses it and I must have it.

[Shannon]

LOL

[babycocktailsthea]

Don't know if it helps, but am right there with you. Pile of shitty sweater on the floor and stitch dictionaries FULL of stickies, and still nothing to show but pj pants, a few cocktails and being caught up on Real Housewives. Hoping it will pass soon and an idea will GEL! But it does help me to hear that I'm not the only one, so maybe that also works in reverse?

[Jane]

Thank god for wine! I LOVE your blog!

[Susan]

Can't believe your post. Over the past week I've been casting on 72 stitches (yes 72)and ripping it back because I have been working on a certain little shell called "Ribbon". Know the one I'm talking about. I had never done a lifted increase but it is quite nice once you get it down. Finally today I had a break through or a light went on or something, but yeah I feel your pain.
Looking forward to your new book.

[Liana]

Oof...a dreaded technique can make a girl forget why she loves knitting. I hope this week's swatching goes better!