I finished not one but TWO projects this weekend! (it still counts as August as long as they were done by Labor Day, right?) First up, I finished the Clapotis. It refuses to be photographed right now, so as soon as I get a picture I’ll post it. Then, 24 hours later, I finished up the baby blanket for Zach. Baby blankets make a great 1st birthday present, right? *sigh*
Yes, I started this before he was born, but it is hard to work on a warm, cozy blanket when it is a bajillion degrees outside. Then the whole hand thing happened, and after my surgery I wasn’t comfortable knitting with large needles. I had put off working on it in the summer heat (I didn’t work on anything at all for at least 6 weeks), but this weekend I picked it back up and zoomed right through to the end.
Somewhere in the span of the weekend I also managed to start two new projects. One is the “test” Humpty Dumpty sweater from the class that I took at the Knit at Night Guild conference last weekend. It is an “unpattern” sort of project, which tends to make me nervous. I’m not a free and easy knitter like that normally. I also started the sweater I am going to make with my Brooks Farm yarn. Mmmmmm… their Four Play is heavenly to work with! Unfortunately, I am not getting gauge, so I’m going to have to frog it and start over. I have only made it about 3 inches into the sleeve though, so it is ok. I want to redo the garter stitch cuff anyways.
Question … I have never knit garter stitch in the round before. Where I switched from the one row of knit to the one row of purl, there are ladders. Ugly ladders. I don’t normally get ladders, so I suspect it has to do with the switching from knitting to purling. How do I make that transition look smoother? Any ideas?
8 replies on “UFO August Worked!”
I have this problem too in garter stitch! My solution that works most of the time for DPNs is to knit the first stitch on the left needle, insert the needle into the second stitch and snug up the yarn between the needles. I always snug up again after completing the second stitch. After that, it’s pretty clear sailing until I hit the next needle. I hope it works!
yep, what lisa said. snug it up!
I was snugging as much as possible, and it still looks wonky. I’ll have to photograph it before I rip it out.
When I knit on DPNs I move the stitches from needle to needle for a few rows. I don’t have ladders at all. I don’t know if that would work on circular needles but it might be worth a try.
I love the baby blanket!
The woobie looks terrific! I love the colors and the stitch pattern. Lucky kid!
Ohhhhh Christine…. your blanket is beautifulllll…. (gushing…). You did a great job with UFO August! So proud!
Let’s get together soon, okay???
I’ve never been terribly happy with garter in the round either. I don’t get ladders, but I do get a jog, and it’s a little harder to obscure than the kind with colors, although the same trick (pull up the first stitch from the row below, put it on the needle, work it together with the *real* first stitch of the round) does blur it a little.
You know what I’d do, since it’s just the cuff? I’d knit it flat, and then switch to knitting in the round when you get past the cuff, and just seam that bit later.
Sara, that is actually what I told Katy today at lunch that I was going to do. It is supposed to be two inches of garter stitch, but since I’m short I’m only doing an inch, and I’m going to knit it flat.
As soon as I can find my damn size 5 US needles, that is…