Tag: EDS

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It Tried to Kill Me

The EDS is so called because it is Elizabeth’s Daughter’s Sweater. I could have named it Hope’s sweater but I didn’t know her daughter’s name when I started it so EDS it was. It is now EDS meaning Evil Demon Seed because the sweater mocks me, it laughs at me. It tried to kill me.

I know this to be true. I was at that point where you just want the project to be over. Knitters know this phenomenon. It happens all the time. But the morning I went to start to turtleneck on this sweater. The last major part: the shoulders and arms were seamed and all that was left was the sides. I went to start the turtleneck and felt a little nostalgic. It was going to be over in a matter of stitches.

I should have known then I was in for trouble. It was Thanksgiving morning. We were going over to the same place we have gone for the last three years and love to go. It was my birthday – maybe that’s why I was feeling happy and wistful when I picked up the sweater and started picking up the stitches to make the turtleneck.

The pattern said turn the sweater inside out and pick up 100 stitches around the neck – it was way more specific about that but that’s what I saw when I read it…so. I picked up the stitches and started working in the pattern and it took a row to realize it wasn’t going to work. It didn’t line up. Had to rip it out. EDS 1 – Me 0.

Recast on the stitches and started again. Took a few rows before I realized I made a mistake. The sweater was turned inside out but the stitches were picked up as if I was working the  right side. I was doing knit 3, purl 2. But it’s a turtleneck. The collar will fold over. I have to knit the opposite. I have to Purl 3, knit 2. EDS 2 – Me 0

For some strange reason, I didn’t want to P3, K2. I wanted to K3, P2. So I turned the sweater right side out and started to pick up stitches from the private side. The time I allotted to work on the sweater had run out. I went to put it back into the bag and I thought the bag was light. I started to panic. I had lost the back to the sweater. I know I had it out but I always thought I put it back. I frantically looked around for it and started calling myself an idiot for having misplaced it.

Did you catch it? Took me another minute before I did. I heard the sweater laugh at me and that’s when I knew it tried to kill me. I put it away to let it think itself victorious. EDS 3: Me 0

When I came back to it. I picked it up. Lined up the picked up stitches and started to work and it seems to be cooperating.. I had to get some more yarn from the original pieces but I think I will be able to finish it without have to touch that last skein. Of course, now that I said that, I bet this will get interesting. Keep good thoughts.

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Brain Burp

The first photo taken in the studio. Not so bad considering it was early evening and the outside was a lot darker than it looked.

This just might work. I should know soon because the EDS is almost done. Though we were working to do each other in for a moment.

The EDS had a little laugh at my expense. Made me wonder if we the friends I thought we were coming to be. Now, I am beginning to think it wants to be done as much as I want it to be done.

Here’s what happened. I got to the shaping part and had to write out the instructions because it was one of those: do this for the next two rows twice and then do it once for four more times and then do this kind of thing and at the end, you should have 20 stitches on both sides – because you’re using two different balls of yarn to shape the shoulders.and doing the neck shaping at the same time. So, I charted it out so I could tick off the stitches. And I counted and sure enough, if I did just what it said, I would have 20 stitches. 

I went about my business and when I was done, I thought I would count and admire my magic. Not only did I have more than 20 stitches, I had more stitches on one side than I did on the other.

Because, I somehow had a brain burp and didn’t realize I would have to do that entire decrease thing on both sides. I would have to perform each step twice. So, I had to do recalculation with where I was and proceed. The bottom line is the decreases are done. There are the requisite 20 stitches on each side. I lined up the front with the back and the arm stitches, shoulder stitches and the length of both pieces all line up. I have to do one row straight and then bind off.

I read ahead (won’t fool me again) and saw the turtleneck instructions – which I ain’t gonna follow. At least not completely. There’s a section where you knit, do a turning row, knit some more and then stitch the last row of the neck to the first part.. I’m gonna leave the turtleneck free so it can be turned either way, making the sweater reversible. There’s no inside or outside. 

I am cautiously optimistic – another brain burp notwithstanding. 

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An Update on EDS

Finally, an update on EDS. I have been steadily working the knit magic to get this sweater done. I thought it would be done sometime this spring but that didn’t happen, then summer and a bunch of travel later and the EDS didn’t really get my attention until a few months ago. I thought I had taken it with me to Montana and was relieved to find I didn’t because I thought I left it somewhere in South Dakota.

That was August. I was working on it faithfully when September rolled in. Then an unexpected trip to San Antonio and that threw a wrench into things. But the work continued. 

For sure, it would be done by the end of September but a trip to Phoenix – where the sweater did not come with me because there would be no knit time – and a trip straight from the airport to the hospital for a four day stay turned that plan on its ear.

But we go steady on and here we are in November and we can see the end in sight. The increases are almost done and that will leave the shaping. I work on it the first thing in the morning from 1 -3 hours depending on how the day is looking.

Here’s my take away from working on this sweater:

    1. I can’t follow a pattern to save my life. I always find something to modify. I find this to be true even in my own patterns. It’s a brain blip. I have learned to live with it. In this instance, I changed the stitch, the count, the increases and decreases. I kept the bind off, though. I’m not a total ingrate.
    2. The yarn is Malabrigo Mecha. It’s a beautiful, kettle dyed Merino. The color is Pocion. It’s $15 a skein. I don’t love it any more or any less than any of the other yarns in my stash. I know knit snobs who think acrylic is a waste and won’t touch it and those for whom natural yarns are a preference without the snobbishness. My stash is 98% acrylic. I get a kick out of it and of how much I have of it. Working with this fiber is nice but it is the knitting that’s the path for me. I learned to knit with string sooooo.
    3. This yarn is single ply. And it shows. It doesn’t lend itself too well to being reknit. I had to give it a stern talking to but I know as soon as it leaves me and begins to be worn; body heat and washing will enhance the look beyond my control.
    4. I just freakin’ love knitting and crochet. I come into the office every morning and pull out this sweater and it is a great way to begin the day. So much so, that I have already begun to consider what I will be making next as my office project.
    5. Knit math doesn’t care if you’re using natural fibers. I knit and knit and knit and couldn’t get to the 11 inches I needed. Then I knit some more and got 12 inches. Knit math always wins.
    6. I’m at that point where I’m wanting this to be done. This happens to every knitter and it means a project is almost over. The love affair is almost at an end. There’s almost nothing else we can do for each other so we might as well call it a relationship, wish each other well with our next loves and part as friends.
    7. As happy as I will be, Hope will be even happier.

Let’s cross our fingers for Thanksgiving.