Friday, March 13, 2009

Cable Chaos

Maybe I exaggerate, but you are accustomed to me exaggerating by now.
I threaded a US3, 24 inch Addi Turbo circular needle as a lifeline through the first row of the left half of the Harf, then ripped it all out.
Almost as soon as I started working forward again, I had to stop and think about what I was doing, because I cabled on row 3.
Such a pain, all this thinking.

So Much For Easy
When I was knitting the first half, I worked a front cable cross on the first cable and a back cable cross on the second cable so it would be easy to remember which one to work.
This worked out well since the first cable was also the front of the piece (near my face) so front edge, front cross.
Well, when I cast on for the second half, I happily continued in this manner—and immediately realized the cables weren't crossing in the same direction any more.
How can I explain this without pictures?
They were spinning toward each other, rather than flowing in the same direction.
Although this might actually have the potential to look quite nice, it's not what I had in mind.
Keep in mind, I'm only doing this terribly difficult construction of starting at the bottom of the hood, working both sides of the hood and then grafting them shut, then knitting the scarves, and all this other nonsense I'm struggling with—because I want to make sure I don't run out of yarn.

Not For Public Consumption
And this crazy construction just won't do if I want to try to sell this pattern. (Depending on how that works out with the contest—which I'm going to win. Staying positive!)
Really, who in their right mind would buy a pattern with that construction?
I can see it now: "Oh, look at this nice hooded scarf. Why is the skill level marked 'experienced'?"
The goal is to be able to write the pattern up so you can cast on at one end, work the scarf, work the hood, work the scarf, then cast off on the other end like a normal person.
In that scenario, all the cables will proceed in the same direction from one end to the other.

But On the Other Hand
Now, in theory, one could write the pattern so that the cables swap sides at the peak of the hood. And this might look attractive.
(This might also allow me to get away with an extra flat row between the cables. I fear the possibility both sides will want to cross on the very row I need to graft.)
But considering the trouble I'm having remembering to swap them, what trouble would it give someone who has worked the entire length of the scarf and half the hood?
They would have the first/front, second/back motion really ingrained in their brain.
Well, I can ponder this situation for a few days. I see much doily knitting in my future this weekend.

2 comments:

  1. And that thinking of yours scares me!! (But, I know nothing of knitting)

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  2. I say continue on, same pattern (mind and all that....) If you were going to make mirror images then it would switch somewhere in the middle of the hood, right? In any event - YOU ARE going to win!!! :)

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