Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Check your math

Actually, the exact title for this post should, "Check their math."

Version #2 of my Short Sleeve Swirl Cardi (the first one went really wrong too but we won't talk about that):

Swirl Short Sleeve Cardi

Since the demise of the first version, I decided to use a pattern from the DROPS design website. I really like almost all their designs, even if the English translation of the patterns are sometime, how should I say this? Interesting, meaning I cannot understand what the heck they are saying. But that was not the problem, the problem was the math, that, I believe, should work the same all over the world.
I looked at the pattern and I decided to make the size XL - 110 cm = 43".
First mistake: I did not notice that in the schematic it was indicated that the XL has a bust of 43" and hips of 130 cm = 52". Now, my hips are not 52", they are actually narrow than my bust.
Second (huge) mistake: I did not check their math. For the XL size I was instructed to cast on 288 sts: at a 5.25 sts per inch, that gave me 55" circumference for the hips and, at 6.25 sts per inch, 46" circumference for the bust.
Uhm ...... to the frog pond (again!)
My dilemma is now this: do I re-size correctly this pattern that I like (most if it, I changed the sleeves because they were coming out really weird and I made them raglan style) or make something else entirely?
In the meantime, I made a hat with some handspun of mine:

Kiwi Pointy Elf Hat

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Scarves

Scraves by lux2night
Scraves, a photo by lux2night on Flickr.

It looks like I have become obsessed with making scarves - I just wound more handspun to make two more.

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Cut my losses

Two years ago I acquired a rigid heddle loom, Harpie, and I have not used in almost a year because this project was stuck on it:

Not Amazing Weaved Scarf

What was wrong with it? I warped a fuzzy aran weight yarn on a 10-dent heedle. Not a good idea, but I decided that I would make it work anyway, not to wast less than $15 of yarn I bought at Michael's.
One year later, it is still not working. Cut my losses:

Not Amazing Weaved Scarf