Sunday, May 8, 2011

Knitter's Denial

I give you this short story so that you can learn to recognize your own Knitter's Denial. Its real, its out there, its a fact of life!

I hurriedly finished up my toe up socks to get them off the needles so that I could start the Tardis socks mentioned in my last post. I cast on the Tardis socks shortly after midnight (problem no. 1 judgement is severely impaired at this hour). The pattern calls for 72 stitches, I usually use 64. I look at the colorwork band and it does indeed need the 72 stitches to be completed, so no altering that. Then I thought I could decrease after the colorwork band so that I am down to my usualy 64 stitches. I'll make the socks a little longer so that where they are 72 stitches is higher up on my leg so they'll fit. But there's a pattern stitch and I'm not sure that would work out and not interfere with the pattern.

Then I measured the gauge on other socks in this yarn on size US1 2.25mm needles and got 9-9.25 stitches per inch. Well that'll work I tell myself. That comes out to 8 inches circumference. That's about what my foot and ankle are. While this is going on I am completely ignoring the fact that it is advisable to subtract 10% from a sock so that they have negative ease and fit properly (problem no. 2 utter and total denial). For some unearthly reason I think, or tell myself, that socks knit on size US1 with 72 stitches are going to fit just like socks knit on US 1 with 64 stitches .... why would this work in any way, shape or form?!?!?

Not once do I think that I should change needles sizes, (problem no. 3 disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing) althought it may be due to the fact that I'm pretty sure I don't have anything smaller than a US 1 in my collection. So this justifies the fact that I am going to add 8 stitches to a sock and not change anything else and somehow they are going to fit me ...

I cast on said socks. I knit 2 rounds. Looking at what was there and telling myself, see its not that big, they'll fit ... then I went to bed.

Luckily sanity returned with daylight. I got up and had some coffee. Went online to see if Knit Picks carries size US 0 and found that they do and thought, perhaps you should order some. Of course I don't want to wait until they arrive to start these socks. I then went in my stash - I was pretty sure I needed US 0 DPNs before for a project, but wasn't sure if they were good needles or not (like did I want to knit an entire pair of socks with them or are they icky needles that I just got for a tiny Christmas ornament once). They are Clover Bamboo 5" DPNs and seem to be in good condition, so I'm gonna go with them. I think I'll order US 0 circulars for future use though because I typically prefer Magic Loop.

I can assume that I'll get at least 10 stitches to an inch on 2.0mm from the 9 I get on 2.25mm. Usually I get 7.5 or so on 2.75. That brings me awfully close to the size I get with 64 stitches.

Why, oh why do I continue to deny? I admit that I do have Knitter's Denial, but am able to recognize it before a project gets too far. Usually sleeping on it helps.

Do you suffer from Knitter's Denial?

3 comments:

Minding My Own Stitches said...

I think I may be in denial about what size my blanket will finish at. I've learned about socks, 72 stitches only if it's very stretchy or on tiny needles.

autumngeisha said...

Yes, I've been inflicted with knitter's denial many times and every time it has ended badly. Usually it is caused by being excited to cast on for a project without the proper needles/ yarn/gauge. I suspect that the sweater that I've been working on for several months now is too big, but has that stopped me from trying to finish it? Hope the socks work out!

geeky Heather said...

Hmmm, seems like these stories tend to start with "at midnight", don't they?? =)