Zimmermania

Friday, July 06, 2007

Help please



Hey all hope everyone's summer is well. I have a little issue and need some help...ie I just need someone to say rip it out and stop fretting...lol


My parents came out to visit and my father was looking through my copy of opinated knitter... Ok so he knew I wanted to make him something but I didnt guide him...lol. Anyway he loved the cabled sweater and he sent my mother with me to LYS and she picked out a lovely dark green Cestari. Which is a thinner but since it is EZ ...I just went with it as it was great that my dad wanted...well I just finished the Tree of Life ribbing and well... the right side of the tree is great...the middle is perfect but every left hand side of the tree is wonky looking. It looks like I made a mistake and well since my father is 6'4 and about 66 inches around.... I dont think I repeated it..lol...cause it all looks the same.


I brought it with me to LYS and others were like oh it wont show...but I know. I did swatch out the sweater to get gauge and did swatch the two main cables, but I didnt do the tree of life.


Here is my question finally.... do I go down a needle size on the ribbing? Or just keep knitting up and see how the cables start to show? I have attached a pic but it is poor as the light wasnt great and it is hunter green.


Casey

posted by Minnesota Mazzio's at 1:04 AM

7 Comments:

  • Hi,

    I have never knit the tree of life before. I did knit a Aran once last year---it did come out great! I am no expert. So I am guessing here a bit. I always knit the rib in a smaller needle. That may help.

    Is the problem purling in this pattern? I can not tell from your photo. If it is going from a knit to a purl you could try snugging up the yarn on the purl just give a light tug.

    I myself don't like the advice of you can always block it out later. For me it needs to look the right way!

    Also I did notice on my Aran that on the left side of cables it was a bit loose/a bit sloopy looking and I think it was the yarn tension and I know I just tighten up the purling.

    Best of luck I love the color.

    Nancy

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:15 AM  

  • You might find this blog entry helpful: http://explaiknit.typepad.com/let_me_explaiknit/2007/04/tickle_your_rib.html
    Although the title refers to ribbing, the same concept applies (the looseness that results when a purl stitch follows a knit stitch) and she does mention cables in the entry. Good luck and remember, with time and washing, knitting evens out. HTH

    By Blogger Molly, at 9:31 AM  

  • Part of my link didn't show in the last entry. I'll try again:

    http://explaiknit.typepad.com/let_
    me_explaiknit/2007/04/tickle_your_rib.html

    You'll probably have to copy and paste it because now it includes an "enter" command. I also recommend her recent entry on swatching, which is excellent.

    By Blogger Molly, at 9:35 AM  

  • Thanks I am off to read it now...

    Casey

    By Blogger Minnesota Mazzio's, at 12:15 PM  

  • I don't know what the pattern is like, but it looks like we have the same problem: I've been knitting the Fishtrap Aran (for abouut a year and a half :) and I've noticed the same thing happening in both mine and other people's knitting: With the small cables, where only two stitches are switching places, all the left-slanting ones look wonky. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that all knit stitches naturally slant to the right, so going to the left is more tricky. I haven't quite been able to solve the problem myself, but it does look better after blocking, so I think it will definitely look better after a couple of washes. Try it on your swatch, and apart from that experiment with the yarn tension (and let me know if you figure it out!).

    Good luck!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:05 AM  

  • i have the same problem and elli who knit a saddle shoulder aran tells the same. so maybe it is just a fact of knitting. i think i read somewhere that it has to do with knitting in the round.

    By Blogger knititch, at 1:41 AM  

  • Since you are the one knitting the sweater, you are the one who decides what you feel comfortable with as far as looks, tension, etc. If it is at a point where you are doing ssk for a left slant, you might want to try S1, K1, psso and see if you like the effect better. A subtle difference but sometimes that is all it takes.That said, it is true that blocking often works miracles.
    Good luck!
    Cate

    By Blogger Having a Knit Fitt, at 7:34 AM  

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