Misadventures in Knitting # 1

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. I am a complete dumbass.

Following a basic sock formula for a woman whose feet are about 8.25 inches in circumference with a yarn and needles with which I received a 9.75 st/inch gauge on my nice swatch (and I like to swatch) for just over 80 stitches for the diameter, and since it's a four stitch pattern I went with 80 even. Sounds reasonable, right?

BZZZZT! WRONG!

According to the book I took the pattern from, Sensational Knitted Socks (bottom right of page 12 to be exact) one may use a sample of stockinette using the needles and yarn you are going to use and use that as an approximate gauge swatch, provided it was not one of the cable patterns. I was using a basic four-stitch and two row pattern without cables or lace or eyelets. Two columns of stockinette stitch, two columns of garter.

Come to find out the main pattern of the sock has a gauge much closer to 8.5 to 8.75 than 9.75. That leads to between 68 (64 for the pattern repeats) and just over 72 stitches circumference. Meaning that at that gauge there's an EXTRA INCH to the circumference. Rawr!

Now I am faced with two options, both of which have pros and cons. Option 1: Make two socks too large for the recipient even though I picked the yarn out special for them because they love the colors. Note that they'll be just about the ideal size for myself or Mel. Option 2: Frog out over 7,500 stitches and start over.

I lose either way. If I *do* frog it out I'll take a picture beforehand.

On that note, since I may as well have something positive come out of my misadventures I've decided to start catologing my mistakes and important knitting lessons learned the hard way. It'll be a growing list somewhere, probably on the left of my blog or maybe it's own page. I dunno yet.

• Important Knitting Lesson #1: Never believe a book when it says you can fudge the gauge on a fitted garment like a sweater, hat, or sock.
• Important Knitting Lesson #2: Always make a swatch using the stitch you'll be using for a sock no matter what the book or pattern notes say, even if it means multiple swatches (St st and pattern), and even if it's only for your own reference.

Otherwise my knitting has been productive. After finishing it (except for binding off) and sizing it on himself the Recipient of Da Scarf determined it needed to be longer by at least two feet. Argh. So that's at least another 6 stripes... 90 rows. Actually, this will be good practice for me to determine how long it will take to do 90 rows so I can plan something. The only down side is that I might need more yarn to complete this scarf. That's right, FOUR skeins of Red Heart may not be enough for a scarf. ...I can't remember smoking anything while designing this scarf but who knows, I may have.

Oddly enough, The Recipient is pleased with the thickness, saying his other scarves are never warm enough for him during the late season games. It's also way too wide, but again he's pleased with that too. ...No accounting for taste. But like the Samurai Knitter said around Christmas time: Knit what the recipient will like and enjoy if you want them to wear it.

The Boy Thing wants me to make him something next. Silly of the Boy Thing (he knows about the dreaded Sweater curse), but at the same time I've been considering making him a pair of Dashing gloves from Knitty. He lives in Georgia, but at the same time I know he gets cold because he whines about it. And I tell him "Fifty degrees? Pfft. Pansey. Talk to me when it's -15 with four feet of snow and a -35 windchill." Can you tell I spent my formative years in upstate NY?

I think that's enough for now. Maybe too much, considering noone reads my drivel.