You know how I feel about frogging. Reflecting on all that, Birch has been frogged and reborn as this wisp of a thing.
I took Angela's and Yahaira's (the doyenne of KSH) advice and compared the stretch factor between the cast on and the lace, and it bugged me. It had been bugging me since the beginning. You see, although this shawl is for Jolt's proverbial "Big Day," she's going to wear it afterward, and I just had visions that went something along the line of... rrrrrrrrrripp... as she tried to stretch the shawl without an elastic cast on. Plus it just looked a bit funny. Plus there were a few other big mistakes I knew were the product of getting familiar with the pattern.
Let's just consider that a very large gauge swatch, shall we?
So I whipped out The Big Book of Knitting and learned how to do a knitted cast on, which as far as I can tell is the same as a lace cast on, which resulted in this fine, stretchy result:
Looks very stretchy! (And fuzzy)
Posted by: Chris at January 26, 2006 10:39 AMlooks perfect to me!
hah! me a doyenne
You're very brave!
By the way, I've had the reverse problem: my grand-mother only taught me the lace cast on, and I used it for everything. All my edges were stretched out and sloppy!
I guess it's better to get it right so you won't have to be bugged by it throughout the entire knitting process. I admire your ability to frog KSH - yikes.
Posted by: Stephanie at January 26, 2006 11:40 AMwow, it looks better with a totally different cast on. so, did KSH ripped OK? or, you abandon the yarn? i plan to make birch one day. i have both the yarn and pattern. yours is definitely a great motivation for me to get started.
Posted by: blossom at January 26, 2006 11:49 AMThat looks pretty much exactly like the Sharon Miller cast-on, so yeah, you should be in great shape now.
Posted by: Beth S. at January 26, 2006 11:58 AMSorry to hear you had to rip - but better you rip with a purpose than the bride ripping it on the wedding day! The cast on looks nice and loose now.
Posted by: Marie at January 26, 2006 12:17 PMYou are dedicated! I've never knit with KSH all by itself, so I had NO tips :(
Posted by: jillian at January 26, 2006 12:55 PMIts tough to start over and abandon all that work already done, but I know you'll be happier with it in the end. Plus now those mistakes are gone!
Posted by: Diana at January 26, 2006 1:13 PMwow... i've abandoned projects before ripping them out and starting over. it pains me so much to watch all the work disappear. but i guess the pain of knowing it is 'wrong' is worse...
the yarn is beautiful... what's it like to knit? slick?
Posted by: jennie at January 26, 2006 1:26 PMvery good choice on the froggin. love the *ethereal* lighting in the photos
Posted by: j a r e d at January 26, 2006 1:59 PMOh, I hope recasting on wasn't painful for you! And don't worry, I've knitted many large "swatches" myself.
Posted by: Angela at January 26, 2006 2:57 PMLooks lovely. Your images make we want to knit wiith KSH just so that i can have something that looks so delicate and soft.
Posted by: holly at January 26, 2006 3:17 PMoh no! you will be much happier with the end result after ripping, but i'm sure it was painful!
i'm 4 repeats in and just realized i've made major boo boos.... i know i'm the only one who will notice, and i can't bear the thought of ripping out all those rows of mohair (OUCH)...
Posted by: jenny at January 26, 2006 8:19 PMbravo for frogging so much KSH!!
Posted by: Lois at January 26, 2006 9:41 PMI started birch several months ago--twice--and frogged both times. I'm working up the courage to start again. I really want one by spring! Guess I better get going again. Your starting over has inspired me again. Thanks.
Posted by: Kathie at January 26, 2006 11:15 PMYou absolutely made the right decision. You're knitting an heirloom, it should be as perfect as possible! Brava!
Posted by: Debi at January 26, 2006 11:29 PMI see great proof of determination and bravery. All those things will be incorporated into the very core of your Birch. It must be so much fun for your friend to read about the growth of her "something blue". This whisp of a shawl looks fabulous, and I am sure I will say that again. :-)
Posted by: Emma at January 27, 2006 2:47 AMBoo to frogging! At least you're not pressed for time.
Posted by: Cathy at January 27, 2006 7:51 AMI'm impressed that you could frog mohair without incident.
Posted by: Gina at January 27, 2006 8:51 AMwho know a cast-on photo could be so lovely? i certainly admire you for sticking with it -- i can't imagine frogging KSH was much fun.
Posted by: carrie m at January 27, 2006 1:35 PM