Thursday, January 22, 2009

...it was going so well...

As soon as I saw this pattern I knew I desperately needed legwarmers. (And cowboy boots, please.) The lace pattern is pretty and easily memorized, although this project was really all about product rather than process. I modified the pattern slightly, since I wanted them to be the knee-high, rather than over the knee, so I knit 9 pattern repeats and 1/5" of ribbing at each end, even though the pattern wanted them to be about 4" longer. I also eliminated the increases, as the lace pattern seemed stretchy enough. It is important that I point out how much less knitting I did so that you understand how frustrated I was when I realized I was definitely going to run out of yarn after only 8 pattern repeats on the second legwarmer!! Argh! Come ON! And then the yarn circus began. I had to rip out the top of the second legwarmer, take it down to 8 pattern repeats, then divide up the yarn I had left over both legwarmers...oh! but you have to double the yarn just on the ribbed cuffs, so I had long pieces of yarn stretched through my house, then doubled back, which make the cat go berserk, which made me yell. So I reknit the cuffs on both legwarmers, decreasing 10 stitches on the first round, and making them a bit shorter than the pattern called for.

Moral of the Story #1: if you are going to knit these legwarmers, get TWO (2) skeins of Classic Elite Alpaca Sox!!! The one skein that the pattern calls for does not even come close, especially if you want to wear them over the knee, like the pattern photo. I don't know what they were thinking.


Moral #2: Check the pattern notes from other Ravelers BEFORE you start a project. I looked at other knitters' projects AFTER I was already frustrated and ripping and reknitting, and it turned out I was not alone; most people were frustrated by the yarn shortage in this pattern.


So they're blocking, and they look pretty, and I think they'll be just fine for the way I want to wear them, but we'll see.

13 Comments:

Blogger Renee said...

Thank you for the info, I've been considering making these for my daughter.

10:03 AM  
Blogger Hilary said...

Oh those are SO COOL! I'm sure they'll be well worth the yarn drama. How frustrating, though. Thanks for the warning!

10:36 AM  
Blogger soknitpicky said...

What a headache for you! They do look like they will be really cute, though. So hopefully that eases the pain a bit once you actually get to wear them :-)

11:39 AM  
Blogger Susan said...

Sorry about the yarn debacle! That sounds so frustrating. On a positive note - they will be worth it in the end for sure!

12:21 PM  
Blogger Sarah said...

No fun - what is it about checking Rav after something has gone wrong? I do that all the time. I'm glad you managed a pair in the end without having to give in and get more yarn and I love that photo.

12:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Really, truly I never thought I'd hear the phrase "I knew I desperately needed legwarmers" after 1987. But here I am proved wrong. They are pretty! Which again is something I never thought I'd say about leg warmers.

1:09 PM  
Blogger erngrn said...

oh my goodness, i'm having that problem with a pair of jaywalkers that i'm working on right now...
i am SO close.
it looks like i'm going to have to knit the toe with another yarn, good thing they're for my mother and she wont care, she will just be happy to get them. :)

8:07 PM  
Blogger Maryse said...

I look forward to seeing them both! I think it's all the work that make this so frustrating when it doesn't go as expected. I thought knitting was about being zen but a few times, I thought I would loose my mind ;-)))

9:30 PM  
Blogger Stacey said...

that is beyond annoying - that is why they have yarn requirements - so you know how much to get!!!!! glad they finally got done though - can't wait to see them all modeled with some cool boots! :)

6:50 AM  
Blogger Holli said...

Wow, they are beautiful, and I'm so glad you were able to make the yarn work. Can't wait to see a photo of them on (with the boots).

Happy Friday.

9:46 AM  
Blogger Lara said...

sorry about all the trouble with the yarn! i know how frustrating that could. I forget to use Ravelry as such a resource sometimes also.

Besides all that, the legwarmers are so pretty and I can't wait to see them. And now I am going to knit a pair!

10:31 AM  
Blogger Denise said...

I just posted on my blog about running short on yarn for socks! And it was Classic Elite too. So frustrating, I have to frog both my socks and start over knitting a smaller pair.
Your leg warmers turned out lovely despite the hassle you had.

4:25 PM  
Blogger Lisa said...

It's very good advice to check the comments of other Ravelers before starting a pattern.

I never start a pattern without checking what other people have said first and it's saved me from some horrible knitting mistakes.

8:32 PM  

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