Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Miette 8: Fixing Mistakes

I knew I'd have to address this sooner or later, and today I got an email from Jo telling me I'd better do it sooner!  Here's what she had to say:

. . . a few rows in I made a mistake.  That's where it got a bit hairy - with the complicated pattern I found it confusing to try to "tink" with all the crazy increases and holes.  It was really scary!  I didn't manage to fix it, so then I tried ripping it back (which is super scary to me!).  Long story short, I decided to redo the whole thing since I was only a few rows in.   . . .

BUT, I realised I really need to get more confident with fixing mistakes since I'm bound to make a few!   I found a great video on knitting help about putting in a lifeline:
http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/using-a-lifeline
I think this sounds really helpful!  Do you use these?  How many rows apart do you think life lines should go?  



And here is my response to her:

I don't actually use lifelines myself, but I think they would be a good way for you to avoid having to rip out everything when you make a mistake - and you WILL make mistakes.  I've been making them too, because there's just too much info in each line.  That's one of the reasons why I thought it was important to keep track of the number of stitches in each section and row.  Because I've been doing it for so long, I know what to look for and can pretty much fix a mistake on the following row - but it's not something I think I could teach anyone; I just kind of do it instinctively!

In any pattern, one of the biggest pitfalls for new knitters is how to fix mistakes, and in this pattern in particular, as you said, the lace and crazy increases make it all the more difficult.  However, the lace bit around the neck is only the first six rows, so honestly, I'd say not to bother with a lifeline there.  I'd probably put one in on row 6 or 7, and then every 4 or 6 rows after that.  The spacing really only depends on how far back you're willing to rip. 

Sometimes when I have a pattern with really dense instructions like this one, it helps me keep things straight (and therefore make fewer mistakes) if I rewrite the instructions vertically rather than horizontally.  So instead of this:

K2, yo, k2, kfbl, sm, k2 (3, 4) yo, k3, yo, k3 (3, 4), sm, k2 (3, 4), yo,
k2, ssk, yo, [k3, yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo] 2 times, k3, yo, k2tog, k2, yo, k2 (3, 4),
sm, k3 (3, 4), yo, k3, yo, k2 (3, 4), sm, kfbl, k2, yo, k2.

I'd write it this way:

K2
yo
k2 kfbl

sm

k2
yo
k3
yo
k3

sm
. . . . . . . etc.

I write it out on index cards, with each section on a different card, omitting the "sm" bits - so here there would be 5 cards per row, and I'd just flip through them one at a time as I knit each section.  For me it's a lot more manageable this way, and somehow reading vertically is easier for me than reading horizontally!


I hope these tips are helpful!  You can now see a picture of the beginning of Jo's sweater on the Flickr group!

ETA:  Check out Jo's post about her experience with mistakes.  She's got some really great insights!

17 comments:

  1. Writing the pattern out vertical is what I do with each pattern I knit, especially sweaters. It make it so much easier to just check off as I go down the line, especially if there are raglan increases that I need to keep up with.
    I need to hurry and finish my project so I can cast on yours. I love all the help you have offered.

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    1. I think all this info is good for the sweater you're doing right now too!

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  2. Excellent idea! This helps to visualize what is happening.

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    1. I'm working on making some charts for the lace too. Being a very visual person, charts are so much easier for me!

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  3. The key to being successful at knitting is knowing how to fix the mistakes,IMO. You of all people know, Gail, how many traumatizing experiences I've had with lifelines and tinking lacework! :-) My knitting helper, at my LYS, gave me confidence to stop with the lifelines. Knitting a LOT in a short space taught me how to go backwards - you can only make the same stitch so many times before you figure out how to undo it.

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    1. Yes, unfortunately some of these things are best demonstrated in real life, and as you say, experience will really help one understand the architecture of knitting. I'm really hoping no one has too many troubles!

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  4. Thank you for the tips! I'm about to put up a blog post with my progress and thoughts on mistakes too. Still got a lot to learn! :)

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  5. I had a rough start as well. I was able to tink in the places where I had blown it. I would not have been able to if I wasn't following your stitch counts. I love the vertical instructions idea! That is what is so difficult for me...the very looonnngg instruction line. I am, seriously, so impatient though! Rewriting everything out that way may kill me ;)

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    1. You guys aren't alone - I messed up my first try and had to rip it out!

      You don't have to rewrite every row. I'd suggest just doing it for the first six rows (the horizontal lace) and after that it's just the beginnings and ends of the rows, not the whole thing. And tomorrow I'm giving you charts for the lace panels that come after you've cast on those 10 extra stitches at the fronts.

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  6. Ok. So I'm on row 20 so I'm approaching that row 25 mark. I don't really understand what I'm supposed to do there. This is soooo fun!

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    1. Row 25 is a wrong side row (purl). Here's what I did: after I finished row 24, I cut my yarn and used the long-tail cast on to cast on 10 stitches, using the end of the needle I would have used if I were going to just knit the next row. Once I had my 10 stitches cast on, I continued across the purl row to the end, then used the "knitting on" cast on to add 10 stitches to the other side.

      Andi recommends doing it this way so that one side of the front neck doesn't end up being one row higher than the other side. (Under the FAQ section on the pattern page of her blog.)

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    2. I just went to her blog and read the pattern notes. Now I understand! I'll keep knitting. I added pictures (finally) so you can see the yarn.

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    3. Glad you're on the right track! Your piece looks great! Thanks for the pictures!

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  8. This is genius! I've started highlighting each stitch after finishing it...I realize it's slow but good for a beginner I guess. BTW I realize you are THE Gail that met up with Andrea from Canada...small world!

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    1. Yes, I am THE Gail, LOL! Nice to "meet" you - I have heard of you from Andrea. Will have to go over and explore your blog!

      And the knitting will get faster - just like anything, it's all about practice!

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