Saturday, December 5, 2015

She remembers how to knit!!!

Okay, so I haven't knitted much in the last 6 months, but I didn't actually forget how. I was just waiting for the right pattern to show up on my doorstep.

Or, more accurately, in my Facebook feed.  This is it: Optical Delusion: Conflagration.

Why this one? Who knows, but it spoke to me, so I bought it.

Even from the pictures, I knew it would be fiddly. And that it would require focus and concentration. And that it was ALL short rows. But I thought it might be easier than Dreambird, which was something of a beautiful brain-breaker.

I was right. Optical Delusion: Conflagration is all short rows, and it does require focus (and no one else counting within earshot), but it is considerably easier than Dreambird. The pattern comes with charts, which are ingenious, but were too small for me to see well. So I made a list of the number of stitches to knit on each row before turning (and other assorted instructions) and started. The list made all the difference for me. Note: I do not make wrapped turns, and for this pattern, I did not do my usual short row turn. I just turned, which left some holes in the fabric, which was not the designer's intention, but which I like just fine.

So the knitting consists of working Charts 1-2 once, Chart 3- 11 times (and up to 14, if you have the yarn. I did not. And even if I did have enough yarn, 11 was plenty), and Chart 4 once. I got mixed up on Chart 4, so my scarf skinny end does not look quite like it's supposed to, but I don't care.

Oh, the yarn is Whose Socks- The War Doctor, dyed by Purls Yarn Emporium, in Asheville NC. It's perfect for this pattern because it has fairly short repeat color changes.

So, pics (this is about a week's worth of work):


















2 comments:

Jan Morrison said...

That is stunning!such an ambitious project and you did it beautifully! Bravo!

maxine said...

I am on a knitting jag at the moment and this seems ambitious to me, but I think I might jump right in!