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August 16, 2005
Thoughts On Grafting
So last night I'm just cruising along on my k2p2 shrug and I'm almost to the shoulder and I'm still on the second ball of yarn. I'm thinking "this is great, I'm totally going to have enough yarn." Then reality crashes down on me. In a moment of clarity I realize that my bicept is 10 inches and the ribbing when stretched is somewhere between 7 and 8 inches (7 slightly stretched, 8 pretty stretched). Dun, da, dun... I need to increase after I get to the elbow length. Crap, crap, crap. So, this morning (after a restless night thinking about how stupid I am) I rip out about 8 inches of ribbing (it's a lot faster to rip it than to knit it - which I'm sure you already knew about) and calculate the "proper" spacing and manner for my increases. Not too difficult - just some M1s at the end of 2 consecutive rows (makes it easier to stay in pattern and you don't have to M1 in a purl stitch - I'm sure this is going to have to change as I add stitches, but I figure I'll work it out when I get there) until I have 2 more inches of ribbing, but now I just have to reknit those 8 inches. I imagine I'll be back to where I started sometime tonight. Lovely.
So, now on to my grafting questions. The ruffle I chose must be knit from the bottom up. This means that I will have to attach it to the ribbing somehow. It occurs to me that grafting might be a better choice than a 3 needle bind off because the first ruffle is knit and goes right into the ribbing - no seam. Now, the questions. 1) Can you graft k2p2 ribbing? Vogue Knitting has directions for grafting k1p1 ribbing, but is the concept the same? (I know, I really should have considered this before I started, but...) 2) Should I graft (if I can graft) at the ruffle or should I make 2 sleeves and graft them together in the middle of the back? Or, would a 3 needle bind off be more appropriate in the back of the shrug? 3) Am I insane for not thinking of these questions before I started? (clearly, yes) And should I admit defeat now before it gets nasty?
Thanks for you help, once again. Have a great day. Tonight we will see how blocking the dickens out of the Zip Cardi worked. Keep your fingers crossed.
Comments
Ohhhhh, so sorry to hear that you had to rip 8 inches of ribbing!! =o( That is such a bummer! I'm sure that you will get it back very quickly, though! Unfortunately I can't help with your grafting questions, but good luck with it!
Posted by: caitlyn at August 16, 2005 10:24 AM
You can indeed graft k2p2 rib! I have proclaimed myself Grand Master of Grafting after triumphing over my Rogue hood (grafting cables). I have a handy cheat sheet at home that helps - I'll pop by again and pass on the tips once I'm back home (and not blog reading from work).
Posted by: PumpkinMama at August 16, 2005 11:34 AM
Definitely don't admit defeat yet! Grafting ribbing is definitely do-able, and maybe that's a good choice, so the cuffs will be identical. I grafted cables once, and hope to never have to do it again. I don't remember the exact technique, but I do recall it was helpful to practice with skinny yarn before attempting with the real thing. Good luck!
Posted by: Diana at August 16, 2005 12:01 PM
Ack! Sorry to hear about the ribbing. Better to rip now though, rather than after you had even more of it knit.
No advice here on the grafting... well just one little bit - it might help to practice whatever technique you decide to use on swatches, rather than doing it for the first time on the final product. Please let us know how you decide to do it!
Posted by: Cyndi at August 16, 2005 12:10 PM
Um, wish I could help you but I can't... so listen to the previous commenters... they sound right! I just wanted to say thanks for recommending Fiddle Sticks to me, I am going to make the Creatures of the Reef shawl...
I am so excited :)
Posted by: Dani at August 16, 2005 12:39 PM
Yes, I would graft the ribbing at the back. Then the sleeves are the same.
Posted by: Carolyn at August 16, 2005 12:48 PM
Yep, grafting will be no problem and can be done similar to the method in Vogue Knitting you'll just be modifying to the 2 x 2. I have some other info, at home from a handout from Lucy Neatby if I can find it tonight, I'll send you the info tomorrow.
Posted by: Rebekah at August 16, 2005 1:08 PM
Oh, so relieved that everyone else has commented on the grafting. I am no help with actual techniques but I am sending good thoughts your way as to figuring it out.
Posted by: Lynette at August 18, 2005 9:35 AM
