Short and Squat

Sometimes I knit with a pattern.

Sometimes I go it alone.

Every so often

I feel like adventure...

And I make a pattern my own!

This time there was a pattern.

A blanket chart, double-knit.

I started out strong,

but it didn't last long...

Then I re-wrote the charts just a bit!

In truth, I re-wrote the charts a LOT. I have now started this blanket a total of three times: twice before the re-write! I love the look of picture knits, and I love that this will be reversible, but I did not love how the first row of pictures turned out...very short and squat.

When I first looked at the pattern (which is really just the chart), I saw that it was a bit too square looking. After all, knit stitches are short and squat...to get a  square you might need 10 stitches and 15 rows, or 12 stitches and 16 rows, or some other ratio. The smart thing to do, knowing this, would be to make a small swatch to test the ratio. Yes, that would be the smart thing to do.

What I did instead was to just cast on 139 stitches (times two, for double-knitting), and start knitting. Oops! A mistake! That's ok...I can rip back to fix it. Oops! I didn't rip back far enough? Ok, let's just rip it all out and start over. On a roll now, I am almost ready for the next set of picture charts...wait just a cotton pickin' minute! This is NOT a square! None of them are! 7 inches wide and only 5.5 inches tall? Ugh! 

And then I re-charted the whole thing. In Excel. 139 stitches by 184 rows, one square at a time. 

So, as I headed into this weekend, I had 3 rows of a new blankey on my needles...and high hopes! I would show you new photos, but I am at a knitters' retreat, and that is a little like Vegas...it stays here, people! Also, the Wi-Fi is sketchy, so I have blogged ahead. But I can tell you that I am having fun, knitting much and laughing with friends! There is no shortage of words (or food or drinks) here at the retreat, but the blog (unlike attempt 3 at the blanket, I hope) is a little short and squat this week!

Thanks for stopping by anyway, and Knit in Good Health yourself!