Inspiration and Frogging

May 18

Written By

Happy Wednesday!

This week I am having craft ups and downs. While the pattern for Journey sweater is still brewing in my computer (I am the slowest pattern writer ever!), I started swatching for a second project with Moeke. By the way, you should definitely check #Journeysweater hashtag on Instagram (if you don't have one just click the link) - Josh and Saskia are posting so many photos of their progress! Can't wait to see their Journeys!Swatching part is always such a challenge for me - I am inspired by so many stitch combinations that narrowing down the choice to just a couple of them is the hardest thing in the world! Elena yarn is inspiring to work with... It's so different from all yarns I have ever used and I am curious to see how that or this stitch will appear.My crochet project is unfortunately not doing so well. The pattern doesn't have anything to do with it, I am using it more like a guideline than the instructions. My first problem was the gauge that kept changing on me, I restarted the whole thing 4 times because of that! Then I realized that I cannot just crochet straight without shaping as the pattern suggests, because the yarn I chose (2 threads of mercerized cotton) is creating a very firm and stiff fabric and the cardigan will pucker without shaping. With this kind of fabric, it has to be pretty fitting. So, I restarted for the 5th or 6th time. Still, no luck - to taper the cardigan perfectly I would have to decrease every second row and this is what it creates:Do you see how the fabric puckers on the sides? It happens when the decreases are stuck up too close to each other in a very stiff fabric like this one, but it also puckers if I don't decrease, because of a big difference between the hips and the waist :( So, after struggling and struggling with it for weeks, I have to admit my defeat. Frogging. Yes, I am frogging it. This is the first project in 2 years that I am frogging. I can't stand frogging. I love the yarn, but it is just not suitable for this project. I have to choose something soft and woolly for it to wrap myself in this wonderful cardigan. But not now, I have to take a break from it.Things to learn from this experience:

Don't try to make yarn into something that it is not.
Don't crochet hip length tapered garments in a stiff fabric.
Know when to stop. (I had a feeling I had to give up on it after the 4th ripping out, but I loved this relaxing crochet rhythm and deceived myself).