With Confidence and Hope through all Crisis” We all know who said those words. I was thinking about them this morning and wondering – is she talking about life crisis or knitting crisis?
It has occurred to me that I am a knitting hysteric – I have some kind of knitting anxiety syndrome. No matter how easy going I am in life, with knitting projects I am always worried about something and ripping back over something else. Am I going to have enough yarn? Is this going to fit? Do I even like this pattern? Can I even see this pattern? Am I going to have enough yarn (that’s a big one and deserves a double mention)
I am less Elizabeth Zimmerman’s model of the tranquil yet intrepid knitter and more along the lines of Roseanne Roseannadana. “You know it’s always something. If it isn’t one thing it’s another”.
So let’s get right to it, shall we – today’s knitting drama. This is the % sweater – which has already been ripped twice over measurement issues and a lousy yarn join. Last night, by the glow of my Ott light (I sense a poem in there somewhere) I noticed a color issue. There is a slight, yet noticeable color difference between the two skeins of yarns. Do you see it? Think of the color changes in Trekking XXL – can you see where the new ball of yarn comes into play ?? If that rolled edge were unfurled, it would be at about the halfway point. I checked the dye lots and it is all the same – but it is there nonetheless.
“I thought I was gonna die!”
I thought I had made the conscious decision to ignore this situation, but now Cara is informing me that I am an idiot and should have been alternating skeins this whole time. Will I look like a giant ringed something-or-other if I simply continue on, or do I rip this out?
purlingswine 
Oh, Ann. I see the color difference. Can you dunk the bottom part in coffee? Not to chew on it, but to dye it a bit?
Good luck on whatever you decide to do.
Rosane.
I LOVE YOU, YOU IDIOT YOU!
Rip it, baby, rip it good. That’s what Elizabeth Zimmermann would do.
; )
Love ya. Happy Valentine’s Day, too.
If you alternate skeins, you’re going to get striping. Do you really want stripes?
Ugh. I’d rip it and use the off skein for ribbing or the back. It looks like that one skein just didn’t get as much dye. Unless the other skeins match that one, in which case the darker skein is the off skein. Ugh. I hate when that happens!
It’s doomed for ripping, I’d say. So sorry.
I concur with the group. A ripping I would go.
I have the same issue with some laceweight yarn that came from handpaintedyarn.com
oh rosie,
do not worry! you can just ripe to where the striping and color change begins. its OK!
see you in a week or two. off skiing in utah!
peg
I think I’d rip back a bit. Not the whole thing though–I don’t know. Are you getting 6 to an inch??
damn.*&@*# ripping out is so painful- but it is a noticable change..so sorry
I think I hear Kermit the Frog calling you. It ain’t easy being “a gulden’s mustard colored sweater”. Good luck.
Ouch, it is rather noticeable. On the other hand, if all of your skeins are slightly different from each other you could call it a design feature.
9 times out of 10, I would be the one saying “Oh just let it be. The different colors are pretty.” but I’m after this once I am going to have to agree with the crowd and say rib it out.
If you decide to unknit this baby, do you need me to send you some wine to soothe your nerves?
Roseanne, you know what you gotta do-
Hope your Valentine’s day was sweet too! You still give me plenty inspiration! Besides, you have EZ on your side:)
Ah, yes, I spent quite a bit of time comparing skeins for color variance(I live close to WEBs where I purchased the yarn in question.)and it is still noticeable between skeins. I get loads of compliments on the finished products and no, I did not alternate skeins. I actually like my “eyes of Jupiter” as I call them where pools do show up on some of my sweaters, others don’t have them. To each their own. Remember, there are NO KNITTING POLICE!
Oh, hell. Rippage it is.
I’m so sorry.
How many skeins of yarn are involved? Do any of the other skeins (if any) also have color differences? Does the color difference only show up under the Ott light/in daylight? Will the part of the sweater with the off shade be worn so that it is visible in daylight?
Ordinarily I’d say “it’s variegated anyway, so it’s a little more variegated.” If you do rip, using the ‘off’ skein for ribbing (hem and cuffs) sounds good, too. You could use a provisional cast-on and knit all the ribbing downward later, once you know how much yarn is available in the main color.