On Unecessary Delays

So this past weekend, two of our three computers (our desktop and one of our laptops) suffered fatal disk errors.

(Really, world. Don’t you understand that my knittng is at stake here?!)

Being rather uninterested in purchasing our next computer system right at this very moment, we’ve come up with workarounds. I’ve given up my laptop to hubby’s consulting business, we’ve relocated the desktop and it’s now booting happily from our external drive. The workarounds are fine, and will keep things functional until we’re ready to upgrade the systems. But people! The lost knitting time!

I whine here because when I say such things to hubby, he tends to look at me like a screw has come loose somewhere. But I’m sure you understand.

Anyway! Though understanding, I’m also sure you’re far more interested in Tulip progress. At first glance, things seem to be going pretty well:

But then you look closely at that picture, and you think to yourself, “even though it’s curling like a motherf**ker, isn’t that neckline a little, erm, low?”. And of course, you’re right.

Both pictures lie a little, since I actually don’t want it as loose as the gray shirt, and it really is curling a LOT in the first picture. But even with those points in Tulip’s favor, I need to rip out to the arm shaping and make the top of the neckline more gradual. I’m not too upset–there are so few stitches left per row at that point that it’s only an hour of work at most.

As I was telling one of the ladies at my Tuesday knitting group, I’m really glad I dove into this project without thinking too much about it. The modifications to the back were totally easy; the front modifications, not so much. I’m definitely going by look and have already ripped part of the front once. Math just didn’t seem to help all that much in figuring out how steep the neckline needed to be in what places, given that I’m both mucking with the sleeves and lengthening it. I think if I’d started with the modifications to the front, I just would have found another pattern for the yarn. And I’m really glad I’m going through this–it’s given me more confidence as a knitter and even had me sketching out thoughts about some designs a few times.

Why is it always the case that good-for-you things involve plenty of hair-pulling? *grin*

(Oh, and hey! I know I’ve totally over-used the italics in this entry, but you should go see how well-behaved that damn Koigu was for Ashley. Such beautiful socks!)

6 thoughts on “On Unecessary Delays

  1. Oh phew–that’s so much less ripping than I feared.

    Sorry about the computers–I’d be irritated about the lost knitting time too, not to mention the lost future yarn money!

  2. Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about your computers!
    Tulip looks great, despite the ripping. It will be worth it!
    And lost knitting time? Lately I’ve been feeling that way about everything. Work? That’s quality knitting time I’m wasting!

  3. I hate giving up knitting time to bothersome things like broken down computers and such. So I totally get it.

    I think Tuilp is going to be so pretty. You will be happy you spent the extra time fussing with it to get the right fit.

  4. You’ve been tagged for a meme! Check out my blog for all the rules. No pressure 🙂

  5. Hello mama! That’s one plunging neckline!

  6. I’ve had my eye on tulip for a while. After seeing your pictures, I’m going to go for it. I love the changes that you made – especially the sleeves. Is there anyway you can type up how make the same changes, for those of us who are little more design challenged? Thanks for showing us those lovely pictures. Its one of the most flattering sweaters I’ve seen.

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