Too much of a good thing?

Too much yarn?  Too much knitting?    Pshaw, no such thing.    Too many knitting projects?  Hey, I did get one finished, and kidlet is already wearing it.

As I mentioned, the yarn I was waiting for arrived and I’ve started two more projects.  Deadline April.  The scarves for the nieces.  I’m juggling them with another gift due sometime in March.  The projects for me – that really have no deadline – stare at me reproachfully.  😦

The gray wedge is still in its infant stage.  It’s an easy knit, so it should go quickly.  Hope so, at least.

The waffle scarf is a little farther along, but not much.

I will block it wider,  but not so much as to eliminate the waffle texture.  The original pattern keeps interest by switching colours, but niece wanted one colour, so I’m thinking of adding interest by changing the length of the waffle holes – or the number of pattern rows between the cable rows –  over the length of the scarf.  The ends as above, then slightly longer cables, then even longer cables for the middle third of the scarf.  Not a lot, just a couple of rows more each time.  I think it will look great, and break up the monotony of the pattern in one colour.  Love the texture though.

There may be a wee bit more to it…I’m finding the cable rows very fiddly, since the entire row is cabled – every two stitches go onto the cable needle.   So putting more rows between them may be …um…  laziness?  Nah,  I just want to alter the pattern a bit.  Make it more interesting.  Right?  Absolutely.

I have seen different ways to cable without using a cable needle.  WendyKnits has an excellent tutorial, as does Glenna C – basically the same technique, with some differences.  The problem is not to PANIC during those brief seconds when some of the stitches are “live” – i.e. not on any needle.  I really should try doing it for this pattern… although the cables alternate right and left, knit and purl stitches in each cable, and I really don’t want to confuse myself any more than I already have.      But we must be daring in our craft!  Throw caution to the winds!

(I do usually save the learning and experimenting with new techniques for projects for myself, not for gifts.)

Well, piffle, I may just have persuaded myself.  I’ll try it and let y’all know how it goes…

Tags: cables, cables without cable needle, knitting