Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Rumpelstiltskin
Okay. It doesn't take much, I know.....but I'm really mad and it's all (mostly) because of Texere Yarns and Willow. Fatal combination. You know how I've been slogging away at trying to finish Willow? And how it's been a wing and a prayer all the way, what with swapping yarns, needles etc. Well, I just got half way through the first sleevehead, only to find that the new cone of yarn is completely different in shade to the rest of the garment. I'd checked with Texere to see whether they could get the same dye batch as the others I'd used and they'd said they'd only produced one dye-batch of this yarn, so any yarn sent would match. Oh yeah, right. So I knitted about thirty rows in the new yarn in the dark last night and this morning...horrors. I don't know if you can see it in the photo. Aaaaargh. I suppose it is partly my fault as I should have ordered enough in the first place. Having said that, if Texere had just told me they didn't have the right dye batch at least I wouldn't have knitted all this and wouldn't now be having to rip back - possibly a whole sleeve - if they can't get the right yarn as a replacement. I HATE RIPPING BACK. So the options are: start this sleeve again and knit both in the same batch and have the sleeves not matching the body, but two sleeves not matching is better than just one; knit the sleeves in a plain, rust-coloured yarn; or carry on in the right yarn if they can get it.

I will let you know what happens (if I don't rip myself in two first, like Rumpelstiltskin in a rage, when he stomps himself through the floorboards at the end of the story).

11 comments:

  1. oh, how I despise frogging!
    the best way to make the sleeves match with the two skeins is to alternate rows in the same sleeve! just do two in A and two in B. the colors are close enough and it will blend and even give a gentle ripple effect! an added design feature.
    :-)

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  2. Alice

    I reckon from the pic it may be the same dyelot, as the colours look the same, but there is much less of the rust - perhaps that exhausted first?

    What a bummer, either way.

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  3. Oh dear, your Willow is beginning to sound like my hated Denim project. I hate frogging, it is soul destroying. Sending you virtual good knitting vibes.

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  4. Oh Ginny, you're joking! I didn't realise that could be the case but now you've mentioned it I see what you mean.

    I'll have to try what HPNY says. Thanks HPNY! Never knitted with two strands before.......

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  5. How frustrating! I'm sending mean glares towards the yarn company in your honor. I hope you can find a solution!!

    There is something in the air today, and I know it's not the full moon...

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  6. It is enough to make one growl. Grrrrrr.

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  7. I also vote for alternating. Less tears (I hope)!

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  8. Yes, hpny is right, and I'm so sorry for your knitting woes. If it's any consolation I think it's going to look great when it's done.

    Don't you go scaring me with stories of Rumpelstiltskin tearing himself in half. I had to take my book of fairy tales off the bookshelf on bad nights when I was a child, because of the illustrations :)

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  9. Oh, no. That's horrible. I also vote for alternating yarns (it's not that bad, I did this for my Colinette sweater). And don't lose heart, we're cheering you on.

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  10. Oh that is utter pants! bad bad yarn company. I agree, HPNY's idea should sort the problem out for you. Hang in there is will be fine in the end :-)

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  11. Sheesh, how disappointing. I'd be so angry!

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