Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Math Problems

Let me begin with a confession. I'm not good at math. I can fake it fairly well with a calculator, but it's never been my strong point. When I cast on for the back of this sweater a little voice in my head pointed out that 59+19+59 probably didn't equal the 126 stitches I had cast on for my sweater. I dutifully checked my pattern and saw that I had highlighted the line that said purl 59 stitches for my size to set up for the lace row. If I was a little better at math I may have realized that the number next to the 59 that wasn't highlighted was 51 and that 51+19+51 just so happens to equal 126. However I failed to notice this. I checked my pattern and the nagging voice asking if something might be wrong was satisfied. I happily knitted away, dutifully taking pictures and blogging every week about the progress of the sweater back. I'm baffled how I completely missed that my lace is an inch off center. 


I'm following my husband's advice and am putting this in banishment while I work on the fronts. I'm going to see how I feel about this in a few weeks, but I think I'll probably redo it. I love this pattern and yarn and know that if I leave the lace off center I won't love the finished sweater. 

5 comments:

  1. What a shame after all that hard work and it really does look beautiful. Maybe keep a calculator beside your knitting bag. The colour of the yarn is a delight.

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    1. Thanks. I have a calculator on my phone and ipod which are never far from my knitting bag. Unfortunately this time I didn't bother to use them.

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  3. Um, 51,19 and 51 don't add up to 126 either. Maybe it is the pattern and not you. I am a math teacher and I am constantly checking my stitches and patterns. Sometimes they just don't work out as written.

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  4. I'm so sorry! What a disappointment. Is it possible to look at it as a modern piece that defies symmetry? It wouldn't be for me, but I know some people like that.

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