I might never knit again

#1

I’m doing this:


I think it is a disaster…

I came back to knitting after many years. I’ve already had to unpick a shawl and a scarf (really!) This looked easy but interesting. I’ve done about 10" of it.
As you can see in the picture it has V-shaped lace patterns on it. How can these be the result of knitting horizontal lacy rows? In fact they are not. My lacy rows are horizontal. I see that the middle strip of garter is coming OK with its little holes on either side. Only thing is, after 10" the whole thing is not hanging like a shawl. If anything it looks like a cosy for a football.
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?
I’m serious about this! I may just chuck the whole lot and concentrate on my embroidery.

#2

which one of those are you doing? from what i can see, the ‘V’ shape is caused by the offset YO on each row, the diagonal rows of knit are more of an illusion caused by this off-setting than actually being diagonal.

#3

Sorry, I’m doing B, the blue one with lace effect.
The YO causes a decorative hole and results in an increase so it becomes diagonal. I know this also 'cos I did in it my first attempt at a shawl. It worked fine, it’s just that the rest of it was garter and I got bored and so undid it.
This one here is causing two problems:

  1. the lacy row is also coming out beautifully but it is all HORIZONTAL.
  2. the SHAPE of the whole is not diagonal, it is a FOOTBALL COSY.
#4

I got this picture from Ravelry of a different scarf that is also knit diagonal with increases. Does your work look like this person’s WIP did? Sometimes things don’t look right for quite a lot of rows knitting. When I began knitting I made a reverse mitered square that had no decreases and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how I wasn’t simply making a bigger and bigger triangle, but when it came off the needles there it was - a perfect mitered square :slight_smile:

#5

Just have faith! If you are following the pattern, it will turn out with the v stripes. I just finished the Adamas Shawl and was worried for a long while that it was not turning out. BUT after I finished it and stretched it out to block it is beautiful. Don’t give up!

#6

Yes, it should look like evona’s example. Knit from the neck down with 2 inc sts per row will end up a triangular shape. You may have to just keep going and have trust that it turns out right, or put half the sts on another needle so you can spread it out and see that it’s a triangle.

#7

Thank you for your encouragement. Yes, my shawl does look something like that. Mine starts from the bottom though, with 5 stitches. It doesn’t look anything like a pointed end of a triangle but I shall carry on as you all suggest!

#8

It’s a top down shawl you are doing and while it doesn’t look like a shawl just now when you come to cast off thats when you will see the triangle shape appearing.

#9

Once you block lace it always looks better. I bet your doing a great job, keep it up!

#10

I did a few inches of it this morning. You’re right it doesn’t look like the pointed end of a triangle. That’s because it’s worked top down and where you CO is the neck. After you get a foot or so done, you’ll see.

#11

Goodness me! I would never have realised that. Obviously (I thought) if you start with 5 stitches you’re starting with the pointy end. I am so grateful to you all for this insight.
(I do think they might have pointed this out on the pattern though).

OH, I think I’m confused again. If it’s top down it’s knit from the neck to the bottom, no? In that case wouldn’t you cast on hundreds of stitches and work by decreasing? I would also be casting off at the pointy triangle end. But Suzeeq says I cast off at the neck. Isn’t that top up ? Maybe I just have my terminology wrong. Anyway, If you think I cast ON at the pointy end and cast OFF at the neck then that’s what I thought I was doing anyway.

#12

No this is top down and patterns don’t always mention that, and it depends on the rate of increase. If you cast on 5 sts and made 1 inc per row or 2 every orther row you’re working a triangle from the point up. If you cast on 5 st and inc 2 sts every row or 4 every other row, eventually the sides are going to flare out and it will form a triangle from the top down. You will have a few hundred sts to cast off which form the side edges.

#13

I guess it was just confusion about where you started out on the shawl. I’m so glad you posted here before giving up so we can encourage you to keep on going :cheering: :cheering: :woot: :woot:

#14

Please please put a picture on when this is finished!!!