Feb 2014 CAL: Amy Cardigan by Jenny King (official)

[Katherine Bremner]

Hi there, Just received my white yarn for this project and am looking forward to creating this garment with everyone!    

Unfortunately I have only gotten as far as the first row and have found that the instruction for the shell stitch talks about working into the 'space in the previous row', however in the first lot of chains there is no such space, so in to which chain do I work my dc after the ch 2 in row one please?  Thanks!

[Patty Davison]

I've had to go up 3 hook sizes to get the right gauge swatch. I know I tend to crochet tightly, but even though I've tried to loosen up, does that seem right?

[Amy]

PattyD, whatever hook size it takes to get the gauge given in the pattern is the right hook size for you to use.

However, be sure you are measuring a blocked swatch. Since this is a lacy pattern, as it hangs, it's going to stretch out in length a bit, from the weight of the garment.

I would recommend taking your swatch, lightly spritzing it with water, and gently stretching it out to open the lace pattern.

 

Compare those measurements to the gauge given in the pattern.

You can even hang your swatch from a pants/skirt hanger, and let it hang for a few hours or half a day or so, to see if the weight of hanging increases the height of your rows, giving you fewer rows per inch.

[Amy]

NZKath, in Row 1, you'll make the first shell in the 5th chain from your hook. Across the rest of the row, you'll skip 4 chains and shell into the next chain. You'll end up with 16 shells, and 2 chains left. Skip 1 chain, and dc into the last chain.

[kittyloverdeb]

After the reply to PattyD that Amy wrote, I don't think I'm going to change hook sizes or rip it all out.  I actually don't plan on blocking this.  Gasp!  I know, I know, but I have never blocked anything I have made.  I still haven't gotten back to finishing the back section...hopefully if all goes well this weekend, I can get back to it next week. 

[Amy]

Deb, hopefully I'll have my back piece finished this weekend, and can share unblocked and blocked measurements for it with everyone.

[Lnb804]

I'm having a problem with the beginning of row 3.  The beginning of row 3 "ch 3, dc in the same as ch3, *1 shell in the next ch2 sp".  If I ch 3 and then dc in the same place as ch3 THEN shell in the next ch 2 sp - those 2 stitches end up being "stretched" connected to the top of the shell.  What am I doing wrong?  Or is this correct?  Doesn't seem so but then again no one else seems to be having this issue.  I have a pic.  Is there anyway of posting it here?

 

I'm having the same problem as some others with the yarn twisting tighter and tighter.

[Amy]

Yes, you can  upload a picture to your post.

 

When you turn your work after Row 2, as you look across the row, you're going to have 1 dc followed by a shell (which since we're going back in reverse, will look like: 1 dc, ch 2, 3 dc).

To start Row 3, chain 3, dc into that very first dc (the last one you made on Row 2), effectively giving you 2 dc in the same stitch. You will not work into the single dc that is part of the first shell you come to. You make a shell in the very first ch-2 space.

 

Does that help?

[Lnb804]

Yes, it does!  I know what I did wrong!  Thanks!

[craftyone]

Finally got started on mine. I'm on row 7 now. Finding the pattern easy so far. Reading ahead in the pattern; I never heard of the Asian chaining technique. I'll need to research that.

[logette]

May be a silly question, I am from Aus, I don't know what the "g" hook translates into in millimeters? Can anyone help? My yarn arrived today and I am keen to make a start. 

[logette]

Its ok, did some research and worked it out. (probably should have done that first) 

[Petalk]

I haven't started yet as my yarn hasn't arrived .... Colours I ordered out of stock so just waiting for shipment to be. Sent still have another project to finish so will have to satisfy my crocheting urge with that until I can join everyone on this project

[Lnb804]

I'm still looking to resolve the issue of this yarn winding itself so tight as I crochet that it literally acts like a stiff wire.   I have to stop at least once or twice per row to let it unwind.  I'm extremely frustrated with this yarn.  What can I be doing wrong? 

 

The yarn has been wound into 2 balls with a yarn winder.  I am at the point where it wouldn't really hurt to frog this, rewind the yarn beginning with the outside of the ball, opposite from how it is wound now and see if that helps.  

 

Any suggestions?

[Carol Gundrum]

Loving the yarn but I'm not used to anything so thin or with a lacey pattern so I'm having  a little trouble controlling the tension but I think it will be fine after blocking.

 

I'm now on row 6 and am stumped by   dc 1 ch dc in the next st.      I have no idea what this means   can someone translate or explain for me ??    thanks !

 

Carol

[Amy]

For anyone else who wants to know, a G hook is also known as: G-6/4.0mm.

[Amy]

Carol, over in Australia, they don't use the exact same pattern wording/punctuation we do.

 

You're probably more used to seeing it written like this:

 

(dc, ch 1, dc) in the next st

[Amy]

Don't worry about the Asian chaining technique. I'll explain it all once we get that far.

 

It's super-easy!

[Amy]

Sounds like you're a right-handed adding twist to the yarn as you're working with it, causing all that added kinkiness.

 

The twist is actually in the same direction, regardless of the end you start crocheting from. To see what I mean, hold one end of yarn and let the other end dangle toward the ground. You'll see the twist is in the same direction as the slant of a Z. Now hold the yarn by the other end and let it dangle down. The twist is still in the Z direction.

So  you'll be adding twist no matter which end you work with.

Are you pulling the yarn out of the center of the yarn ball you made? If so, you may be adding more twist to it as you pull it out.

To help visualize this, take a roll of toilet paper and set it on the flat side. Grab the end of the toilet paper and pull it straight up into the air, as high as you can. The paper will spiral around itself. That's what the yarn is doing when you pull it out of the center of a cake.

When you unroll the toilet paper when it's hanging horizontally on the wall, it rolls off perfectly flat.

 

If the kinkiness is really bothering you, you could rewind the yarn around an empty toiler paper or paper towel tube or even around a paperback book, and unroll it as you need more, similar to unrolling toilet paper.

[Carol Gundrum]

Thanks Amy !    That makes sense to me

 

Carol

[craftyone]

I haven't had any of the twisting issues some people have been mentioning- maybe it's a time when being left handed is an advantage.   

I haven't found any info on the Asian chaining technique; I'll just wait until I get that far to worry about it.  I'm not going to have a lot of time to work on it this weekend- hopefully I can a least get a little further on the back section.

[Cheryl Bryson-Keslar]

Have my yarn, Jade, I love the color.  Have the pattern and have completed row 6.  Had to redo the start twice because husband starting talking when I was counting the chain!  I really like the shell stitch pattern so far. Yarn does get a little twisted/kinked, but so far not a big problem.   

[Breyanne Workman]

is the pattern available without the kit? I would love to do this but can't afford the kit :/

[Lnb804]

Sounds like you're a right-handed adding twist to the yarn as you're working with it, causing all that added kinkiness.

 

The twist is actually in the same direction, regardless of the end you start crocheting from. To see what I mean, hold one end of yarn and let the other end dangle toward the ground. You'll see the twist is in the same direction as the slant of a Z. Now hold the yarn by the other end and let it dangle down. The twist is still in the Z direction.

 

So you'll be adding twist no matter which end you work with.

 

Are you pulling the yarn out of the center of the yarn ball you made? If so, you may be adding more twist to it as you pull it out.

 

To help visualize this, take a roll of toilet paper and set it on the flat side. Grab the end of the toilet paper and pull it straight up into the air, as high as you can. The paper will spiral around itself. That's what the yarn is doing when you pull it out of the center of a cake.

 

When you unroll the toilet paper when it's hanging horizontally on the wall, it rolls off perfectly flat.

 

If the kinkiness is really bothering you, you could rewind the yarn around an empty toiler paper or paper towel tube or even around a paperback book, and unroll it as you need more, similar to unrolling toilet paper.

I think we have found the source of the twist and how it may be resolved and how to avoid it in the future. At issue is the center pull and the ball winder. I am guilty of both.

 

I posted on a Ravelry forum and a member suggested this link for more info. It is enlightening and a blessing! http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2011/01/ball-winders-part-2-avoiding-yarn-twist.html

[Amy]

Bre.marie, the pattern is available exclusively as part of the kit for the Crochet-Along.