A lesson learned the hard way

[rascalsmom]

I learned a lesson last night. Always COUNT as you go along. If a pattern says, for example, "54 ch-3 spaces", you need to count it to make SURE you have them all.

 

I have been working on the Between Meals Centerpiece, and arrived last night at about the 16th round. It looked very nice, until I came to the end of the round and something wasn't quite right. I traced the problem back to a previous round, where I was supposed to have 54 spaces and only had 53. I think the actual boo-boo occured a couple of round prior to that, even. So now I am looking at frogging a bunch of rounds, and a few evenings' worth of work.

 

What makes it even worse is that not only is my elbow tendinitis bothering me, I am now working on some carpal tunnel....and my bursitis in my shoulder is flaring up today. I think this may be the week that I schedule some physical therapy for my soon-to-be-useless arm! I have been putting it off, because I suspect they may tell me to lay off the crocheting for a few weeks, and then what will I do in the evenings??

[mizduck]

Bless your heart! I've been there and it's sooo frustrating! I sure hope they won't make you stop crocheting...tell them your arm muscles may waste away if you do! Here's a . Hopefully that will help you feel at least a little better.

[CLLinda]

Counting is so important. I'm sorry this happened to you. Here's a to feel a little better. It can be frustrating when you have to so much. Next time, be sure to each row as you go so there will be no more Frogging!

 

[SHERYL]

your way, a lot of us have been there too, having to rip out work.

 

My Mom has arthritis and her doctor said to lay off the knitting, she still does it, although with baby yarn now instead of worsted.

[mamarose22]

I too, have had problems when trying to keep count while crocheting and watching TV at the same time. Sometimes I can compensate but other times I have to rip. It happens to the best of us.

I would back off the crocheting for a while if I were you. You wouldn't want to have permanent damage done to your arm and not be able to crochet at all. It's wise to ease off for a short time, and allow Mother Nature time to help you mend, along with some good PT, of course.

[rainbowridergrma]

I have wraps for most every place on my arm. Putting a wrap on a spot takes the stress off that area for a while. Only place I can't wrap is my shoulder, and will eventually find a way to do that.

 

Glenda

[mountainangel]

Oh Honey,

 

I know what you mean!

 

I just finished that pattern and boy did it give me trouble. The pattern was fine, but as I got into the bigger rounds I kept finding errors in the round below and having to frog out both rows to fix it.

 

Watch out when you get toward the end when you make the 8 chain rings every so many spaces. I must have miscounted spaces and ended up with the wrond number of rings which I did not notice until got to the section above that I had the wrong number to make the rest of the pattern work. The other error I kept doing was every now and then I would chain 5 instead of 3 or forget to chain alltogether. I think I must have re-did about 15 rows in that piece. Some rows took me two or three times to get it right. I thought I was paying attention; but I guess my attention would wander for one reason or another.

 

But, It WILL look BEAUTIFUL when you are finally done with it!!!!

 

Angie

[rascalsmom]

Thanks for the advice on that pattern, Angie. I showed it to my 20 year old daughter and she said just keep going! I knew if I did that it would mess up later rounds, so I ripped it. I told her, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing RIGHT!

 

mamrose22, it is so hard to NOT crochet. I have gotten into the habit of crocheting in the evening, while my dh watches tv...I pretty much "listen" to the tv, not watch. It keeps me from dozing off, and I feel like I'm accomplishing something! I guess I will have to break down and go for the PT and see what they say about crocheting. Bell choir rehearsals will be starting again, too, and that also gave me trouble where my arm was concerned. I've asked the director to switch me to smaller bells (I had the BIG ones!), but we'll see if she does....I don't want to give that up, either!

[mamarose22]

Rascalsmom...I know how hard it is not to be able to crochet. I've been there. I had surgery on 3 (trigger) fingers in May of '95. I really couldn't crochet for a few years after that. Whenever I tried, I had pain in my hand and I didn't want to undo the surgery I had gone through. It was tough, nut I waited it out. A few years ago I developed tennis elbow in my left arm and stopped again for 6 months. I also have arthritis and carpal tunnel in both hands (for which I take 100mg of Vit B6 to reduce the inflamation). So I can certainly sympathize. Being that I do other crafts as well, I sometimes find that switching to plastic canvas doesn't strain my hands like crocheting does. You can try wearing those stretch craft gloves and you might be able to find those spongey sleeves in your local craft store that fit over the hooks. Also, I find that the plastic hooks are a little easier on the hands sometimes as they have a bit of give as compared to the aluminum ones. Best to check with your doctor. Better safe than sorry.

[rascalsmom]

Well, I bit the bullet and scheduled my first PT session for tomorrow. Let's hope they don't forbid crocheting!

[NanaM3]

I learned a lesson last night. Always COUNT as you go along. If a pattern says, for example, "54 ch-3 spaces", you need to count it to make SURE you have them all.

 

I have been working on the Between Meals Centerpiece, and arrived last night at about the 16th round. It looked very nice, until I came to the end of the round and something wasn't quite right. I traced the problem back to a previous round, where I was supposed to have 54 spaces and only had 53. I think the actual boo-boo occured a couple of round prior to that, even. So now I am looking at frogging a bunch of rounds, and a few evenings' worth of work.

 

What makes it even worse is that not only is my elbow tendinitis bothering me, I am now working on some carpal tunnel....and my bursitis in my shoulder is flaring up today. I think this may be the week that I schedule some physical therapy for my soon-to-be-useless arm! I have been putting it off, because I suspect they may tell me to lay off the crocheting for a few weeks, and then what will I do in the evenings??

 

 

First ... you want to frog back to the initial mistake... otherwise you'll always "see" the mistake ... do it today! You won't regret it.

 

2nd -as soon as you've wrapped the yarn put the work away for today. Do not be tempted to get it back out. Now do something that works the other muscles, tendons. No computer either! Play a round of golf, weed the garden, play toss with the kids, take a long bike ride

 

3rd - make that appointment today or tomorrow and don't cancel it later ... I had my PT today after a 2-week vacation and found my progress had slipped backwards ... that's OK, the reason I mention it is because I asked my PT about crocheting versus my triceps injury ...

 

... and he said unless I have carpal or elbow trouble (he had me show him the movements) I should be OK but if I had either of those problems I should stop the moment I felt trouble and wait a cool 24 hours before trying again, and to do some gross motor movement instead.

 

Talk about coincidence that I just happened to have asked that question of my PT today!

[passionatecrocheter]

Actually, I had carpal tunnel surgery done on both wrists last year and they told me to continue to do what I did normally to strengthen my wrists again. I asked him if that means crocheting too and he said yes. Just slow down a bit until you get your strength back and it worked. If it wasn't for the crocheting I don't think my wrists would have ever been this strong again!!

[rascalsmom]

I am anxious to hear what the physical therapist recommends. I have not crocheted for two days, and in spite of that my elbow and forearm (and hand) still ache. I admit I just did a few rows of a beautiful filet pattern, I could not wait to see if I could still do it (it has been YEARS since I did any filet).

 

PT at 1:45 today, wish me luck!!