The Obsession Continues

My tension is much better on the ribbing now. Now, I've moved on to obsessing about my selvedges. There's just no getting around it. Selvedges are ugly anyway, but mine need a little tension work.

I've also realized something else. Of all the knitting books I own (and I own quite a few), there is not a single general knitting reference book. Lots of pattern books, lots of stitch dictionaries, lots of sock books, lace books, etc. But nothing just for general reference. So I made a trip to the library to see which books I might need to add to my personal library:

I've found a lot of possibilities. Some of the books would actually be useful if I continue on to Levels II and III, but most of them are just to look through to see which ones I like. So far I've found that knitting books are quite heavy and that there are way more cast-ons than I never knew existed!

Obsessive Compulsiveness

Less than 24 hours after having received my TKGA packet that perhaps someone with obsessive compulsive issues in their knitting shouldn't sign up for something like Masters Knitting. It may make me even more obsessive about my knitting, something I didn't think was possible.

Perhaps, you've forgotten just how obsessive I can be, so take a look at the socks I just finished.

Okay, the picture's a little blurry, but see how perfectly they match, even the heels and toes? See that little ball of thread on the left? That's how much yarn I had to wind off to make them match that perfectly.

And yet, until now, there are things I've let slide in my knitting. I've never been very happy with my cast-ons, but I've ignored that. At last week's guild meeting though, someone mentioned something about a purl cast-on. You know, so that you'd be ready to do a knit row? Or for ribbing? Well, I was planning on looking it up, but last night my internet access was down, but I was determined to figure it out. I played around for quite a while, playing with it. I tried drawing it on paper to see if I could figure it out backwards. I tried manipulating my thumb every which way. I got frustrated and threw it down for a little while. When I sat back down, the light bulb went off. What if I put the needle up through the yarn over the index finger instead of the thumb, then yarn over?

Score! So, I worked on that cast-on for a while, switching between that and the normal long-tail cast-on to create a ribbed cast-on.

And that brings me to another thing. My ribbing has always been a bit uneven. Doesn't really show up on socks since they're stretched out so much and it's a smaller thread. But it's glaring on a worsted-weight.

See how the left stitch of the two knit stitches is a bit bigger? Ugh, I figure it has something to do with continental knitting, but I have to figure out a way to make them more even. Maybe I'll practice throwing for a bit for ribbing. It would also probably benefit my Fair Isle as I use the right hand for one of the strands. And if I make it to Level II, there is a bit of Fair Isle required.

This program will either make me a better, more careful knitter, or a more obsessive one.

Well, if I have any readers left, I have a finished project to show.

Pattern: Delpine from French Girl Knits
Yarn: KP Shine Sport in Cherry
Needles: Honestly, I don't remember; it's been nearly a month since this was actually finished and I'm just now getting around to posting it.

I just don't seem to have much time to blog any more. I homeschool, so it seems like a good portion of my time is devoted to that now, so any free time I have is actually devoted to crafts instead of blogging about the crafts.

I have decided to take my knitting "to the next level." I've signed up for TKGA's Masters Knitting Program, Level I. We'll see how I deal with "creative criticism."