wish i would have known
Thursday, January 31, 2008There are a few things I wish I would have learned before beginning the "tangled" cable pattern on the tangled yoke. 
First and foremost, do not drink wine when trying to tangle. I know it may seem like the perfect Saturday evening; wine and yarn, however, trust me on this. Put your tangled yoke away. Perhaps you could pick up a thorpe you have sitting on the needles.
Also, do not watch The Holiday. Althought it may be like the twelfth time you have seen it, your mind will still wander and you will forget if you are 2 behind, 2 in front, etc.
Do not quiz your children on their vocabulary words, let them read to you, let them tell you about their day or watch them play guitar hero. As a matter a fact, do not work on this with your children around. Period.
Do not work on hungry. Again your mind will wander.
Do not listen to music. You will start to sing, and again loose focus.
In attempting to try any of these, my mind became a tangled mess as did the cable pattern.
Basically, what I wish I would have learned before starting the cable pattern, is to sit in a room without any distractions. If I would have known that, I would have saved myself from a huge tangled mess.
It should be smooth sailing now though, as I am finished tangling. Stockinette never felt so good.
Back tomorrow with our cookie. It was a good one.
59 comments
when doing cabling or colorwork I can't be doing anything else. it just sets me up for frogging! :)
ReplyDelete: ( Thank you for the advice. I'm still on boring arm #1 of my tangle....it's taking a lot longer than anticipated. Love the color, can't wait to see it finished.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way with my knitting group [laugh] ... I take something mindless unless I want to undo it all when I get home.
ReplyDeleteUm, I'm afraid that there is no room in this house that is distraction free. (Or could it simply be that my mind is incapable of staying focused on one task for longer than it takes to knit a single row?) In either case, I suppose I'd better steer clear of the Tangled Yoke!
ReplyDeletewhat kind of yarn are you using? I didn't see it mentioned anywhere and the color and yarn itself is lovely.
ReplyDeleteyeah--I can't even knit simple stuff in front of The Holiday...and I've seen it probably about the same number of times! If it was a tangled mess, it looks great now!
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I have a WIP like that and I've had to start over on the sleeve around three times! I'll keep your suggestions in mind next time ;-).
ReplyDeleteall of these reasons are why mine isn't done yet. I keep waiting for quiet! I can't believe you're already there. Do you every put the knitting down?
ReplyDeleteyes but drinking while watching the Holiday is highly recommended even if it is the 12th time you have watched it...:)
ReplyDeleteOh, I saw The Holiday for the first time this Christmas! I especially loved the part where Amanda finds out Graham has two little girls and she experiences Mr. Napkin Head and the tent!
ReplyDeleteoh the holiday is my favorite movie. i love, love, love it! i am glad the sweater is working out better now! phew!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the tangles! I need to be completely alone with no distractions for certain tasks. Seaming is one of them, it's not that complex, but I need complete concentration.
ReplyDeleteThe Holiday was playing at my gym this morning. ;)
Tangled yoke indeed! phew.
ReplyDeleteThese days I prefer mindless knitting.
Duly noted, Leslie! You are so funny...
ReplyDeleteI love that movie. As for the sweater, it looks great even if it was a tangled mess for a bit. You can't even tell and if you hadn't told us we would never have known. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation, it looks completely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see The Holiday now that it has your stamp of approval!
Tangled indeed! It happens to me every time I go to my knitting group...
ReplyDeleteThat's how I'm feeling with my Hemlock Ring blanket. Last night I kept having to pause the TV when I got to a YO, K2tog row. I needed perfect quiet. Can't wait to see it!
ReplyDeleteOh, it's one of those eh? That's how I felt about Koolhass. Anway… it is LOOKING GOOD! Can't wait to see!
ReplyDeleteI've had the same problems, especially when wine is involved:)
ReplyDeleteIt looks great now though--I can't wait to see the finished sweater!
it's looking beautiful! what a huge undertaking....you are a brave woman.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Holiday. Excellent movie. I feel for you and the tangled mess.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! I really, really do. Props for sticking with it :-)
ReplyDeleteI so agree with your list of what you shouldn't do when knitting complicated stuff, so why do I still pick up my lace with people around?!!!
ReplyDeleteWise advice. I am a fan of boring ol' stockinette because I seriously love to drink wine and watch me some crappy tv while I knit. :D
ReplyDeleteLooks like you're almost done though! I'm excited to see it!
The tangled yoke looks great though :)
ReplyDeleteI awarded you:
ReplyDeletehttp://knitpurlknitpearl.blogspot.com/2008/01/january-thirty.html
thanks for the timely advice... well actually, it's advice i'll have to come back to once i make my way up the sweater -- i'm still ribbing along the bottom.
ReplyDeleteyours looks great -- can't wait to see it all finished!
OMG, I giggled out loud! Thank you for the advice, I'm not sure I should even chew gum if I attempt this but will definitely order that Guitar Hero is tucked away. Your sweater is looking pretty darned amazing!
ReplyDeleteI can manage to mess up straight stockinette most days if there are too many things going on!Your tangled is looking really great. :)
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you for the advice. :) I think you knit like me - easily distracted! It looks beautiful so far.
ReplyDeleteIt's looking great even with the hiccups! Can't wait to see it finished.
ReplyDeleteI messed up a lace pattern today with the same problems.. I was chatting away on my lunch break, and didn't give it enough concentration... so I know how frustrated you must be! But it's sure to be a lovely sweater.
ReplyDeleteGood luck untangling! Just don't watch the Holiday movie again while doing it!
ReplyDeleteha! okay, i'll start the tangled yoke sweater in ... calculating ... 2022. I think then my kids will be in their teens trying hard to ignore me!!
ReplyDeleteI loved it when I saw it, but I knew that knitting it would send me over the edge! :)
ReplyDeleteHowling! I once saw a post that said "Friends Don't Let Friends Knit Drunk". Sometimes I won't even let my children talk to me when I'm working on a row of a complicated pattern...I hold up a hand or give them the death glare and they know I'm counting in my head. Love how it looks though...good for you sticking with it.
ReplyDeleteTangling troubles aside, it looks beautiful! I love the color!
ReplyDeleteoh I love that movie----i wish you lived a little closer to me so we could have wine/yarn/movie night........My mind usually wonders about making out with Jude Law when I watch that movie. he's so yummy-
ReplyDeleteI am laughing and full of sympathy as I started on Ruby this week and know through bitter experience what you say to be true.
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know I passed on an award to you on my blog!
ReplyDeleteSo excited to see this! :) Maybe someday I will learn how to focus on my knitting, too.
ReplyDeleteOooh I learned a long time ago that it's best for me to sit quietly with no tv (and no one else around) when I'm working a slightly complicated pattern. Actually it doesn't have to even be complicated, the simplest pattern can go wrong when you aren't paying attention! Hope you got it all worked out and can't wait to see it on you ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm off to buy more yarn to cast on for something new!!!
It's coming out lovely though!
ReplyDeleteWaiting for your cookies ;)
Have a great weekend!!
Looks great though! I am so inspired to make this, just not sure my cable skills are up to it.
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know I have passed you on my You Make My Day award on my blog!
Looks great though! I am so inspired to make this, just not sure my cable skills are up to it.
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know I have passed you on my You Make My Day award on my blog!
Ooh, you're getting so close! Can't wait to see it.
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful! I'm so impressed with your knitting. I hope that one day my FO's look as good as yours...
ReplyDeleteAndrea
Way too funny. I can totally relate! Wine and knitting don't always mix...I certainly learned that!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you got it all "untangled" and I can't wait to see the finished result. What I see so far is lovely!
Hmmm, solitary confinement knitting...sounds not fun.
ReplyDeleteWell it looks lovely!
Hahaha! But the problem is, when exactly do you have none of that stuff going on?!
ReplyDeleteIf I am cabling or knitting lace, that is all I am doing. The cardigan will be gorgeous when all is said and done however.
ReplyDeleteI have faith that your Tangled Yoke will come out just right!
ReplyDeleteThat Tangle! It just didn't want you to have any fun (but you conquered it.)
ReplyDeletegood to know.
ReplyDeletei am chugging right along - still no phone or internet though.
Good to know. I just added this one to the queue, though who on earth knows when I'll have time to get to it. :)
ReplyDeletegreat advice! i've also learned not to work on lace with a hangover or when angry!
ReplyDeleteNoted. This is all useful advice for when I attack my TYC.
ReplyDeleteI laughed when I read the comment about watching The Holiday for the 12th time. Love that movie. Though for me, I have a hard time working on a basic rib pattern and doing anything else.
ReplyDelete