This post is a link up which was initiated by Brandy from the blog Stitched up in Toronto. As she so well described this idea:
Like most things in the world, knitting has a set of rules and conventions. Sometimes, we knitters break them. This is my knitting confession.
So here is my second knitting confession:
I make horrible yardage estimations
I get excited about picking out new patterns, I get excited about picking nice yarn for the new pattern, I don’t get very excited to do the maths for how much yarn I need. In dutch we would call what I do ‘natte vinger werk’, which means guesswork (but disturbingly would literally translate into ‘wet finger work’, don’t ask). I’ll see a pattern and think, “hmmm, this looks like it might need 4 skeins, so lets buy 4 skeins”.
It’s quite a vital part of planning your knitting, because if neglected you will end up with either useless leftovers or a shortage. And that is what usually will happen, although I have to say I am often quite lucky and everything works out. But I am trying to better myself and there’s been a few projects now where I first checked the pattern and actually did make careful decisions, so there is hope for me yet!
How about you, do you have any confessing to do?
oooo, I’ve been burned quite a few times, too—-! I’m a pretty slow learner, though, so still usually ‘guess’….(can you believe I have about 1000 yds too much estimated on a blanket I’m making????? WHAT was I thinking? Now, I guess I’ll have a matching sweater.)
Just see that 1000 extra yds as a newfound gift to yourself! Every blanket needs a matching sweater 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only one to which this confession applies!
I’ve never had a shortage, but I’ve ended up with lots of unexpected leftovers before – and I’m not even one of those people who buys an extra skein “just in case”!
A little extra is only nice, much better than the other way around. And there’s so many nice things you can do with leftovers.