tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post114824697261864117..comments2023-05-17T06:56:52.884-04:00Comments on Virgin Wool: Why I'll never be a great knitterMaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05182147694501965096noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148656776042787132006-05-26T11:19:00.000-04:002006-05-26T11:19:00.000-04:00Hi there, thanks for leaving a comment on my blog!...Hi there, thanks for leaving a comment on my blog! I was fortunate enought to get some STR only because my friend insisted on beelining to the booth and waking up early enough to get there at opening. If you are a little intimidated about charts, I would recommend the pattern from knitty.com called "Branching Out." I found the chart was a lot easier than trying to follow the written instructions. Also, there are products that you can buy that have a magnet with a red line that runs through it so that one can easily keep her place. Hope that this helps! ~Amberknitfriendlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840654826863617606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148641254651952002006-05-26T07:00:00.000-04:002006-05-26T07:00:00.000-04:00Great post Mary! I too avoided charts like the pla...Great post Mary! I too avoided charts like the plauge for years. Once I figured out how to read them, the problem was figuring out where I was on the charts when there one repeat was charted, but there were 5 repeats on the row and a zillion rows in the pattern.<BR/><BR/>I finally came up with a solution that works great for me. It takes a little up-front time, but it's well worth the savings in aggregation and frogging my mistakes.<BR/><BR/>I recreate the chart in Excel, using borders for each cell so it looks like it's on grid paper. The number the rows (remember to start with Row 1 at the bottom and working your way up - I can't figure out if autofill does this yet). Then I copy and past the chart as many times as necessary (column-wise) to cover the width of the full pattern. Then I insert new rows and copy and past all of the existing rows and colums for as many rows as the item requires. Voila - I now have a chart for the entire sweater! While I'm knitting, I use my trusty highlighter to cross off each row as I'm done, that way I know exactly where to start the next time. When I'm done with the back, I reprint the chart for the front. Then I copy and past the portion of the pattern needed for the sleeves in another spot and do it all over again.<BR/><BR/>I may not have done a good job explaining it, but it really works.Sydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12005916124869961892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148343414709229992006-05-22T20:16:00.000-04:002006-05-22T20:16:00.000-04:00You know I was never good at math in school...but ...You know I was never good at math in school...but knitting has taught me more about math than any teacher ever could have. Maybe if my teacher had been a knitter I would have made an A!Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17200500026568554814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148313539540361512006-05-22T11:58:00.001-04:002006-05-22T11:58:00.001-04:00Charts, I don't know if that's a math thing or an ...Charts, I don't know if that's a math thing or an infinite patience and ability to track and keep things straight in your mind thing. Either way, I'm with you. <BR/>My Dad is an engineer and my math is dreadful. I remember my grade 9 math teacher writing in my year book "So how many tiles ARE there on the ceiling?"<BR/>At any rate, you aren't alone.Gingersnaps with Tea...https://www.blogger.com/profile/18336095819258305141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148313495640148922006-05-22T11:58:00.000-04:002006-05-22T11:58:00.000-04:00I don't do math any better than the average person...I don't do math any better than the average person, but I always understood what was needed - just to careless to do it right.<BR/><BR/>Still, I'll hold your hand - or the chart - if you ever want to move into the scary looking area of lace.Besshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901307312357888855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148290332061203062006-05-22T05:32:00.000-04:002006-05-22T05:32:00.000-04:00Ugh, I hate charted patterns and have yet to do on...Ugh, I hate charted patterns and have yet to do one! And I'm actually pretty good at math. Those charts are just far too intimidating and having to go back and forth to see what the symbols means -- I just refuse!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148275507522490342006-05-22T01:25:00.000-04:002006-05-22T01:25:00.000-04:00I used to get seriously sweaty palms about math. ...I used to get seriously sweaty palms about math. I thought that I really didn't get it. Somewhere along the line, I ended up using a lot of it around work and not realizing it. Then I was doing budgets for work and all sorts of calculations on a daily basis, still not sweating it.<BR/><BR/>I started knitting and realized that, with my trusty calculator, I can do anything! I just make sure I write down every step so that my head doesn't spin when I try to figure out how the hell I came up with a particular number.Sachihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11889797259397841144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148252664683856402006-05-21T19:04:00.000-04:002006-05-21T19:04:00.000-04:00Sometimes when I'm in the knitting shop, and they ...Sometimes when I'm in the knitting shop, and they are helping me with a pattern and the owner starts talking to me about my gauge and how to tell if the size is going to be right and if I have enough yarn, and she is doing all these calculations in her head, I totally zone out and just say, "Could you write that down for me?" Some nights I ask my husband to do the times table because I've forgotten anything past 3X5. And Suzanne is right. You CAN do charts without math. I think perhaps you may never design anything yourself, though. That will always be my problem too. If I have to alter the pattern at all, I drop the project.Kristahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01426627474953220169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17350209.post-1148250066124522172006-05-21T18:21:00.000-04:002006-05-21T18:21:00.000-04:00My mom is a math teacher, and my dad began his sch...My mom is a math teacher, and my dad began his schooling in engineering.....and I have very limited math skills myself. I am a dissapointment on so many levels!<BR/><BR/>BUT charts are not math and totally easy (im a visual person). They look hard, but they literally ARE the knitting stitches, written out...you can see the pattern in them if you look carefully. And they are easy to follow and make it easy to catch a mistake when you make them. <BR/><BR/>So don't be afraid of the chart!Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04128068585427038673noreply@blogger.com