Starting Over

I do gauge swatches...not for everything; but, for most projects. So, usually after I've swatched, I do not have false starts. Not the case in the past few weeks. I have had to completely start over on three simple recent projects.

First, the Bejeweled Scarf for Lolly's KAL. I am using Schaefer's Helene (silk/wool blend) which only has 218 yards in the skein. The pattern has you increase until you get to 32 stitches across, which should be about 6.75 inches wide. I increased until 26 stitches to have a slightly narrower scarf and hoping to keep the length. However, it turned out that my scarf, at 26 stitches, was also 6.75 inches wide. And, when the scarf was 26 inches long, I weighed the yarn I had left and calculated that the scarf would only end up being around 52 inches long. So, I frogged it and started over, increasing only to 20 stitches across, which is now coming out to 5 inches wide and I'm hoping will be at least 5 feet long.

Second, I started the beautiful Monkey socks designed by Cookie A. (one of my favorite sock designers!).

I am using a skein of the Fleece Artist yarn, that I was gifted in December, on a 2.5mm needle, which the pattern calls for and I swatched with. When I started the sock, I felt like I was knitting a little tight, so I consciously tried to knit looser; however, after 2 pattern repeats I tried the sock on, and I could barely get it over my heel. Ugh! I started the second sock (pictured here) on a 3.00mm needle and it fits good and actually looks better. First sock...frogged.

Third, I am test knitting an afghan square for Larissa's Knitalong book. Originally, she suggested several different yarns, one being Socks That Rock mediumweight on size #2 needles. Since I had some leftover STR mediumweight in the requested color range, I started my square. Problem #1, I misread the instructions and bound off my square at, what turned out to be, only halfway completed. I was questioning how tiny my square was and realized what I had done after Larissa added the end stitch count to the instructions. So, after pulling out the bind off edge, I continued my square and bound off (again) at 172 stitches.

Problem #2, my new finished square was way too big. Originally, Larissa wanted 7.5 inch squares; then, revised this to 7 inch squares. My square was a good 8 inches. I did not do a gauge swatch for the square. I had made socks out of this yarn and knew my gauge was correct for the yarn; but, after binding off the square and measuring it, I checked my gauge and it was off...for this square.

On the right of this photo is the beginning of my new square, on size #1 needles. The square on the left is the one I am unraveling as I reknit the square (in the required gauge). Since starting the square again, Larissa has knit her own square with STR mediumweight on size #2 needles, also had a "Yooge" square, and...has revised the sizing now to allow for squares in a range of sizes, anywhere from 7″ to 8.5″. Hmmm.