Do you ever have weeks that get completely away from you? It’s been one of those weeks for me for sure. This morning I realized that I completely forgot to announce this weeks contest winner! The winner of the Cascade Epiphany is Tracey who said:
“I keep putting this one in my cart, but then the guilt settles in from all the yarn I bought in the last few sales… I would use it to finally make the scarf I promised my sister in law months ago. Always wanted to try this one.”
Tracey – now you can have a guilt free skein of Epiphany. I hope you enjoy it!
So, what’s been keeping me so distracted? I did a complete remodel of the shop this week. There are so many new things coming in, I needed to do some expansion and I added new shelving. Below is a row of Malabrigo Sock and Worsted.
This is part of a complete wall of Cascade 220:
I just love looking at al those colors.
See these sad empty shelves? They are waiting patiently for a restock of Madelinetosh. I’m not sure that it will all fit there though.
This was such a huge project and I’m so glad it’s done. I’m feeling so organized!
Since the big organization project has consumed every part of of the last week, there’s hardly been any knitting going on around here. I have just one sleeve left on my Cassis. And, I’m trying to knit a simple pair of sock for my husband. Want to see the progress?
See the crochet hook? And the extra ball of scrap yarn? Well, these socks require a provisional cast on. I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I just can’t seem to get the hang of it. I’ve been watching a Youtube video by Lucy Neatby over and over and over….. I just seem to be all thumbs with a crochet hook. But, I’ll keep watching and trying….
So, that brings me to this week’s contest. Just make a comment below on what knitting or crochet technique you tend to struggle with and you could win a free skein of Dream in Color, yarn and color of your choice, from any that are in stock. You can choose from Smooshy, Starry, Classy, Knitosophy or the yummy new It’s Native lace. The contest will end at 12PM MT on Wednesday, and this time, I will actually announce the winner on Wednesday afternoon. Promise.
Dream in Color yarns are the first feature in our March Madness event this month and are on special for 20% off through March 10. Hope you enjoy!
Brioche in the round. I've cast on and ripped out the same hat four times now. I just can't keep the stitch count right.
I struggle with reinforced buttonholes. Whenever a pattern calls for it, I run to youtube and watch/follow the video for every single buttonhole in my project. The steps just refuse to stick in my brain!
Haha, crocheting in general is always tough for me. It always turns out all wonky. But as for knitting, I'd say picking up stitches along an edge has always been hard for me. Though I've finally managed to eliminate holes, I still have problems with spacing an counting. :\
[CatieBee on Ravelry.
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The thing I tend to struggle with most is getting my bind off edge to match my cast on edge. One always seems to be tighter than the other. It's frustrating!
And oh my goodness, those shelves look amazing filled up with all that yarn! I don't think I'd be able to get anything done – I'd be too busy feeling it all and just staring at and admiring all the colors!
I think the most trouble I have is seaming angles and curves. Luckily I can make top down sweaters and avoid this process, but I should really learn to do it properly.
I struggle with weaving in the ends… not because it's difficult, but because I like it a whole lot less than I like knitting.
I also struggle with keeping my bound off edge stretchy enough for toe-up socks.
For me,it is when I do any type of colorwork in crochet. Sometimes it works,and sometimes it doesn't work.
I am glad that there are lots of patterns for knitting in the round for hats and neckwarmers, because I am having a really hard time with seaming!!
Knitmish on Ravelry
I always forget the invisible provisional cast on! But I did the crochet cast on recently, and didn't cast on for ages because I couldn't remember how!
Intarsia! I'm good with Fair Isle, but my intarsia looks terrible.
And I'm with you on the provisional cast on.
I have issues with complex lacework. For some reason I just always end up miscounting and having my work look completely wrong.
I have a lot of trouble weaving in ends so that they're both well secured and invisible. Sometimes (like when there are lots of stripes) I just give up and tie rows of knots.
Entrelac… enough said LOL
Doing ripples in crochet patters. I made my mom a scarf and I thought the yarn would fall apart from taking it apart SO many times. I don't know why I can't seem to get it!
RAV name is sweetpea363
=)
My biggest struggle is doing toe – up socks … I just cannot get it…it is so frustrating…
nhsarab at Yahoo dot com
nhsarab on ravelry
I have trouble getting garments to fit well. I can never figure out how to adapt them to my measurements – or even how to take my measurements correctly, for that matter.
rav: bbknitting
I have a problem trying out the different cast-on methods… I check them all on you-tube where they seem simple enough, but when it comes to actually casting on, I stick to my good old trusted method… it was taught by a friend and gives a very nice cast-on edge – I don't know what it is called though.
But I would love to try other methods, which somehow I never seem to get around to doing!
The crochet cast on is the one I struggle most with. I can do it but I never can remember how and have to look it up every time. I also have to really concentrate on my bind off because it always seems to be to tight. thats why I don't do toe up socks.
I struggle with some lace patterns. It is pretty random. Much lace just chugs right along. Other patterns get ripped back multiple times and occasionally even abandoned. I don't know what makes the difference. Is it my attitude when I begin a project?
I am having trouble learning how to crochet. I just can't hold the yarn correctly. I love to knit.
Provisional cast-ons aren't working for me either! I tend to avoid projects that need them, but when I do have to use one I end up spending WAY too much time picking out my scrap yarn!
Rav: brighteyesjessy
Working with tiny DPNs makes me want to stab myself in the eye with them! I'd really like to make socks though, so learning magic loop is high on my list of things to do this year.
(Rav: ahappyaccident)
I learned to knit my cast on and consequently cannot master the long tail cast on. The knit cast on can tend to be too tight at times so I'll use a larger needle, but that may make it a bit loopy. I keep trying.
Zowmom on ravelry
There is not really anything I'm struggling with with regard to technique. It's more the keeping track of stitches in a lace pattern which gets me … Guess I just have to focus more on one thing at a time instead of trying to do 1000 things at once …
Collienchen @ ravelry
Right now, switching colours while knitting is difficult for me. It's always too loose, but I'm slowly working on it. I would really love to be doing fair isle patterns. One thing at a time.
Blocking – I just don't get how to do it. I know that everyone else in the world does it without thinking but I just don't get it
rav dmr
I have trouble weaving in ends. What is the best way to keep them hidden? I've asked some of my knitting friends and it seems that everyone does it differently!
Rav ID: Angelbibity
I detest all seaming, grafting and tucking in ends. That can almost keep me from adding stripes or more colours to a garment – just to not need to tuck in the ends! Only the most persistent part of my mind will defend adding the stripes that I like. But sometimes even that persistance does not stick – look at this http://www.ravelry.com/projects/AnitaYarn/stash-clean-up-sweater...
Lately, I've been having a hard time maintaining gauge in crochet. Everything keeps getting bigger and bigger. Maybe it's a yarn thing and some new gorgeous, Smooshy yarn would help.
I’ve been struggling with brioche. I’m making scarf from a pattern I bought on Twist Collective. I think I started over about 4 times, but I think I’ve got it now. Complete with lifelines! Debbie H