Here's the start of my daisy. I was a little lazy and instead of swatching properly, I started a sleeve.
I'm going to have to give it a vicious block vertically, as I'm getting width but a bit less on the length. My follow Rowanette, Jill has done this sweater several times and this is my third try. I never finished the first try (9 Rowan magazines ago), since I had recycled the wool from another sweater and after doing the back and one sleeve, knew I would run short. The problem with unravelling intarsia is .. what to do with all the cut up pieces of wool?
Try 2, was not completed, since I got bored and distressed when I saw all the loose ends. So, this is my third try. It's going better, for a few reasons...I'm taking some advice from fellow knitters. Live and learn, right?
Jill
(1) Delete a few of the daisies. It makes a huge difference since there's about 20 ends to sew in per daisy.
(2) Swiss-darning... those stems are going to be darned in so that I don't have to fiddle about with more loose yarns.
Sissel
(1) Sew in as you go along.. maybe not every flower, but every block of flowers
(2) Don't bother with bobbins, just wind some yarn up and cut as you go along
Deleting the flowers left the fabric a bit bare in places, so I've added a few additional motifs... you can bet that it won't be multi-petalled daisies. I have to finish this sweater and lay my demons (I mean daisies) to rest. Something about being defeated by daisies.. the word wuss just kind of springs to mind.
I usually don't swatch. I start on a sleeve and use that as the swatch. If it's off gauge then I don't have much to frog. If it is spot on gauge then I have saved time not swatching.
Posted by: Ruth in Houston TX at October 21, 2003 08:11 PMIntarsia ... hmm... It's not that I don't do intarsia, it's just that I don't tend to finish them. All those loose dangly ends puts me off.
Diane - I'll try knitting the next stem.
Kerstin - Well, I'm not a wuss if the Daisy that gets the best of me is you.
May, Thos _ I'm perservering but please.. I need A LOT of moral support, esp when I get to the sewing.
Emma - Daisy is for my niece. Her Christmas present. I squished the fabric on the scanner and hoped that the holes won't show through!
Carolyn - I've just emailed you. You can click on the email gif on the left of the screen... and there I thought a little graphics was going to be more eye-catching ;-)
You shouldn't feel like a "wuss" if you're done in by a daisy (not that you will be) -- they are very complex flowers. ;) Now dandelions, they would be something to bury your head in shame over. :)
Posted by: Kerstin at October 21, 2003 05:11 PMp.s. hi again i need to ask you a question can you email me i can'tfind your email address thanks! :)
Posted by: carolyn at October 21, 2003 04:10 PMhi polly! congrats on your perseverance with those daisies! it's inspiring! (i've always wanted to make that one from the one way back where it was shown in black w/ white daisies & pink centers, it was cropped, a little bolero-like (but longer than that obviously)) can't remember what book that is maybe 20 or something...
Posted by: carolyn at October 21, 2003 01:31 PMPlooy,
That sleeve is looking good. Just persevere. We will give you moral support all the way. I can't do intarsia properly and if left to me, no ends will be darned in ( from May's book of finishing techniques!)
May
Posted by: may at October 21, 2003 11:54 AMHi Polly,
be glad it aren't pansies. I'm inspired to go into my stash and dig out C.C. again.
Posted by: Thomas at October 21, 2003 09:40 AMHi Polly,
Wonderful Daisy, well done, I thought you didn't do intarsia....
Can I add some more advice, are you really going to Swiss darn the stems and leaves, Swiss darning is so boring, for me its worse than darning ends.
Its so much easier to intarsia the leaves and stems.
I'm completely with Sissel on the business of ends, darn them in after each daisy, or at least after 20 rows or so.
Well done, just get rid of those demons.
Looking forward to seeing the finished cardi.
Diane.
Posted by: Diane Armstrong at October 21, 2003 09:22 AMI'm a great believer in sleeeves as swatches ! It doesn't feel like a waste of yarn and you can have a break before knitting the second one.
Good tips from the girls.
It's a perfectly lovely looking daisy.Perfectly knitted.Just look at some of the intarsia in Kaffe's new book...it's dreadful ! Made me feel a bit more confident about mine . ;-]
Is Daisy for you ?
Can this be in lieu of the e-mail I owe you ? I'm a little frazzled right now !
Men are such awful patients ! Allan is getting better though.
xxx
Posted by: Emma at October 21, 2003 12:31 AM