I didn't want to end the year with a negative post, whinging about the Vogue Knitting Ultimate Sock Book. In fairness, the patterns are gorgeous and while I have been frustrated to find that there were a large number of errors in the first pattern that I chose to knit, the challenge of working through the pattern has re-ignited my recently flagging knitting mojo. Clearly, I am a glutton for punishment (but in all honesty, I would had probably still asked for the book for Christmas even if I had know about all the errors) However, I would probably not recommend this edition for less experienced or not very patient knitters. If you can't read the lace pattern in your knitting, then you probably don't want to try to figure out if you got it wrong or if the pattern is wrong. There are quite a few scathing reviews up on Amazon, and I think that Vogue Knitting has let down it's designers and done a really bad job of getting its errata up to date. Here's an interesting view from Donna Druchanas, author of Arctic Lace, with some provoking thoughts on the accuracy of knitting patterns. Is it expecting too much to have not perfect but moderately accurate, published patterns?
I want to end the year with no more than 24 UFO's. So, I'm spending the day reviewing and ripping. 24 is an arbitrary number. I could had chosen any number but I thought that 24 was one that was achieveable but not that easy to achieve when starting from 38.
The Danish Sweater is now reskeined.
as is the Debbie Bliss alphabet blanket.
Just a pile more to go. It's not just locating the projects but also the time to reskein, and unpick seams that makes this a lengthy process.
Anyway, I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year!! May 2008 bring all the good things that everyone deserves...now I have to go and have a think about my January goal list and resolutions.
Posted by atu at December 31, 2007 05:14 PM | TrackBackAs one who's just seen their own pattern mangled for publication, I certainly think it's not too much to ask for patterns to be properly checked. There is so much potential for timewasting, after all.
Posted by: Sam at January 3, 2008 08:31 PMSame to you Polly!!
Posted by: Debi at January 3, 2008 12:31 AMI salute (and envy) the wonderful beginning you have made to reducing your UFOs! The colours of the socks in the previous post are very gorgeous.
Posted by: Judith at January 1, 2008 12:42 PMGoodbye Danish sweater, I was looking forward to how you'd come out!
Oh well, onward and upward.
Here's to more fun in 2008. Happy new year Polly!
Happy New year to you & may 2008 be a more exciting knitting year!
Posted by: Ann at January 1, 2008 12:25 AMHappy new year, Polly.
[I don't think we're asking for too much by expecting error free patterns.]
Posted by: Nora at January 1, 2008 12:05 AMHappy New Year, Polly!
Posted by: Sarah at December 31, 2007 11:16 PMI have been knitting since the 70's. Then if you bought a pattern it just didn't have any mistakes in it. Maybe the publishers were more careful and not in such a hurry to be making money off people.
If I buy a novel or my husband buy's a computer language book we don't expect to find the wrong words in them. What would be the point in buying them. I have decided to use my brain as this designer wants me to. I am keeping my money in the bank and won't be buying any more patterns.
Posted by: Andrea at December 31, 2007 09:40 PMHappy new year to you from across the pond!
Posted by: Carol at December 31, 2007 09:28 PMHappy New Year! I'm glad that your knitting mojo is back for the New Year, bodes well!
I don't think it's too much to expect mostly error-free patterns, and readily available corrections! although I "hear" the designer's frustrations and wishes for people to be more independent, thinking also!
I'm finding that I tweak nearly every sock pattern I knit as the more socks I knit for myself the more I develop preferences about the fit for my foot/leg - but I don't expect the designer to do that for me...
Maybe some of the trouble is how much is laid out for us in great detail, so fewer people develop the problem-solving muscles??
Blessings in the new year!
Happy New Year to you too, Polly. Your post reminded me of ripping the Must Have Cardi that I have given up. :)
Posted by: Agnes at December 31, 2007 05:59 PM