I'm usually not a negative person or "down in the mouth" very often but this week was just one big disappointment after another. In handwork it was a soap opera. I had one finish..........the hat for Sam (grandson Sam not me)..........it's a Christmas present too so that's 2 Christmas presents done. Big deal...not!
As for this piece of #@*&%........of which I got 6 or 8 rows done...several times! ( I think at last count it was frogged 5 times!)
It's just a hat....how hard can it be? Is it the stripes? Do you cut off the yarn when you change colors or just keep it attached as in a "stranded" piece? I've never done stripes but I don't think they were the problem....it was me and all the interruptions.....I finally unplugged the phone as anyone living in a "close race" state must do to preserve their sanity. Also, my new neighbor has dogs and so any time they make a move over there my girls think they have to bark and get out there and see what's going on. This goes on until bedtime which is when I am usually doing my handwork. So, I am back to living like when my children were little. I will have to knit when they go for their naps in the afternoon! Geez Louise! Any advice about "stripes" would help too as maybe there's more to it?
See my little barrette holding the excess yarn from my cast on? It holds better than a rubber band which is what I used to use.
I also placed an order for a filet crochet bookmark book and some little extras; steel hooks for the size needed for the bookmarks in the pattern book etc. I ordered from Annie's who I have never ordered from before.....
The wheel thingy shows you knit gauge, needle size, yarn weight, hook size and crochet gauge. It is pretty nice and was only a few bucks. But most of this was ordered for the bookmarks and yet the pattern book didn't arrive! They don't have it. But as big a company as they are, they allowed me to order it instead of keeping track of their inventory like most companies. When they sent me the above they said they would send me a refund. Why wasn't the refund in the package? When will the refund arrive? There evidently is no "backorder".....it's probably out of print so why are they selling this "non-existent" pattern book? Plus, I was charged $7.00 for "shipping, processing and handling".....this package weighed nothing! These companies are charging an arm and a leg for shipping ounces and that's where they're making their profit.....not on the products! I will not be ordering from them again. If they make a profit on all their shipping and "processing" and sell things that don't exist but hold on to the money for it from LOTS of customers.....they are making interest on that money the whole time. Okay, I rest my case but I'm thinking of starting up a company and selling some non-existent products and charging people exorbitant shipping fees and then holding on to their refunds for several weeks at least if not a month depending on the interest accrual schedule. What a deal....for me that is! FREE MONEY!
So, it was back to the drawing board...literally. I did want to design this year...just not under pressure.
I had purchased some Christmas variegated thread a few weeks ago and thought this would make a nice bookmark......WRONG!
First of all working with thread and a teeny tiny crochet hook is not easy or enjoyable at this stage........and "the pretty variegated thread" does no justice to the cross design showing up. I really want the cross to be the main focal point and right now it looks more like a Christmas themed checkerboard. I usually don't mind frogging and starting over but these are Christmas gifts and therein lies the rub! There is a deadline here to be considered and a budget too. So, I will order more supplies (not from Annies) and finish this bookmark just to see if there might be a "Christmas miracle" early. If not I will go back to my original dishcloth cotton and call it a day. I have learned some filet crochet and I have an entire set of steel crochet hooks now but other than that I am in a world of hurt when it comes to Christmas presents!
I did get a new background and header for my blog...finally and updated my project list...that didn't help me at all other than to make me realize I better start putting in some serious knitting and crocheting time! I will tape blinders on my head so I can't see the housework that needs to be done, I will eat soup out of a can and not get dressed until Christmas Eve.....that should do it! LOL!
I hope your lists look better than mine.
I just had an evil thought...I could put out the word that I need "test knitters"......OMG, that's really evil....I should be ashamed...so very ashamed.....LOL!
Have a great week and Happy Trails (of perfect stitches)!
TEST KNITTERS.................LOL I love that idea. Your week sounds horrible but I did have to chuckle a few times. I also have been on the receiving end of a company letting me order something that was not in stock and then they ship the other stuff and charge me horrible rates for the two little items I orders. Then they want me to wait until MARCH for the rest of it. I will be calling this week and voicing my opinion of their policies. IF it is out of stock, say so, if it is out of print, take it off the website. Sheesh! As for the stripes....can't help you at all on that one. I think there is a you tube video on how to do it so you don't have a mess on your hands by the end of the hat.
ReplyDeleteI'm also chuckling at the test knitters and what a yuck week to have! Close the door on it and hopefully this week will be better, I like your money making idea and considering how some companies are getting away with it you could try it. As for the stripes, I carry the thread if I'm changing colour anything up to 5 rows after that I cut and rejoin, at the start of each round I put the yarn I'm carrying across the working colour and it carries it up a row and so on and so forth until you need the yarn, just don't pull it too tight or leave it too loose. My dogs are the same with next doors dogs, they do eventually settle down but it can be a pain in the butt.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I guess we have all had weeks like that. I don't knit and am still trying to learn a new crochet stitch every once in s while. Maybe your test knitter could help. The list I make are in my head, so if I don't accomplish everything I want to do, no one is going to know 😊 Take care and have a great week!
ReplyDeleteUh oh. I guess it's not helpful if I just admit to you right now how much I hate stripes. You're always gonna have a mismatch at the seam. You can google "knit jogless stripes" but I'm not really sold on any of the solutions. And then there are all those ends.
ReplyDeleteFor your stripes I would carry the yarn for 3-4 rows, but more than that I'd probably cut the yarn between stripes. At least it's a hat - nobody's getting their fingers jammed into the floats.
I'd pour a big fat rum, shift the Christmas knitting and crochet to next Christmas and see what I could do about tranquilizing the dogs. But that's just me :) Next week's gotta be better, right?
Oh no..sounds like a horrible week....I can't believe the company did that...shoddy....I hope you get some peace soon..you deserve it...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a week to shut the door on. Have no idea why a big company would choose to sell you a non-existent book and charge you shipping - sounds barmy. Love the idea of getting "test knitters"!!
ReplyDeleteYikes! What a frustrating week for you! I hope this upcoming week proves to be a little less frustrating..
ReplyDeleteGoodness! You have had a week haven't you? I've knit lots of hats with stripes but only carry the yarn 3-4 rows, otherwise I cut it. My solution to 'jogless" stripes is to knit EVERY stitch the first round after a color change. For example If your pattern is k2p2, I don't do that the first row after the color change, instead I knit every stitch the first round of the new color and the next round go back to the k2p2. It works for me! Hope it helps you.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
oh no sound like a annoying week...
ReplyDeletehave some rest..
sending you hugs and love x
Sorry about all the frustrations that you've had with your projects.
ReplyDeleteNo good deed goes un-punished.... so the saying goes :)
I would volunteer to be a test knitter for you, but all that would do, is test your patience even further**haha**.
Hope that this week is better!
Sorry to hear about your week, yucky! I do love your new blog look though, and you've got two Christmas presents done already? That's more than me :) And kuddos for you for having frogged more than 5times, I would have screamed at it really loudly and then thrown it in a corner! Wishing you lots of positivity this week!
ReplyDeleteI like your new banner and you always make pretty things. I'm like you though...I don't like when it doesn't come out the way I expect. I had that happen this week. (I'll take pics to share. lol) Enjoy your evening! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWhat a crappy week for you. Got any bubbly or decadent chocolate? Treat yourself. And shame on that poor customer service. Bad karma on them.
ReplyDeleteAs for stripes, I have a photo tutorial of the jogless jog technique. I think the yellow yarn can be carried up with thick stripes, but you need to track it every two to three rounds at least. Check out The Purl Bee's Rochefort Chapeau project. I didn't post the link here because I had read it's rude to do that.
Test knitters...you go for it! I would make a tail of both colors on the wrong side as I knit or crochet stripes and later tie a knot and weave in the ends on the inside. You can do IT! Remember I am not much of a knitter!
ReplyDeleteThose bookmarks need plain thread...beige or ecru or something:):)