Sweaters biting back

I did not have an internet connection this morning.  In a series of internet kerfuffles, this bugs me most.  Not having an internet connection isn’t going to kill me, but it sure impedes life as I know it. And like it.  Please ignore the early morning whine you hear in my voice. It really is related to the knitting.

I’ve worked a little on the sock, a little on the Damson, and a little on Mr. Needles new sweater over the last few days.  I have not had a chance to finish the last few stitches of facing on Mr. Needles vest, and the likelihood of getting to it is almost zero.  I need a little bit of my brain left to do it and my brain, after working at the yarn store, is just not used to intense thought every single day.  

Because Damson, sweet thing though it is, is in the plain garter stitch part, and the sock is just a plain funky coloured sock, I wanted to talk about Mr. Needles new sweater.  

The plan is for a very simply knit sweater. Above the arms it will get interesting, but the bottom is pretty plain. I wanted to do a little something to relive any tedium so I planned for a garter rib pattern for the body.  I’ve had a real bugger of a time getting it set up.

First, I erred on counting the stitch gauge from my swatch so I cast on too few stitches.  This was rather inconvenient since I already had the whole of the bottom ribbing done. I decided to think of this garment as an EZ percentage system garment, so all that needs doing is to increase up to the number of stitches I needed.  Sounds easy, right? 

 It wasn’t easy at all.  

First I divided my stitches for front and back unevenly and I did not discover that till at the end of the second sides increases.  Undid that and redid them correctly, but I forgot to do them on the second side.  I redid that and then finally knit merrily onward.  I had about 4 inches of body done and I realized that  the first plan of 6x2 garter rib did not look as nice as I hoped.  Somehow that simple pattern looked busy. So I ripped back to the ribbing and started over again. 

All the numbers had to be rejiggered for the 9 x 3 count that I am now going to do.  I sat down and merrily knit errors left right and center.  Once again, knit a little and back to the ribbing. Rinse. Repeat. 

I think I have it now.  I have the same number of stitches on the front and the back.  I have the stitch pattern all set up, the 3 stitch garter ribs stitches off setting the panels of 9 stockinette.  I don’t know if this is the perfect look, but no matter what happens I am not redoing it.  

And yet, I have this feeling... 

It feels as if the sweater is trying to tell me something.  Maybe the sweater really wanted to be plain stockinette but is letting me make the garter ribbing...and is sitting tight till I have put at least another ball of yarn into it. And then it is going to bite me.

Sweaters can be like that, you see.  Not vindictive.  I don't think a yarn thing could ever be truly vindictive but yarn things are not about to try and convince a bullheaded moose type that her plan isn't going to look right.  

Nah, a sweater usually sits back and lets you go on till you have invested heavily into it and then it will bite back.  

Not vindictive, but hard enough so that you get the message.  No.  Not vindictive at all. Whatever gave me that idea?