Saturday we had our monthly meeting of the Mid Missouri Knitting Guild. Some of us are working on the TKGA Master's program. You purchase a packet, complete all the swatches, answer questions, etc. and submit it for evaluation. If you get it all right, you get a nifty certificate. If not, you get a critique and a chance to try again. As many times as you need to complete the program. I hear no one passes the first submission.
So in our club we've been working on some basic techniques. The swatches I'm working on are basic ribbing, garter stitch and stockinette stitch. I've been doing them for 30-odd years. But when I sit back and really turn a critical eye to my knitting, my purls are a wee bit looser than my knits. My increases not quite as invisible as they should be. My cast on not as stretchy as desired.
So since Saturday I've been researching and playing with techniques. I've learned about 8 new cast on techniques, including what I was doing wrong with the Channel Island cast on.
I've started staring at other knitters again. I once watched out of curiosity. Did you know that knitters are like snowflakes? No two knitters form the stitches in quite the same way. I finally caught someone with a variation on the continental purls that seems to help with my tension problem. Now I just have to practice it until it feels natural.
My poor ball of yarn is getting quite tattered from all the knitting, ripping, and re-knitting.
During the critique section I made the mistake of being quite frank when asked to critique one of my student's swatches. When I teach, my standard is, "if it produces what you want, then it is right." or "If you enjoy doing it, then it's right." People are always saying, "I know I'm not doing this right, but..." Well there is no one supreme "right" way to knit anything. But the master's program is different. Perfection is the goal.
I think this student was expecting to be able to knit a swatch and get it right the first time. DorisAnn and I have each re-knit each of our swatches at least half a dozen times (not counting practicing component techniques). And neither of us is yet satisfied that it is good enough to submit. Heck, if I can look at it and see mistakes, surely the evaluator can do the same.
If one could just go through and knit 17 little swatches once each I could be done with the program in a week. As it is, it typically takes a year to complete.
The dogs are bored to tears. Cole, of course, is relieved. He remembers a few years back when I got it into my head that he needed a handknit sweater that looked like the German flag. He figures any knitting that doesn't involve pointing a measuring tape at him is okay. He really hated that sweater!
I need to tear myself away from this study of technique and finish the gauntlets I started for my sister and start the beret I'm giving my mom for her birthday at the end of the month. I think I'll knit that out of a natural alpaca. It's got a honeycomb brioche stitch that's quite lovely.
I have two lace shawls in process, three pairs of socks, a sweater. Two more lace shawls in the queue, three sweaters, more mini-sock and mini-mitten earrings, mini sweaters for doll houses, an entrelac wrap, two scarves, and 17 little swatches for the masters...So many projects and so little time.
