It’s now official: I’m going to run out of Koigu Kersti for Cromarty. I’ve sent a panicked note off to the Boys to see what they can do, since the Koigu people apparently want to adopt both of them (which is so great – whenever I go into my LYS (mentioning no names, as I have several LYSs), the owner is complaining about how the Koigu people won’t work with her. Well, duh, lady. You’re such a whiner! Be nice, sweet, and utterly fabulous like they are, and Koigu will work with ya. Till then, get over your LYSelf).
Here she is right now:
I’ll need eight more skeins, if I’ve done my math right. What the bleeding hell? I got three extra skeins originally, just to be on the safe side. My row count is a little off, but I never really worry about that. The stitch count is spot on, and the sweater measures to the right proportions. I’m done with both sleeves and eight inches up the front, and it keeps eating up the yardage. Any ideas? Is it because I’m such a loose knitter and working on such tiny needles to get gauge that each stitch is eating up more yarn that it normally would? Can that be true? Was Starmore’s yardage off? Somehow, I doubt that. She wouldn’t be off by such a massive amount. Can anyone tell me how many yards were in the Rowan DDK the pattern originally called for? I thought they was pretty comparable to Kersti’s 114yds/skein, so I’m shocked at this difference. And scared. I know the dye lots won’t be the same. But will they be close?
It’s yarn. It’s color in yarn. It ain’t a national crisis. But I’m a little worried. Erp.
Sorry I don’t have any advice for you, that sweater would be way over my head…
I will, however keep my fingers crossed for you that the yarn matches.
BTW it’s gorgeous, absolutely marvelous.
I did a search, and found an online store with Rowan DDK that says it has 115 meters per skein.
(from http://www.fiberartshop.com/knitrwn.htm) That’s close to 126 yards per skein – I don’t know how many you ordered, but 3 extra should have been enough – ACK what a nightmare. Its such a beautiful sweater, too…
I have come up short working Starmore Arans but not in her Fair Isles. I have a short stitch.I have noticed it takes me more rows to get her row gauge because of the way I knit. I always have to get extra if I am doing an Aran…Usually about 500 yards extra and the things can stand up on their own but dang it I get the friggen stitch gauge. Good luck getting more. Best to send them a sample to match don’t you think?
Oh dear. I hope it all works out, because it’s amazing so far.
Honey, you ain’t no intermediate knitter. That baby puts you in a whole ‘nother league. Wear it well.
Actually I had the same experience with yarn for
Na Craga and when I inquired on a Starmore list,
was overwhelmed with people’s stories of similar
issues. Apparently on the arans (and even on some fairisles) it is not unusual for Ms. S to be WAY OFF in terms of how much yarn a design will eat up. I ended up needing about 10 additional balls of yarn… Annoying but the patterns are so beautiful that you just have to go with it. Your sweater is looking smashing.
Wow, that’s a lot of yarn to be off by. I’ll have to see how much you end up using because I still haven’t bought any yarn for Tara, and I don’t wanna run short for that. Good luck!
Worry not, dearie! It will all work out. It has to, since that sweater is so friggin’ amazingly gorgeous that I can’t even stand it!!!!
Commarty is AMAZING! Sending wishes to the yarn gods that all works out for you with getting more. I truly believe it will be fine, because that sweater is so outstanding I can’t imagine a slight variant in color will make anyone even notice!! I am on my first Starmore fairisle, Rosemarkie, and my lovely LYS lady almost had a nervous breakdown trying to figure the yardage for it…ended up being a total sweetie and ordering way more than I will ever possibly need and holding it back for me (for 6 months) “just in case.” Again, Rachel, you are very talented! Intermediate?? I think NOT!
Rosemarkie–>Bis Markie–>”Youuuuu, you got what I neeeeeeed…” Curses.
Also, “get over your LYSelf”? Cracks me up.
And the interrupting cow joke? Also one of my faves.
So sorry to hear about your yarn woes. Color may not match perfectly, but there are ways of getting around that.
Interrupting cow? Did someone say interruptin…MOOOO!!!
Man…that’s one of my favorite jokes of all time. I make Billy tell it to me over and over and over.
(Oh yeah, and don’t sweat the yardage, baby. It’ll all work out fine.)
Sister, I feel your pain (although my WIP’s not nearly so complex and beautiful). That Rowan Zephyr poncho is halfway through the yarn, and I’ve only got half of a front piece. And Elann’s not got the color any longer. I haven’t broken the news to Nicolee. You, on the other hand, will surely be saved by the Boys and the Landras. Here’s to great relationships!
Ugh that’s frustrating. One thing I’ve done on my sewing projects when I need to use fabrics from 2 dye lots is to make each piece in a single dye lot. The seams help to hide any slight color variation because there’s already a bit of a shadow in the areas where the 2 dye lots meet. Just a thought. Good luck!
Huh-oh. I’m working on Filey (from Starmore’s Fishermen’s Sweaters). The design called for 23 skeins of denim, so I got 25. I’ve used up two skeins and have only done the first 7 inches. I think I’m going to need 10 for the front half alone, by my estimates. This is going to be a sweater with NO sleeves. Help. I think she must be way, way off in her yardage for this also. Not to mention that I think her measurements are off by a little though a friend says the weight of the denim may be dragging it down, making it narrower.
I have never had to try this, but I heard that if you knit alternate rows with the two dye-lots, the change is not so obvious. Unless, I suppose, the colors are very different. Good luck, and good thing the boys have such a good relationship with Koigu.
Cromarty is just too outstandingly gorgeous for the Yarn Gods not to rescue it somehow!
Let me guess, your row gauge is short right? That plus AS underestimating yardage, and you’ve accounted for those 8 extra skeins.
Ouch. I’m feeling the pain.
That really stinks Rachael. Keep us posted on your quest for more yarn. I hope the boys come through. I have been working on Na Craga for a while…so if I run out…well, I wonder if Cascade 220 even comes in that color anymore! UGH! I feel your pain.
BTW, the color is s-t-u-n-n-i-n-g!!
Your Cromarty is beautiful. And if the boys don’t have more of the same dye lot, other people might. I found two additional skeins of dye lot A of Noro Shinano after the store where I bought it originally was already on Dyelot B — I posted a plea for help on Yahoo’s knitswap (giving color and lot numbers) and got messages from SEVERAL LYS’s that had it! Good luck.
How fabulous does Cromarty look!!? A-MAY-zing! Simply beautiful.
Even coming up short, it’s just beautiful. I’m very impressed and am looking forward to seeing more. P.S. Love the Get over Your LYSelf! Heh.
I have no idea what to tell you on the yarn HOWEVER that sweater is gorgeous! :o)
If your row count is off and you’ve got to work more rows, chances are that’s the reason you need more yarn.
And 8 more skeins! That’s a helluva lotta Noro. I hope Koigu gives you an extra as a present 🙂
Wow, the aran looks spectacular!!! Love the pattern.
Crazy-late comment, I know, but damn am I glad I found this entry – I have BARELY enough yarn for what Cromarty calls for… I’ll have to find another pattern for the Black Water Abbey and find something else to knit the Cromarty in! Thanks for rescuing me.