Angry and frustrated with Knitpicks and my Options set

 Update – some darling knitter passed my words onto the owner of knitpicks and I got an email directly from him explaining how things were going to be made better.

Thanks! 

I got an options set for Christmas – it arrived on December 30th I think – I have had nothing but problems since then

My order contained 1 set of options and a Cat Bordhi sock kit. Since I got my set, the following has happened:

1) my long cables fell apart
2) my size 11 tips were damaged – 1 was about a 16th of an inch short and blunt – a manufacturing defect
3) 2 sets of my tips are oxidizing – turning dark and dull in color

4) my short cables fell apart
5) one of the cables fell out of my fixed circular that came with my sock kit.

I have had 1 set of cables and 1 set of tips replaced. I have sent 3 emails that have not been replied to

I heard incredible things about this set and couldn’t wait to spend my Christmas money on this set. I am so angry and frustrated over this – I don’t want to just keep waiting for more replacement parts to arrive – they will probably be faulty also. I am stuck with yet another $70 set of needles that I hate to use. I bought these to replace my boye’s. I honestly and thinking about giving up knitting or going back to straights and DPN’s. All of these problems in just 6 weeks.
I am really disappointed with Knitpicks and doubt I’ll shop there again.

Damned death hat!

I had a really busy morning here, lots of feeding kids and cleaning house.

I finally sat down to work on the hat -

Cast on 3 times – either too short a tail or too long

mis counted and forgot to purl – added more stitch markers

3rd time – the cable fell out of my needle and I lost the hat. The cable fell out and it is not repairable, so I have to find another needle and start over.

I can’t believe that people are already done with their weapons. My assassin is already almost finished. Poor girl will have to so Stephen’s hat from scratch at the rate I’m going.

I received my target.

Stephen… beware!

I’ll try not to make it fugly!

This is so me:

Hat Attack!

Targets and assassins have been assigned.

I’m a bit confused because we aren’t supposed to get the pattern and information until tomorrow morning, but some people claim to already have their target’s address.

Should I torment my target or play stealthy?

I fully expect to get eliminated very quickly – even though I’ve been practicing cables with the helloyarn Irish Hiking scarf.

Wish me luck!

Craziness this week

I joined the Hat Attack on Ravelry/Yahoo groups – it’s run along the same lines as Sock Wars, but with a hat instead of socks.

I;m doing 2 toe up socks at the same time on 2 circulars – I’ll post pics soon.

My knitting is a mess right now – I’ve got yarn spread EVERYWHERE! I started out trying to sort my stash, and it loved it’s taste of freedom. Now it doesn’t want to go away again.

I think I like knitting better than crochet -

I really like the speed and versatility of crochet, but I’m liking knitting right now.

Hello world!

Quick and easy front tie shrug “pattern”

This shrug is basically a rectangle with arms sewn in and is very flexible – can be made with any yarn, any gauge, any hook or needle. Knit or crochet –

Measurements needed:

 

1)Length of shrug wanted – do you want the ties really long or do you want them short. This will affect the length of the rectangle.

2) Arm length

3) height across back – do you want it to your waist or just below your shoulder blades? This will affect number of stitches you cast on.

4) size of armhole – easiest way to find this is by laying flat a comfy shirt and measuring the seam from shoulder to armpit.

My example measurements – I wear a 2X

Length of shrug from tip of tie to tip of tie = 67 inches

Width of back ( neck to mid back ) = 20 inches

From tip of tie to arm hole = 26 inches

From armhole to armhole ( across back) = 15 inches

Arm hole measurement = 9 inches

 

Make a gauge swatch – Very important! You will need these numbers.

 

Cast on appropriate of stitches as determined by gauge –

This is determined by of stitches per inch by number of inches wide you want the shrug.

Knit in stockinette until you get the of inches you need to the first arm hole

Make arm hole

Armhole rows:

Knit up to armpit hole, cast off for armpit hole, knit rest of row

Knit to cast off stitches, cast back on the number of stitches you cast off, knit rest of row.

 

Continue knitting in stockinette across the back until you get to the second armhole.

Repeat armhole rows

Knit in stockinette to end of second shrug tie.

 

Sleeves –

Now you can add the sleeves – either pick up stitches and knit in the round until they are long enough – decreasing as needed or you can knit a sleeve flat and sew it in.

Measure the armhole and double the – that is how wide you will want to make the sleeves.

 

Any question, please email me – kellygiblin@gmail.com

I can do the math for you as long as you have made a gauge swatch and know the measurements you want to use.