OK peeps. When Brooklyn Tweed rates a pattern as difficult, take it under advisement. Especially when all of the reviews you read corroborate this perspective. Don't assume that, cuz a pattern looks simple it is simple. (Not that I did, but really, it looks so simple!)
I'm in the dark hole of this knitting process,trying to establish the set up row where the yoke turns into the fronts, sleeve place holders, underarms, and back. Last night was 2 hours of work on this one freakin' row, followed by an emotional breakdown, followed by ripping back without considering that tinking (knitting backwards) was the right course, followed by the horror of discovering two strings of yarn hanging on both sides of the back panel (the only part currently on the needles) - one attached to the skein, the other to the back panel. The only way to "start over" is to put the sleeve stitches (now on waste yarn) back on the needles and then knit backwards some more. Instead, I'm inclined to work with the finite length of yarn I've got in front of the back panel (it was enough to pick up and knit a bunch of stitches the first time around) and then keep going from there. But it's going to be a tense ride.*
There is, so far, nothing relaxing about making this garment. I mean, it would seem that it's very purpose is to keep one on one's toes.
And yet, it's not a bad pattern. It's just freakin' detailed. So detailed that most everyone fucks up somewhere and has to either fix it on the fly or rip back. I mean, it's never taken me so long to knit 50 odd rows (the yoke portion).
Apparently, it gets easier after this set up row which is good because I'm entirely distracted by the thought of it. That unfinished row is currently tormenting me.
At any rate, this post is not just to bitch about knitting trauma, but to tell you the most heartwarming story. At 10 pm, I sent a flurry of emails to tech support at Brooklyn Tweed, imagining I'd get feedback the next morning. (My questions were about the pattern instructions - not my stupid method of ripping back which is, natch, in no way BT's concern...) In actual fact, I got feedback in 5 minutes. Yeah - 5 minutes. I was so shocked I had to know if I'd simply caught a staffer late at the office, or if this is one of the Brooklyn Tweed value-adds. Apparently, it's the latter.
So, in addition to having the hippest website, the coolest designers, the best-documented patterns, the wooliest yarn and the most covetous look books, BT gives you perfect customer service.
Really, support this brand. We need more like them.
*It doesn't help that I fucked up the cartridge rib at a certain point (at the outer edge on one side - it's not that I worked the pattern incorrectly, but that I started it one stitch early for a while). So now, my every row requires a visual confirmation that I'm in pattern. I just can't rely on the cartridge pattern outlined the instructions. Trust me, I considered ripping back to the problem point, but I the likelihood is that something else would have gone wrong the next time. Like I said, it's like jumping from one plank (over a pit) to another.
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Wow! I'm impressed you are tackling this sweater -- Haha -- so true re: Brooklyn Tweed's ratings, apparently:) I am in the middle of a sweater -- whew! Takes a while! I'm excited to see it! I have to say I love Purl Soho too (Purl Bee is the blog) . . .
ReplyDeleteYou know, I just happened upon it and decided to make it. I did read about it, but I didn't know that it was considered to be so challenging. If I'd known, I definitely would have stayed away :-) But now that I'm here... I love Purl Bee too!
DeleteI feel that knitting pain! Nothing worse than being stuck! I agree that BT's ratings are not to be ignored and I always wait to see some projects pop up to find out what about the pattern warranted the rating... as you know, few people had good thing to say about knitting this sucker! That being said, it's gorgeous and will be well worth it once you are past the yoke and into the body! I'd be curious to see the pattern!
ReplyDeleteI know! It's tormenting to be stuck. I will, from here on in, pay very careful to the BT ratings. And I will not go above 3 stars for a long time to come!
DeleteIt's a good sign that they are so willing to help with queries. But it makes me wonder if they could make the pattern easier to follow? I haven't seen it so I don't mean this to sound like a criticism. Just if lots of people are having difficulty then maybe the directions could be made to be more (experienced) user friendly :)
ReplyDeleteIt is really good. I spent 7 bucks on that pattern and I emailed with tech support 20 times. That's unbelievable. I would love to say how the pattern could be improved because, seriously, it's a bitch. But if you consider that you're knitting every part of the sweater (well most of them, anyway) in each row - front, underarm, back, gusset, front - and the construction has to work without seaming, I think it's just got to be complicated. One thing's for certain - it's a very complete pattern.
DeleteI don't know how you're managing to persevere -- I think I'd have thrown it all behind some closet door for a year or seven . . . but the customer support story is heartwarming indeed! I have been such a fan of Jared for years and years and it's wonderful to know that the integrity he signalled so clearly on his blog has carried right through to how his company conducts itself. So rare. So gratifying.
ReplyDeleteI was fantasizing about burning it (shhhh). And I love Jared too! (I call him Jared like he's my friend though I've never seen him.) I am so impressed by his business. It is exactly the kind I would want to model if ever I were to embark on entrepreneurialism. I can't think of someone else I have ever said that about.
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