196:365 My mistake - Updated: Harley in repose

Anna: I am now working on the last sleeve of my sweater. Once this is done, I can put the pieces together, finish the edges, and then it's done.

When I started this project, I calculated how many balls I'd need of the type of yarn I was using, which is different from what was recommended in the pattern. Same size and weight of yarn, but different brand and larger balls. Based on my calculations, I should have had a generous amount of yarn left over.

As I worked on the panels, I began to have doubts. I was counting on 2 balls for each front and back panel, and one ball for each sleeve. When I finished the second body panel, I was well into a third ball of yarn.

Part of the reason was the yarn itself. The threads making of the yarn was twisted quite loosely in a couple of the balls. You can actually see and feel the difference, though that will disappear after a wash or two. Because I'd gone into a third ball in the panel, I had to start a second ball of yarn to finish the first sleeve. I am somewhat concerned that I won't have enough yarn to do the decorative edging on the neck when it's done.

Today, while working on the second sleeve at the dr.'s office, I suddenly realized my mistake. Take a look at this photo.
Can you see the difference?

Look specifically at the bobbles - the bundled up groups of stitches with a single post in between. There's two rows of them at the top, two at the middle, and one near the bottom. Click on the photo to see it larger.

Can you see the difference now?

Don't worry if you can't. The difference is very slight.

The bobbles are made by doing 3 double crochet together. For those that don't know crochet, a double crochet is the post that you see in between the bobbles. To make the bobble, I make three of those in one spot in such a way that all their tops are together as one stitch.

My mistake?

I was doing 4 of them, not three.

When I got home, I took out all the finished pieces and lay them out, trying to see when I started making the mistake. From the looks of it, I've been doing this from the start.

Each body panel has 6 rows of 32 bobbles. Each sleeve has 6 rows of 18 bobbles.

Each of those has an extra stitch. Except for the last two rows at the top in this photo, which have the 3 they're supposed to, and the one row I'll need to do before this decorative section is finished.

That's a LOT of extra yarn being used that shouldn't be.

Well, now I know why I'm so much shorter in yarn than I expected.

Of course, I can't find any more in this shade of red.


Philippe: Positive proof that Harley *does* in fact slow down to 'non-blurry' speed every once in a while.