Step Right Up!!

Don't be shy! With all the fun over at Kerstin's, I was inspired to have a little game here at The Blues! Just puzzle out the little knitting brain bender below, send me a correct answer, and your name will go into the knitting bag. A lucky blog reader will win a prize! Woo Hoo! Here it is:

This week I am writing a pattern and working up a sweater for a knit-for-hire thing I do occasionally. Initially I had planned a two row rib followed by a section of stockinette stitch. After knitting the back of the garment, the powers that be decided that the rib had to go, the piece would start with stockinette stitch. I continued on my not quite so merry way, knitting up the front, all along considering my options. Re-knitting that back was a very unappealling notion, one that wasn't happening if I could help it. I thought picking out from the bottom and knitting back down might work, but that would have left a bind off edge that wouldn't look the same as the cast on the front sported. Then it came to me! I could pick out from the bottom, then cast on, knit and graft the new piece on! A stroke of genius, right? Yeah, right! The dilemma, and your mission, should you choose to accept it: On the front I had twenty-six rows of stockinette stitch to match up to. After the almost excruciating picking of the back bottom edge, I laid the piece down, right side up and counted the knitted rows of stockinette stitch-I had twenty-three. The puzzle: What to do for the new, to be grafted on piece? You know, how many rows, etc. Be specific in your answers knit-bloggers. My luck, you'll all get it first try (I did not-but I will have some in progress photos to show in the next couple of days) and I will feel a bit thick. That's okay, I hope this is a fun little brain teaser for you all. Remember, studies show that working your brain on puzzle type activities helps prevent Alzheimer's Disease! Anything I can do to help! Good Luck!

Comments

[Mary Beth]

I am so nervous! What if I look like an idiot? Here I go - you start with 23, have to get to 26. You loose 2 rows with grafting (down to 21) so you will need 5 rows. There. OK - who's that laughing out there?? Teresa - thanks so much for your comment on Sassy. I must say the simplicity is what I love about this sweater - it showcased the yarn, I think. I would definately make Sassy again.

[Annie]

Okay, I think you CREATE a row with a kitchener style graft. So cast on, knit two rows, and graft.

[Mary Beth]

OK - let's just say I don't think my name will be in the bag...

[mbd]

knit 2 rows, then graft which will give you the 1 more row to make for the 3 rows needed to make up the difference between 23 and 26. Presto, no??
mbd

[alison]

Annie beat me to it: grafting creates a row, so you only need to knit two to match the front. Good luck!

[Chelsea]

I had to look this one up. But based on the "mini" lesson here and the last line, "Notice it's impossible to tell the row of Kitchener stitching from all the other rows of knitting." I will have to agree with all the other folks who said knit two rows, then graft. But I think those two would inclued the cast on row, wouldn't they?... I haven't been knitting long, but I think the cast on row "makes" a knit row, doesn't it? So, cast on, knit a row, then graft. That's my final answer.

[Kerstin]

Oy! These aren't supposed to be this hard! Guess I'm lookin' at my future with Alzheimers. ;)

[Leigh]

I think you knit 2 rows with your sweater yarn, then knit 3 rows with waste yarn, then you take the whole shebang off the needle and graft it to the stitches you have on your other piece. So:

2 rows plus 1 row of grafting plus 23 rows of the other piece= 26 rows!

good luck! After that insane rogue grafting this is easy, no? ;-)

[KarenK]

Cast on (right side), purl a row (wrong side), then graft it (right side)?