WIP: Woolen Pants

The #GanseyKAL was not a complete bust, as Sarah is progressing on her third gansey and a Girl called Mogs has completed her gansey in an adult size.  As for me?  I am trying to work my way out of my knitting rut.

I was asked to make some woolen pants for a friend’s young son earlier this year.  We ended up moving, and I wasn’t able to complete them.  Fortunately, I had started a prototype of the pants in a worsted weight yarn (the pattern called for DK weight) so when we reconnected half a year later the pants still fit her growing boy.  I just need to add a cuff to the leg and knit a second leg to match.  I know that having this project looming over me was affecting my ability to move onto other projects.  I am a monogamous knitter, after all.

The pattern is Drops 20-10.  The patterns published by Drops are written assuming the knitter knows how to do things.  For example, instead of saying to do a specific increase in a row of instruction (such as  *K1, KFB, K1, KFB, K1*), it might say to make so many increases evenly across the row.  It’s up to the knitter to select the method of increase  (M1R with a symmetrical M1L, anyone?) and where to place them (some math skills are required).  As I have been working my way through the Master Knitter’s Level 1 program, I’m not afraid to tackle these patterns anymore.

Because these pants were originally a prototype, it didn’t bother me much if I deviated from the pattern a little bit.  I cast-on for the 6/9 month old size knowing I was using a heavier weight yarn.  I chose a Size US5 needle for the ribbing at the waist.  Then I made a really beginner mistake with my interchangeable needles when I got to the body.  Can you guess?  Yep, I only switched out one tip.  It wasn’t until several inches later I realized it.  The fabric didn’t look wonky, so I kept it.  When I got to the leg, though, I had to make a choice and went with a set of US6 DPNs.  The gauge is different, but I feel perfectly fine calling this a design feature.  I mean, they do this kind of thing all the time in color work or change of stitch patterns, right?  *ahem*

How do you help yourself get out of a knitting rut?