Knit Flix

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Swatching, math, and memory


Cords & Cables Crochet Cardigan - swatching .

So much for swatching. After creating 3 swatches, measuring, counting, washing, measuring, and counting again, I chained-on (someone tell me, is that the crochet equivalent to cast-on?) for the Cords & Cables Cardigan. A few inches into into the pattern and I find the center front is 1-1/2" too long. Grrr.

Maybe it's because I don't crochet that often and my tension isn't consistent. Or perhaps it's because the piece is 4x wider than the swatch. Regardless I grabbed another ball of yarn and started again with a smaller hook. I'm going to have to watch the gauge on this project. It's worked side-to-side so it'll be bad if I end with a different gauge than I started with.

On a completely different topic, if I were to ask you how old you are, would you be able to answer without thinking or would you do some quick math to figure it out? I'm halfway between 40 & 50 today (gosh, I can't believe it, where did the time go?) and lately I've been doing the math. What I don't know is if it is because
  1. I don't feel as old as I am and can't relate to "45".
  2. There are too many years to count. Math is easier.
  3. Memory is one of the first things to go.

In my mind, it's mostly #1 with a little of #2 & #3 thrown in for good measure.

What year is it again? Darn. Add a little more #3 to the mix.

Labels:

18 Comments:

  • Happy birthday!!

    By Blogger Lauren, at 5/17/2007 3:19 PM  

  • Happy Birthday!

    Dude, I had to think for a minute when you asked -- even though I'm a "memorable" age, I suppose, at 29. My math also includes a first step that goes something like "Wait, how old is andy? So wait, what does that make me?" -- weird (and useless, because to answer either question, I end up going to my birth year).

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5/17/2007 3:56 PM  

  • Happy Birthday!

    I tend to say it without thinking so I often end up telling people I'm one year older or younger than I am. Maybe I'm having a #3 problem too, since you'd think I'd be able to remember if I've had a birthday recently or not. I guess not!

    By Blogger Unknown, at 5/17/2007 4:09 PM  

  • Another happy birthday wish...

    I'm "almost" 27, in that my birthday is later this month, but ever since mid-March or so, I keep catching myself telling people I'm 27 rather than my real current age of 26. I have no clear reason why...it just keeps happening! Maybe I was thinking too early along this year that I would be 27, and I got stuck...

    By Blogger Avrienne, at 5/17/2007 4:23 PM  

  • Happy Birthday! And I'm not saying it is due to #1, 2, & 3, but I don't believe you. I hope I age as nicely as you! (And knit as nicely as you, but that's a long term dream)

    By Blogger Freecia, at 5/17/2007 4:56 PM  

  • Happy birthday!

    Yeah, I have to think a minute about how old I am. And then there's that minute where I think "38? Really? How in the world did that happen?!?" Blah.

    By Blogger Emy, at 5/17/2007 6:40 PM  

  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

    By Blogger Ilona, at 5/17/2007 8:20 PM  

  • I've always had to stop and think for a moment what my current age is. I just turned 24. O.o! haha. I think it is because I don't place that much importance to my actual age and I don't think about it that much... only when someone asks. =)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5/17/2007 8:41 PM  

  • Happy Birthday!!!!!

    I always have to stop and think about how old I am. I just can't connect the ever increasing numbers to ME. I do math, and then I am confused about whether I have the right number or not, and what month it is...

    Once someone said something about me being 38 and my immediate reaction was "I'm not that old!!" and then I put my hand over my mouth in shock and thought, oh my God, not only am I "that old"- I am older!" I was 41 at the time! Still cracks me up, well sort of... ;)

    By Blogger Cindy/Snid, at 5/17/2007 11:05 PM  

  • Happy Birthday sweets! I found myself standing in front of my birthday calendar this morning saying "Hmmm, isn't Janice's birthday coming up? I wonder why it isn't on this calendar." And you solved the mystery for me! Hope it was a great day. :-)

    By Blogger spinnity, at 5/18/2007 1:35 AM  

  • All I need to know is what year it is. I was born in 1970, so that makes the math pretty easy. Unless you want to get picky about what month it is, since I wasn't born till October. I'd be in big trouble if I was born in anything other than a divisible-by-ten year. I can never remember how long we've been married, since it's too much for my brain to subtract 1993 from the current year.

    Hope you have a wonderful birthday!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5/18/2007 7:15 PM  

  • Ah, I love cables - I've been finding myself cabling as much as I can, incorporating a cable in every project that I do :)

    Your project is coming along fantastically, good work :) And happy birthday!

    By Blogger knitphomaniac, at 5/20/2007 11:11 AM  

  • Totally get the "what do you mean I'm 45 (in 2 months)". And yeah, I calculate by year. But I have to do it EVERY SINGLE TIME. *sigh*

    Congratulations! And we are only as old as the shoe styles we wear.

    By Blogger Dusa, at 5/20/2007 2:31 PM  

  • Happy Birthday!

    I know exactly what you mean and just asked my husband on Saturday whether he ever has to think about his age when he is asked. I am 43 and usually have to think before answering. For me it's definitely mostly #1 - I feel like 29, 34 tops ... and some #2, and as for #3, I belief is that it's not that our memory is going; it just that more information is added to the brain all the time, and it takes us longer to find what we are looking for.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5/21/2007 12:19 PM  

  • Happy birthday!

    I'm also having gauge issues (although not with crochet, so I'm more perplexed), so I relate.

    And that actually amazes me, that you are 45. You look darn good, girl.

    By Blogger Wiz Knitter, at 5/21/2007 4:51 PM  

  • Nuh uh! I'd say 38, tops! Seriously. Not. A. Day. More.

    But Happy B-day anyways! And to answer your question, it seems like I get older faster than I can get used to my age. At this point, I've just gotten used to being 30... and I've been 30 for 2 years. LOL!

    By Blogger theknitist, at 5/21/2007 6:40 PM  

  • Happy (belated) birthday! We're not getting older...we're getting wiser and more experienced!

    By Blogger Lori, at 5/21/2007 6:41 PM  

  • Happy belated birthday, Janice!

    Yes, those nice long chains are essentially the crochet equivalent of casting on. Most flat projects seem to start with some number of chain stitches.

    :)

    By Blogger Anabel, at 5/23/2007 9:28 PM  

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