I did it! I finally finished my Rift as part of the #mojavemarlalong, and I am completely happy with it. I used our Kelbourne Woolens Mojave yarn in seafoam and flamingo, and it is endlessly cheerful and summery - a pleasant reminder of beach days yet to come. (Maybe next year?)
I don’t know about you, but this spring and summer were…a bit…um…challenging? Like many, many people I had a hard time focusing. I couldn’t read a book all the way through, I didn’t want to pick up my needles, I didn’t want to cook - all things I enjoy and make me feel grounded. It wasn’t just me, right? (I know it wasn’t).
The Rift Tee by Jacqueline Cieslak was absolutely a fun and easy sweater to knit, I just CONSTANTLY messed it up. Those of you who followed along on our Instagram Live knit nights know: It’s not you, Jacqueline, it’s me, I promise.
I can’t remember all the things I messed up, but I know it started with the ribbing. I didn’t pay attention (ie, I didn’t read the pattern) and I only twisted the knits, not the knits and the purls. Easy fix, riiiiip, reknit.
I think joining the work went without a hitch…but just for that one round. I didn’t work the 9 twisted stitches up the side like I was supposed to, I only did 3 stitches - for absolutely no reason other than I just spaced out and thought that was right.
Once I got that sorted out it was clear sailing on the body of the sweater. Then we got to the armhole division, and I don’t even know what happened, guys. There was a thing with a tab, and stitches on a holder if you’re on the front or the back, but you had to decide which side you wanted the v-neck on and I thought I wanted it on the front, but I read it wrong and I ended up with it on the back. FINE. The V-neck was going to be on the back. I was still not sure if the tab and pick up part was on the right side (whatever side that was).
I. Could. Not. Think.
We were understaffed at work, I was working from home, I have a lot of kids, daycare was closed, our kitchen was being remodeled. Knitting conditions were not ideal. But you all know this. Many of you were right there with me, and it did make me feel better about the whole situation.
So fast forward to August, I got the v-neck and the short rows sorted out, I had to redo the shoulders a handful of times, I ended up with slightly different stitch counts on the four shoulder pieces, but no one will ever notice. I tried it on, and I didn’t like the v-neck in the back. The hi-lo hem that the design has meant that I was “locked in.” But, Kate, being the genius that she is just said, “Take out the extra rows of the hem. It will be annoying but picking out 5 rows will be faster than re-knitting both yokes.” She was correct, obviously. I lost the cute hi-lo hem, but that is totally fine. It’s done!
No, I have not blocked it. It’s almost done.
Join Kate and I tonight at 7 pm eastern for a celebratory Instagram Live where we will wear out Rift tees and have a cocktail and think about what to knit next!
