Unraveling
This is the current state of my NightShift shawl. I love knitting this thing – the pattern is pretty simple and the ability to play with color is great.
But.
And yet. I haven’t been working on it much at all for the last two weeks. I think it’s because, even though I love to work on it, the look I’m creating . . . I don’t have much love for that.
For one, I think I used too much of that mustard color all together.
For two, I don’t think the colors I’m using have enough contrast.
So. How do I fix it? Do I rip back to the mustard section and use less of it there and work that yellow in more frequently but in shorter sections? Do I order more Malabrigo Rios from WEBS and get colors that will provide more contrast? And if I do that what colors do I choose?
Help a knitter out, friends, because I’m floundering with this one.
On the reading front, thank goodness, I’m not floundering at all. I finished I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter yesterday and I really enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to our Read With Us discussion next month, Kym and Bonny have both shared details of what our process will be. I also recently finished The Stationery Shop and I enjoyed that one, too. And, I finally printed out my Stay At Home Bingo card yesterday so I’ll be adding the books I’ve read since April 1st to that and creating a plan for a coverall.
Joining with Kat today to talk about knitting (and potentially unraveling) and reading today.
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I get your floundering. I struggled at first too and ripped back after rethinking colors. I also added a couple more colors in (to get more difference). Maybe don’t order an entire set – but just add in a couple of colors?
You have just perfectly summarized my fears about this project. Even after years of knitting, I have a much harder time choosing colors for a project than I do for quilts. I think it might have something to do with my urge to use 10 shades of a color in a quilt which is much harder in knitting, even in hand dyed yarn.
I think I agree with you on the not enough contrast and too much mustard, but I don’t have very helpful solutions. Choosing colors is not my forte so that’s why I went with a Nightshift kit that just used two. My best advice would be to listen to some experienced Nightshifters with good color sense (Vicki, Kym, Kat) and see what they think. I can always have my color consultant (Ryan) take a look at it!
Omg… I love it! Finish it up and sell it to meeeee!
To My (LSU purple and gold) eyes, the purple plays well, the mustard adds a nice punch, but the loden green is just muddy. What the other comments say about rethinking contrast is good. We all give you permission to take it out!
I personally like the contrast between the purple and the yellow (they are complimentary colors, after all), but if you don’t like them now then you aren’t going to like them if you carry on and finish, and then you won’t wear the finished shawl. Do you have some other color options you could swatch to test-drive?
I do agree with you but unfortunately I can’t be of much help. I keep thinking a nice orange blast would look good in there! I too bought the kit because as a rule I am a complete failure at putting things together.
KEEP GOING! Bring that mustard in now and again in short bursts to tie it together. And give yourself more “real estate” before doing any ripping. The pattern changes so much as the shawl grows. You’ll be amazed! (I almost hated my color selection at that very juncture, too.) Trust yourself and keep going. XO
(By “pattern” I don’t mean the knitting pattern. I mean the way the color pattern plays together . . . )
(Just to clarify.)
XO
I agree with Kym, keep going. I love it! I think it has real promise, but that’s to my eye, not yours. I love the contrast between the mustard and the purple, and I think the green looks fine. I think this has an autumn feel to it based on the colors, and maybe that’s what you don’t like about knitting it in the spring. I would love that color combination for myself, but you must suit yourself.
I went back and looked at the colors you picked. The only one with high contrast is the mustard. So, if you don’t like it, rip back and replace the mustard with something more subtle that will blend/fade with the other colors. But, you may want to consider the mustard as a pop with the other colors. However, you know you. And if you don’t like it now, you probably won’t like it later.
I started the book and got de-railed. Will get back into it so that I can participate in the discussion!
I hated my Nightshift halfway through; didn’t enjoy the process and thought the colors were off. If you visit knitorious’s KAL on Ravelry you will see that I ended up liking it! I forced myself to carry on and do as I was told by the pattern (I used a set designed for the pattern), and ended up being happy with the colors, and getting some complements on them too. So my advice is to carry on.
Now, the finished shape of the shawl is another issue but I am getting over that one too.
I actually like the colors until you get to the brownish color that is being knitted right now. That one being replaced probably solves the problem. As a proud UW Husky, I’m liking the combo of mustard and purple. But if you already don’t, then this project is doomed to be either unfinished or never worn. Smaller amounts of mustard, and maybe some form of fuschia might make you happier?
I really like it! And I suck at color selection, so even if I didn’t like it I would be no help – lol. But seriously, I think it looks great! I love the mustard.
I am usually a “follow your gut” person, but for this one, I think you need to give the knitting a little more time. also, to be clear, I LOVE the yellow/purple.
The best advice Kym gave me once upon a time was to knit a little more before ripping it all out. Maybe you could bring in the mustard here and there as you go. I rather like the colors together but that is such a personal choice. Do what makes you happy.
I have no knitting advice–but I will add that I am currently reading the Stationery Shop for my library book club (we’ve moved into the virtual world for our meetings) and I’ve got I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter up next.
Voting FOR Nightshift colorway continuation:)
I had the same problem with my shift cowl. I ended up ripping it up and switching the color order. I think the mustard should be swapped with some of the blue to break it up more.
I don’t mind the mustard color at all. I think the shawl is beautiful as is.
I’m VERY late to this conversation… but I really LOVE that mustard color. There’s quite a bit of it in that one section, but that could be balanced out by using it again later. I think a POP (or two) really works well in a project like Nightshift.