Eris V Neck Conundrum

Pattern: Eris by Girl from Auntie

Yarn: Elann's Peruvian Highland Wool

Yarn Color: Dusty Teal

Needles: 3 for cables, 5 for body

Gauge: 5 stitches/inch, 7 rows/inch on stockinette body

If "error" is defined as a variation from the pattern instructions, I'm sure this collar has a few errors in the triple decrease row down the center of the vee. The errors were an attempt by the knitter to try and make it look better.

The first time I knit the vee, I knit it according to the pattern. After looking at it, I was convinced I hadn't done it right because it looked so messy. I frogged it and knit it again, paying more attention to places I thought I could make it look better. I couldn't. It doesn't.


In an attempt to not completely fray the yarn in the vee, I decided to do some swatching to see if I could improve on things before knitting the vee a third time.

This swatch was knit exactly according to the pattern on with larger needles so I could see the stitches better and determine if it was possible to somehow manipulate them to look more tidy.

I couldn't. It doesn't.

The decreases down the center look like a bad job of sewing the two pieces together.


Is it possible to make vertical double decreases every row and have them look nice? That was the question I was asking as I knit this swatch. Parts of the decreases in this swatch look better to me, especially that chain at the top of the swatch. Overall it's not something I would be proud to say I knit.

I have spent two days on this now. I'm ready to just do something and move on. In other words, I'm frustrated.

The pattern is detailed and well written. If I were to fault it, it would be for lack of good clear pictures of what the more complex details look like when knit without errors.

Maybe I'm missing something important in the pattern and, if done properly, the vee looks orderly and pretty? I can't tell without a picture.


Knowing myself, I can give myself good advice:

Go knit on something mindless until your frustration passes and pragmatism kicks in. Then, you can do what's needed to get past this part of the pattern, realizing you're never going to be completely happy with the way the center front of the collar looks.

Maybe, when you stop fussing, you'll have a brainstorm of something that can make the vee look less messy.

Maybe one of your blog readers will come up with a good solution to make this look nice.

Or maybe this yarn would rather be a beautiful Aran.