People, there’s still time to enter the marvellous book giveaway, right here. Spread the word!
Meanwhile, have you heard of the sunk cost fallacy? It’s a term used to describe how we tend to make decisions based on time/money/energy that we’ve already invested (i.e. irrecoverable ‘sunk costs’), rather than on what would really benefit us in the future. This generally happens because we don’t want to waste that investment. Fair enough, but that time/money/energy is gone already, regardless of what we do next, so it shouldn’t really influence our decision-making.
Examples? Um, OK: You throw more and more money at the-car-that-keeps-going-wrong, even though you could have bought a newer (reliable) car several times over. Or you don’t leave that good-for-zilch partner because that would mean you’d wasted the last couple of decades. And so on.
And here’s another example: you keep going with a piece of crochet that you know isn’t working, because you’ve spent eleventy thousand hours on it already and you can’t bear to rip it out and begin again.
Yup, I am that stupid.
Before I tell you about my idiocy, let me say this: I do know that when you crochet in-the-round, your stitches will be stacked in slightly diagonal columns, leaning to the right if you’re working right-handed. I’ve made enough in-the-round objects to Know This To Be A True Fact. This, for example:-
Just in case you’re new to crocheting in-the-round, allow me to explain. Crochet stitches are prone to slouching. If you’re working back-and-forth, this needn’t be an issue because the slouch-to-the-right on row one will be compensated for by the slouch-to-the-left on row two, and so on. Overall, your stitches will be stacked up in neat vertical columns, like this:-
But in-the-round, you need to accept The Slouch. This is likely not a big concern if you’re working in one colour, but it needs to be compensated for if you’re trying to create a picture. For example – just to select an example completely at random – if you were working on translating this stranded knitting pattern into crochet…
…you’d need to think about how those stitches stack up.
I know all this, I really, really, do. I knew it long before I began work on the crochet version of my Hiking Reindeer Cowl pattern. And yet some combination of hubris and arrogance meant that I didn’t bother adjusting for The Slouch as I converted the pattern. I adjusted for all sorts of other things, such as the relative height/width of crochet stitches compared with knit stitches, but not The Slouch. Sigh.
Having finished what looked on paper like a marvellous specimen of design, I began to crochet. Round and round. And round. And round. Predictably, my smart upright tree trunks began to list alarmingly to the right:-
I paused. I took a sip of wine. I tugged at my work to even things out a bit. I contemplated frogging. But then I carried on hookin’, regardless.
Of course, the trees began to lean further. They looked drunk. Again, I paused. I muttered some words that I can’t write here because my mum reads this blog. I told myself that a really robust washing-and-blocking can mask a multitude of yarny sins. And since I didn’t want to waste all those hours I’d spent making this thing, I carried on. See? The sunk cost fallacy. Surely the universe must understand the fact that now I’d come this far, the least it could do would be to adjust the laws of yarny physics to accommodate my stupidity?
So I Kept. On. Going. Predictably, my trees leaned further. “Maybe it’s just really windy and the trees are being blown around,” said one of the twinnage, looking over my shoulder at my work. I love that child. It wasn’t good, though. Instead of The Leaning Tower Of Pisa, it was The Leaning Bower Of Trees-a. (Sorry. Couldn’t resist.)
Anyway, a point was reached. No more sunk costs. I did it. I ripped the whole thing out. I re-designed, accounting for The Slouch.
And now I’m starting again. No more drunken trees!
The free pattern will be available for you very soon, my friends. Just not quite yet.
captelaine says
March 30, 2017 at 11:19 amI don’t crochet, but if this is an issue for right handed folks, wouldn’t it also be an issue for lefties? or can that be ‘fixed’ with a simple mirror reverse of the right handed pattern. On another note, none of the yarn suppliers in the US have the Etna color 🙁
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:22 amYes, it would still be an issue for lefties, but the stitches would slope the other way.
As for the Etna, I’m not sure why it’s taking a while to appear with some of the major stockists. Meanwhile, these people do ship to the US. (I promise I have no financial connection with them and don’t benefit in any way if you shop there!) http://www.blacksheepwools.com/stylecraft-head-over-heels-etna-3104-head-over-heels.html
sjoriginalsblog says
March 30, 2017 at 11:31 amLife is just sooooo frustrating some times and it really shouldn’t be allowed to be!!! Good Luck keeping those trees verticalised in the crochet version. I managed to get the Etna colour way from Black Sheep and then found out that I don’t have 3mm Knitpro tips in my set – grrr! Another order to Black Sheep and I’ll soon be on my way to making your fab cowl for my bestest friend as part of her Christmas present (this year I’m determined to be organised) x
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:25 amWell I’m very touched that you are planning to make the cowl. Have fun!
And apologies for forcing you to buy more lovely Knit Pros! (The 3mm ones are a wee bit prone to breaking, unless you choose the Karbonz.)
pelagia5 says
March 30, 2017 at 11:34 amHaha, I think “Drunk trees” would not be a bad pattern to sell either 😀
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:28 amYou might have a point, there….
kddomingue says
April 3, 2017 at 6:54 pmI would absolutely buy a pattern named “Drunk Trees” ! I don’t think I’d be able to resist. Many moons ago I was driving a friend home down some back country roads. She was quite inebriated and kept insisting that the trees on the side of the road were drunk and leaning over and were going to fall over on us and smush us, lol! I’d have to buy the yarn, make something for her, attach the yarn label to it, wrap it and then LMAO at the look on her face when she opened it! Lol!
Mari-Liis says
March 30, 2017 at 11:41 amI’m not totally new to crochet, but I must admit that I don’t know – how do you adjust the stitches? Moving the stitches of next round one step to the left? I have never worked on that kind of a project and haven’t really thought about it… I think I’ll go and try…like now…
Rachel King says
March 30, 2017 at 1:21 pmOooh I know this one! If you crochet in back loop only, they won’t list. I follow a mochila bag-making group on FB for crochet, and this is what they teach.
Amy (AmyScrapSpot) says
March 30, 2017 at 1:36 pmWow, really!? But if you work in the back loop-only doesn’t it change the texture of your work by creating lines? I’m going to give it a shot! I think the dragon that I made was through both loops, but now that I am thinking about all of this, you could tell it slouched, but it worked out ok, for the dragon. 😉
Thanks a lot for the tip!
Rachel King says
March 30, 2017 at 1:47 pmYou’re welcome, I hope it works!
Sandy says
March 30, 2017 at 9:16 pmI recently read about something like this too, only the writer suggested to do the back loop and the third loop (the one just below the back loop). and, of course, I can’t find the darned article anywhere 🙁
Amy (AmyScrapSpot) says
March 30, 2017 at 1:31 pmOh my, You are a saint- I can’t believe you ripped it out, *ouch*! lol
The pattern will be amazing, I have no doubt! You are so talented with a hook! You have me thinking about picking up my needle and yarn. Only, I’m thinking of making a whale, lol. Reading about your difficulties adjusting for slouch has me realizing that I will need to think of those things too! Thanks!
Nada Roberts says
March 30, 2017 at 2:09 pmOh dear,Phil, your blog comments and asides always make me laugh. Good luck with the de-slouching, I think I will stick with the blanket making for now, they don’t take so much thinking about. Ha,ha!
quietwatercraft says
March 30, 2017 at 2:17 pmYessss crochet version!! I was dying to make one for myself, but I’m fairly sure my non-existent knitting skills would need a good deal of work before I could manage to knit one.
Do you know, I’d always just assumed that I was doing something wrong to make my crochet in the round come out diagonal. I’m so glad that’s an actual thing and not just me being a bit rubbish!
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:35 amNope, it ain’t you. It’s those slouchy stitches. 🙂
Tineke says
March 30, 2017 at 3:20 pmI know, it”s a pity is it. Sometimes a pattern works out extra pretty because of the sidewards movement but drunkentree pattern isn’t a catchy name is it.Good for you you frogged. I tent to throw it out of the window.
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:36 amBelieve me, throwing it out of the window came a close second as an option. A very close second.
Pamela says
March 30, 2017 at 3:29 pmI must be super lazy because I would have just gone with tunisian crochet or the waistcoat stitch and not worried about it. You’re a trooper!
jackallcraft says
March 30, 2017 at 4:07 pmUgh, I hate the slouch. Hope you can compensate for it somehow.
Yolanda Chavez says
March 30, 2017 at 6:28 pmAll so true! Been there, done that. I am certainly willing to rip things back, even when I’ve spent hours on it, but I’ve also continued with something that should have stopped. When I do finally admit defeat, I look at it as a learning experience and not time wasted. That mostly works. 🙂
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:37 amGood to know that I’m not alone. 🙂
narf7 says
March 30, 2017 at 7:21 pmI feel like a traitor clicking “like” to this post. Slouch eh? Is that what it’s called. I can’t wait to see the hooky version of your glorious knitted cowl. I figured that I would just have to admire it from afar but now I might be able to hook myself one of these (not slouchy) cowls in the (maybe) near future, I am excited all over again. Thank you for going above and beyond the call of slouchy duty Ms T. Your efforts are not unnoticed and we, the hooky masses, are most glad that you are ambiyarnicraftydextrous 🙂
Sandy says
March 30, 2017 at 9:22 pmTHIS WAS IT!!! I found it! well, and I was completely wrong – BL and 3rdLoop helps it not slouch, yes. BUT…….. this: http://blog.irarott.com/mystery-of-slanted-seams-and-crochet-stitches/ STOPS THE SLANTED STITCHES!!!!!
there, sorry for the yelling, but I was excited that I found it.
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:39 amYay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
kddomingue says
April 3, 2017 at 8:13 pmMay the UNIVERSE heap blessings upon you for the rest of your life! Lol! I went to the link and said “OMG! THIS IS IT! THE ANSWER!”! Sorry for all the screaming…. I was just THAT EXCITED! (The dog is looking at me like I just confirmed her long held belief that her woman is crazy, lol!)
gladeridercrafts says
March 31, 2017 at 6:11 amMy first reaction here would be to crochet in rows, and finish each round before starting the next round with a c1 or whatever. Would this have the same problem?
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:34 amThat would solve the slanty problem, it’s true…
The Twisted Yarn says
March 31, 2017 at 11:32 am(Eeek – not sure why this response posted at the end. It was in response to the comments following from Mari-Liis’ question.)
I love this thread! I didn’t know about the back loop thing, but as Amy says, wouldn’t it create a completely different texture of fabric?
Meanwhile to Mari-Liis, to adjust the pattern, I’m using some tapestry crochet graph paper that I found free online. I drew the design on that, then reproduced it on regular graph paper. So now, the trees look drunk in the pattern, but they’ll (hopefully!) be vertical in the finished product. I’ll let you know… (I would post a pic here, but I’m not sure quite how to post a photo in my own comments thread!)
Vicki says
March 31, 2017 at 3:44 pmI so love reading your blog! I am super excited to see the crochet version of this lovely pattern. 🙂 I am going to hunt for the perfect yarn to do this in. Thank you for re-designing for crochet. Wishing you a lovely day. 🙂
aprettypotato says
April 6, 2017 at 1:03 pmoh this post made me laugh! I am very prone to the sunk cost fallacy because I so hate the idea of any time being wasted. I am glad you have managed to bring yourself to start again, a crochet version of this cowl is rather exciting!