Waaaaaaaay back in November when things in my life seemed so (relatively) simple and straight forward started the Hurry Up Last Minute Sweater from Knitter's Almanac. As things stared to kind of go sideways in early December I enjoyed mindlessly knitting in the round each evening on body and then sleeves, making fake afterthought seams down the sides, joining everything together and working the unique yoke shaping around which this sweater is based.
So engaged was I in the simple knitting I maintained blissful ignorance of the alarming size of the thing.
Then everything went crazy over Christmas. The sweater, complete save the hem facings, had yet to be even pulled over my head for a quick peek. You really can't imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks ago it occurred to me I should try the thing on....
I gigantic, ill fitting BEAST OF A SWEATER. What to do?
See if it fits anyone else!
What followed was reminiscent of Goldilocks and the Three Bears...
My Beloved tried it on...
Darling Daughter...
Number One Son...
So engaged was I in the simple knitting I maintained blissful ignorance of the alarming size of the thing.
Then everything went crazy over Christmas. The sweater, complete save the hem facings, had yet to be even pulled over my head for a quick peek. You really can't imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks ago it occurred to me I should try the thing on....
A. Beast.
I gigantic, ill fitting BEAST OF A SWEATER. What to do?
See if it fits anyone else!
What followed was reminiscent of Goldilocks and the Three Bears...
My Beloved tried it on...
too small
Darling Daughter...
TOO BIG.
Number One Son...
Just right!
It looked great on him! My knitter's heart leapt for joy You know that feeling!
You probably also know how brief that feeling can be...
...he looked me right in the eye and carefully and nicely said...
"Mom, you need to know I will never, ever wear it. Ever. Don't finish it thinking I will because I won't.
Ever."
So now...I've thought about it and I have a new plan...work a crocheted steek and try the thing as a cardigan! (EZ's daughter Meg outlines just how to do it in the VK Holiday 2011 that's sitting on my coffee table in the living room - could the knit gods be trying to tell me something?)
More importantly will a simple steek tame the beast? I don't know, but I'm going to find out!
How did that beast come to be on your needles? A product of gaugeless knitting? A gauge that lied?
ReplyDeleteIts not a question of gauge but rather of style. I thought a big boxy pullover would be fine but the armholes are huge (to accommodate the math of the yoke construction)while the cuffs are pretty narrow and then the length, relative to the overall style is just, well out of style....way out of style. I had determined to knit EZ's version without messing with it and I guess I ended up with a mess!
ReplyDeleteBeen there. But... if the sweater is out of style as a pullover, will it be any more in style as a cardigan? Hate to be a party pooper, but if you don't think it will work, maybe you can salvage the yarn.
ReplyDeleteYou're no doubt right Sandra...there's little chance it'll be much better but I'm so done with the yarn - having already reknit it once. Beyond that I feel quite done working with thick yarn. I don't even want to wear thick knits anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis will also give me a no-risk chance to work a crocheted steek because if it doesn't work I won't be heartbroken about it.
I'd like to congratulate your son on telling you so honestly that he'd not wear it! And wish you luck on figuring out steeks. (Eek! Scary.)
ReplyDeleteSometimes we need to give up on some projects as a bad job.
ReplyDeleteThe Karma wasn't right or something. Onward and upward.