So remember how I skipped the gauge and recommendation for my last sweater and it ended up way too small? Well, this time I skipped the recommended yarn again but I DID complete the gauge and I was like, "Oh, perfect. If I knit this a little loosely then I can totally make the gauge even though it's the wrong yarn weight."
So coincidentally I have a really hard time reading instructions because right there on the FIRST PAGE it states:
"If you achieve gauge by working an aran / worsted weight yarn at a looser tension, your owls will not have the same neat definition, and the shaping will not look its best."
 |
| See, generally fine looking partial owls. |
You know what else the instructions said?
"k to underarm, between 15-19 inches"
GUESS WHO DIDN'T WANT TO GET A MEASURING TAPE
In case you can't tell since I'm wearing a dress, that stops exactly at smallest point of my waist. So it's very cropped which is cute but not my style. At all.
The boyfriend chimed in helpfully: "You know, you should really stop expecting to get things right on the first try. Just accept that you're going to have to re-do them several times."
At the very least, I now know that I can make a sweater and it will look beautiful. (Because even though I took this apart last night I really do love this!)
This sweater only took me about 2 weeks, which I thought was pretty fast, so hopefully in another 2 weeks I'll have something that actually fits.
Extensive research on ravelry tells me if I hold the yarn double, it will come out just fine and dandy so that's the plan.
Is anyone on instagram? Or rather, since I'm the last person ever to sign up: hey, I'm joining instagram! You can follow me here. It will mostly be pictures of sewing and my cats. Let me know if you're on there!
And in case anyone is interested, here's the pattern I'm attempting to make. (If you actually bother to read the instructions, they're quite outstanding. I've had no problem following along and that's usually a big challenge for me when I knit.)
Oh man, I'd be so mad at myself for knitting that much and messing up. But then again, it would have probably taken me 2 MONTHS before I got to this point. :) I'm sure that you will turn out an amazing sweater (that fits) in no time!
ReplyDeleteMy instagram is @divintagezest , and I'll follow you too!
Ha, I'm mostly mad because it came out so perfectly and I was so excited! Minus the whole lack of fitting thing... Just followed you!
DeleteMaybe that's why I only hand knit squares and tell people it's about process... ;) I'm @ojolly on IG. Following you now.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha I usually say that I don't care about the finished product, and it's mostly true as I did start knitting for therapeutic/boredom reasons, but it would be nice to have something to show for it at least once! Following you as well!
DeleteYou should just give it to me and save yourself the trouble. I exclusively wear cropped sweaters :)
ReplyDeleteHa if the next one turns our cropped as well, it's yours!
DeleteI think it looks good as it is! Like the comment above, I wear pretty much all my sweaters that length because I find it more flattering on me. But I guess if it's not your style then that's too bad. I've made many things that other people have said are cute but are not at all my style, and I much as I agree, I never ever wear them. Good luck on your second attempt!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks!! Yeah, I'm not so sure it's flattering on me. I don't have many high waisted skirts or pants either so my options would really be limited. I'm looking at this as a learning process/confidence booster as I did in fact make a very cute sweater, just not for me. ;-)
DeleteAaw, don't get discouraged, I'm sure you'll be able to make it work.
ReplyDeleteI most of the time end up with something too big for me and then have to come up with all kinds of weird solutions to make it fit :D No matter how carefully I measure and remeasure the gauge.
A cropped sweater like that would look really cute and late 50's with a black wiggle dress :)
That's good to know! Sometimes I feel like the only person who can't turn out a finished knitting product so it helps when I hear about everyone else's troubles. :-)
DeleteYes, it could look cute but alas, my wardrobe is lacking and I'm trying to build it up now with homemade classic pieces. Maybe next year I'll be making a cropped sweater on purpose!
Kate Davies writes amazing patterns and always with such great instructions! So glad you're going to give it another go. I'm currently knitting one of her patterns too!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I can't wait to see what you're making! I'm glad to know she has other patterns - I really feel like I've been spoiled by having such a well-written, clear, and concise pattern. Maybe as I get better at knitting I won't care as much, but right now her patterns are a godsend!
DeleteI can so relate! I love to knit, but my knitting projects never turn out right. I'm too impatient, and I don't like following instructions... makes me a bad knitter. I do think your sweater is pretty cute though! 2 weeks is fast for a sweater!
ReplyDeleteI always think it can't be that hard, and since I read most of the instructions it'll turn out fine, but I end up frogging most of my projects and it's kind of sad.
DeleteAnd the 2 weeks is unusually fast for me but that's because 1. I used US size 10 needles and 2. The pattern is super easy so I didn't have to constantly take out rows and re-do them.
Wow, 2 weeks, that's fast. I'd love to be able to knit a sweater that quickly. I haven't done one yet purely for that reason.
ReplyDeleteGet chunky yarn and larger needles and you can knit quickly too! ;-)
DeleteGah 2 weeks, madness. Would have taken me 2 years..
ReplyDeleteNo way, I knit while I'm watching television so it goes fairly quickly!
DeleteI really like the cropped style! I've knitted a few lumpy scarves before and a long strip that became part of a blanket for orphanages but I leave the knitting up to my mum. Whereas I made one strip for a blanket that contains 8 strips, she has made over 50 blankets...!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's so impressive! I definitely don't have the patience for that. Maybe one day...
Delete