I guess I always learn the hard way - do I want to actually READ directions in advance or just jump right in and then regret NOT having read the directions until I realize I have a problem.
The toddler backpack was a good example of this phenomenon for me. Earlier you saw the pix of my completed toddler backpack (it was so cute!) but what you didn't see is what the first one looked like. Here my little guy is not wearing a purple fez, he's wearing what was SUPPOSED to be my first attempt at a toddler backpack. I realized I made a few mistakes, namely in order to felt it I just threw it in the wash with a pair of jeans and let it go. When it came out too big, I threw it in again. Never occurred to me to check on it every few minutes to see if it was getting too small. Too much trouble! But not as much trouble as it was to have to completely knit another backpack. I was able to salvage the straps and drawstring, since I learned from my original mistake of over-shrinking. I also should have shrunk a gauge swatch since I guestimated that the yarn would shrink about 1/3. I don't know why I thought that, I just did. Turns out it shrunk more like 1/2!
The second mistake is much more painful... the Sack sweater from SnB. This was my first adult sweater and I was finally making something for myself! I did a gauge swatch and even checked the measurements of the individual knitted pieces against the pattern - all looked good! I was so excited when I started to assemble it. When I had one arm attached to the front I thought now was a good time to hold it up against me and see how it would fit! Well, it doesn't.
It looks too small when I hold it up against my chest. I don't know what happened - it was supposed to be a baggy sweater, so I figured I had some leeway on sizing - if it was a little too big it would look fine and if it was a little too small one wouldn't notice. I'm really bummed, but I'm not going to tear it all out. Maybe once I block it that will help, or maybe my 2 1/2 year old daughter can wear it in about 15 years.
The last painful knitting I experienced this week was my SIL's cardigan (for Christmas). I was hunting all over to find the *&#@^$* yarn (Sirdar's Tropicana cotton-effect) which apparently is only sold in the UK. Finally found it on eBay and even in a good color. I thought I was home free! Well, the Sirdar pattern is written in English but it was written in the UK and not only are some of their abbreviations different, but why would you do a yfwd and a yon back to back? Aren't they the same thing? Guess not - I tried the first 8 rows over 7 times - cast on 101 stitches, run through the pattern and every time I was either losing stitches or gaining stitches. I don't get it and I don't have time to keep tearing out all my work and starting over. So, I'm looking for another summerweight sweater I can make with this yarn. Found a promising pattern on Knitty.com but the gauge swatch had the right amount of stitches for 4" across but was 4" tall before I completed the required number of rows. So, I'm going to try smaller needles and if that doesn't work, well, maybe I'll throw in the towel on knitting my SIL a sweater.
Any thoughts or tips, D or anyone else out there?
1 comment:
I just thought of this for your sack sweater--wash and block your pieces to size, and then seam it. I've never done this, but I hear this is the best way to make a multiple piece sweater. Wool is a stretchy fiber, and some aggressive blocking can help it fit.
It looks like "yfwd" can mean different things depending on the pattern writer? http://www.knitting-and.com/wiki/Yarn_Forward Do you know who wrote the pattern? Where did you find it? If you found it online and the author's e-mail address is published, you could always try sending a message.
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