Dealing With Denial
Last night as I was falling asleep, I was thinking about my WIP's. Some of them have been on the needles for awhile and I was trying to pinpoint what was keeping me from finishing. (or even working on them.) Specifically, the Central Park Hoodie.
I LOVE this pattern. It's pretty much perfect for everyday use where we live. Days are warm but it can really cool off at night when the sea breeze comes over the hills. A good looking cardigan that isn't a sweatshirt style is invaluable. But I'm a tight knitter. And I think it's turning out too small. There... I said it. It might be too small. This morning I'm facing my fears and trying to make a decision about what to do.
As a matter of comparison, I "pinned" the finished back of CPH over an A&F sweater that I dearly love but is starting to get a little thread bare. My old cardi is 10 years old. (I bought it when I was interviewing for my first job with A&F out of college.) It's pretty much the perfect "go with everything" sweater. I throw it in my bag all the time just in case. But it needs replacing. That's where CPH comes in. Did I mention I love the fit of the old one? Yeah- herein lies the issue.
Here's the underarm. See. It's about an inch shy on both sides. But I didn't stretch it out and the cables will stretch, right? right????
The hem. I made CPH plenty long. But the ribbing REALLY pulls in on the sides. That's going to hit me right at the hip. I'm thinking that's not the most flattering thing.
Now, I know what you're going to ask. What's my gauge? Well, I'm getting 5 stitches to the inch. The pattern calls for 4.25. But I like the fabric and the cables look great at this gauge. Don't lecture me. I'm fragile.
Here's where you all come in... what should I do? Soldier on? Rip out and try to get gauge? Rip out and just go up a size? Then there's the issue of yarn. I may be a little shy on the yarn. About 1/2 a ball. Help! Tell me what to do!
In other knitting news, the Marigold Socks are flying off the needles.
The first one is already done. It's a little tight but it fits. (Do you see a theme here?) I'm completely in love with the color. It just makes me happy every time I pick them up. Last night, I was up WAY too late getting the second one going. Yet I still woke up at 6 am to a cat begging to go outside. That cat is currently sleeping quietly on the living room floor. Stinker!
I LOVE this pattern. It's pretty much perfect for everyday use where we live. Days are warm but it can really cool off at night when the sea breeze comes over the hills. A good looking cardigan that isn't a sweatshirt style is invaluable. But I'm a tight knitter. And I think it's turning out too small. There... I said it. It might be too small. This morning I'm facing my fears and trying to make a decision about what to do.
As a matter of comparison, I "pinned" the finished back of CPH over an A&F sweater that I dearly love but is starting to get a little thread bare. My old cardi is 10 years old. (I bought it when I was interviewing for my first job with A&F out of college.) It's pretty much the perfect "go with everything" sweater. I throw it in my bag all the time just in case. But it needs replacing. That's where CPH comes in. Did I mention I love the fit of the old one? Yeah- herein lies the issue.
Here's the underarm. See. It's about an inch shy on both sides. But I didn't stretch it out and the cables will stretch, right? right????
The hem. I made CPH plenty long. But the ribbing REALLY pulls in on the sides. That's going to hit me right at the hip. I'm thinking that's not the most flattering thing.
Now, I know what you're going to ask. What's my gauge? Well, I'm getting 5 stitches to the inch. The pattern calls for 4.25. But I like the fabric and the cables look great at this gauge. Don't lecture me. I'm fragile.
Here's where you all come in... what should I do? Soldier on? Rip out and try to get gauge? Rip out and just go up a size? Then there's the issue of yarn. I may be a little shy on the yarn. About 1/2 a ball. Help! Tell me what to do!
In other knitting news, the Marigold Socks are flying off the needles.
The first one is already done. It's a little tight but it fits. (Do you see a theme here?) I'm completely in love with the color. It just makes me happy every time I pick them up. Last night, I was up WAY too late getting the second one going. Yet I still woke up at 6 am to a cat begging to go outside. That cat is currently sleeping quietly on the living room floor. Stinker!
posted by Unknown at 9:33 AM
14 Comments:
Gosh I hope it fits--hey don't give up yet maybe after you give it a good blocking you will gain the extra inches:)
Your Marigold socks look awesome!
It doesn't look like you've blocked it at all - you can definitely get some more width if you need it. Also - I thought the ribbing at the hips would look awful, too, but if you wear it open (which I do - no buttons) then it's really not a problem. Don't worry, it will look great! (Have you done the sleeves yet? Lots of people say they run a bit small. You can fix the problem by doing the increases more rapidly, without messing up your armhole too much.)
Love the sweater, and the sock is GORGEOUS! Perfect marriage of yarn and pattern.
I can't help with the rip or not because I've never been there! I think it looks really nice though. I love the sock. What a happy happy sock!
I don't now about the sweater but the socks are gorgeous.
Bummer about the sweater (though it looks great!)...but the socks are cute!
Beautiful sock! I love love love that colour.
About the sweater....I don't know. I don't have much experience with garment knitting but it looks like it might be hard to block it out so much. Your knitting looks really great, but I would be worried (of course, I just ripped out half of a sweater front because my gauge had changed a LOT from the back (too tight), and I didn't think I would be able to block it out to match). If it were my sweater I would probably rip it out and reknit it because otherwise I would obsess over it incessantly.
Have you washed and blocked a swatch? Does the gauge change at all?
I love when the yarn color makes me happy just to work with it. Marigold is perfect . Keep smilin.
Love the marigold socks! I've been wanting to do a cardigan thats not tight but comfy but not sloppy...I'll have to think on this one, you're scaring me!:) Thinking on doing the Mr. Greenjeans one but with full sleeves. I think once you have it blocked though it'll stretch out! Good luck and keep on truckin!
I think you should try blocking what you have before you rip, you may be pleasantly surprised. If not, you can still rip.
Once you wash the sweater and block it you may find it grows a great deal. And then you can find out which way it grows most, sideways or with gravity. Once you know that you can adjust the pattern to help you deal with the anticipated lack of yarn.
You shouldn't let all that great knitting go to waste too guickly. Blocking will only take a day or two, depending on how long things take to dry near you.
There's this brilliant article by Lily Chin in Vogue Knitting Holiday 2007 issue. The description is "Chin demonstrates how gussets add girth to sweaters before and after they are knitted."
Basically, you knit an extra strip for each side of you and sew the front and back to them.
Perfect!
And if you run out of yarn, you can get a similar or contrasting color for the gussets. They'll be on the sides so it'll be either hardly noticeable (if similar color) or a design element (if contrasting) you can even knit the cable in the gusset piece to make it more like the rest of the CPH.
The marigolds are gorgeous. I think that if your gut feeling about CPH is that it really is not going to fit how you want it, then frog. I have always found that the gut feelings are right. It may block to size but still wouldn't be comfy if it hugs the hips!
Yes block, yes it stretches like a mofo, and if you get desperate you can do the make the buttonband wider trick like I did. But don't rip! It's gorgeous.
SO what did you do?
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