Thursday, August 14, 2014

Sweater Knitting

I have started my sweater over.
This time with 22 fewer stitches, and minus the seed stitch patterning on the front.
It will still be a saddle-shoulder design, because I have never done one and I wanted to try something new.
It sure is boring though, just knitting around.
I've finally made it to about the point where I cast off the first failed attempt.
Now, finally, progress is progress again.

Monday, August 11, 2014

What sweater?

When I took my knitting off its circular and it revealed to me that it had been hiding at least 7 extra inches of fabric in its folds, I panicked.

I went through the stages of grief, you know.

Denial: I knew my gauge had changed for at least 4 inches but kept going, assuring myself that "Randy has a larger tummy, he can use the wiggle room" even though I took my measurements with things like that in mind. I kept thinking, "It's not too big, it's fine!"

Anger: All that time and effort for what?! For nothing! Now I have to rip it out, and I bet Randy won't even care!

Bargaining: I bargained with the tape measure. I thought, "Maybe I can just keep going and then I can sew up the sides and just cut off the excess! People do that sometimes! Or maybe I can make larger meals and fatten Randy up by the time it's done it will fit him great!"

Depression: The loss of all that time (all that ribbing done on size four needles) and I can't even just rip back to the ribbing because I have to re-cast on with at least 22 stitches fewer... I held the lost sweater in my arms like it was a dead thing. Could this be part of the sweater curse? Was our relationship doomed to be as ill-fitting as this monstrosity?

Acceptance: I didn't want to stop knitting- I had grown to love the color and the simplicity of the stitch pattern. I switched to k2p2, the same stitch I had begun with. Knit until the ball was nearly gone, cast off, and accepted the truth: I had not knit a sweater at all, but a cowl.


What's great is that immediately after I finished binding off I sent this picture to Randy. His response, "What the f***! I was excited you were making me something!" So he DID care.

I have cast on again, of course. Back to the k2p2- I have a good feeling this time.

Friday, August 8, 2014

The trouble with gauge

The trouble with gauge is that over time it can change.
Over, say a span of 4 months or so.
What started out as a 46" sweater has recently turned into a 50" or more sweater.

So I'm knitting socks now.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Progress

The sweater I started back in March has been forgiven for its endless ribbing. I've been working dutifully on it each night, finding comfort in the plain stockinette portion and texture in the seed stitch front, all the while imagining the warmth it will provide one day when it is finally complete.

I've found that lately I don't get a great many opportunities to knit.
Working part time, going to school full time, taking care of my 4 year old, grocery shopping, housework, all these things continue to get in the way of it.
Quiet moments stolen to knit and read have become treasures.


What I love about knitting is that even if I can only pick it up and work 15 stitches, that is progress. One row is progress. Half of a row is progress. Two inches is progress. One stitch is progress. One stitch at a time, these balls of yarn are becoming something else.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014