Failures are every bit as important as successes. Without the lows of failure, it's easy to take for granted the highs of success. Failure can build character as much as success erodes it.
Enter the Owls Sweater, this time reborn as a cardigan. Looking not too bad from this angle.
But apparently, all is not well, as it was looking a bit 'ahem' narrow.
I rubbed my eyes and focused...surely this can'tbe right. Suffering succotash... eventhough I knit the measurements of the largest size, it's come out to be the about 6 inches narrower. Now I can do a fairly hard block to make it wider, but the fabric then feels wrong... too open and gapey.
I've tried it on and have to say that the fit is NOT good. The armholes are tight, so this would just be uncomfortable. My row tension is also out by too much so I would have to rework the owls placement or add more stocking stitch between the collar and the owls.
The owls are glorious though, but I'm torn, do I rip and try again, or should I just shove it into a bag and avoid dealing with this for a couple of months?
I think that I had better rip it now and put the yarn away. Next time, I'm going to rework the calcs and do it as a top down raglan cardigan. I really hate knitting and joining at the yoke. It's awkward and there are too many gapey stitches to deal with. To be honest, I could had predicted this failure, getting tension on needles larger than 4.5mm has always been an issue for me.
What a shame as it looks really good. I like this pattern too & it's in my queue. I like your idea of a cardigan. Re-knit it again.
Posted by: Ann Lim at February 1, 2010 11:31 PMI hate it when things work out this way...I think you are right, though. Better to rip now than put it off. The owls are so cute:)
Posted by: angelarae at January 28, 2010 12:35 AMSo sad! I have had great luck with my last three sweaters so I can't complain. It's a lot of work to go through to be defeated at the end; go for the top-down, you can't go wrong.
Posted by: jessie at January 27, 2010 11:44 AMSHOVE IT INTO A BAG, I REAPEAT,SHOVE IT INTO A BAG!!!!
Posted by: garret at January 25, 2010 02:27 AMI'd rip it and cast on again. Would you cast on more stitches (if you like the tension on yours) and more owls? It's a shame not to re-knit it, the yarn is lovely too.
The owls ARE adorable, Polly! Rip. Do it quick. Trot off to a different project for awhile, then return. Some new ideas will bubble up. "If at first you don't succeed.....try....try again."
Posted by: Renee at January 24, 2010 01:25 PMNow you know why you knit socks....I can't make out if it is knitted in one to armhole, if not would it be possible to put in a narrow strip each side and into the armhole/sleeve? I remember putting a long diamond-shaped piece under the armhole of something that was too tight there, one point going into sleeve seam, one into the side seam, and the other two into the yoke. That worked....
Posted by: Jill at January 24, 2010 12:49 PMLooks so lovely and well executed! So sad that it's on the too-small-ish side. Maybe make it for your niece or someone else fitting this size?
Polly - its gorgeous, I don't know what to suggest. It must be heartbreaking. I'd rip now, or it will just sit there waiting to be found another day...
Posted by: Sarah at January 23, 2010 02:42 PMAlthough it would definitely be better to tear it out now, I would vote for putting it in a bag under your bed. Too pretty and too much work and too wooley to worry about now!
But whatever you decide, good luck!