Knitwear FAIL
Sorry sbout the lack of film/ book posts lately; I've been reading books to review for SFX and watching non-vintage films, so haven't had much to blog about. One thing I have been doing is working on my Jersey with a Soft Bow. Now, I am – no sniggering at the back – a loose knitter. Whenever I knit anything from a readymade pattern, I have to go down at least a needle size. For this, I have gone down from the recommended 3.75mm needles for the body to 3mm.
It's still too big.
Knitting the back, I was worried that it would be too big. Knitting the front, I was still worried it would be too big. This blasted thing has been in progress for about 10 months, I've nearly finished the second sleeve and would be sewing it up this week and yesterday took a long, hard look at it. It is most definitely too big. It's not just too big on the bust and torso, it's too wide across the shoulders. The fact that I ran out of yarn should have given me a clue. However, a mixture of optimism ('it will fit, it will fit, it will fit!') and laziness ('There's no way I'm ripping it all back') meant I have not faced up to the facts until now.
This leaves me with two options. Wear it as it is and be glad to get it off the needles, or reknit it. I'm going for the latter. I don't have the body issues that some plus-size people do, but I am well aware that if you're thin and badly dressed people tend to regard it as the clothes' fault, whereas if you're fat and badly dressed there are plenty who regard it as your fault because they hate your body and think it's never going to look nice. The sleeves and sleeve shapings are the same for both the first and second sizes of the jumper, and I'm knitting the second size now, so I can keep the sleeves I've already worked on and reknit the back and front in the first size.
I had planned to wear it to Waltz on the Wye last year. At this rate it will be ready next year!
It's still too big.
Knitting the back, I was worried that it would be too big. Knitting the front, I was still worried it would be too big. This blasted thing has been in progress for about 10 months, I've nearly finished the second sleeve and would be sewing it up this week and yesterday took a long, hard look at it. It is most definitely too big. It's not just too big on the bust and torso, it's too wide across the shoulders. The fact that I ran out of yarn should have given me a clue. However, a mixture of optimism ('it will fit, it will fit, it will fit!') and laziness ('There's no way I'm ripping it all back') meant I have not faced up to the facts until now.
This leaves me with two options. Wear it as it is and be glad to get it off the needles, or reknit it. I'm going for the latter. I don't have the body issues that some plus-size people do, but I am well aware that if you're thin and badly dressed people tend to regard it as the clothes' fault, whereas if you're fat and badly dressed there are plenty who regard it as your fault because they hate your body and think it's never going to look nice. The sleeves and sleeve shapings are the same for both the first and second sizes of the jumper, and I'm knitting the second size now, so I can keep the sleeves I've already worked on and reknit the back and front in the first size.
I had planned to wear it to Waltz on the Wye last year. At this rate it will be ready next year!
oh dear, that's sounds soooo familiar, one has to be brave.
ReplyDeleteI have learnt to knit a size smaller (at least) than I think I need, and when I get around a quarter through measure it against something that fits well. However I do have a green cotton sweater that requires some 'grafting' to add a wee bit more length. Keep plodding on I say! X
ReplyDeleteI haven't knitted since I was kid and my nan was alive. I am always in awe of knitters, loose or otherwise! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh no, what a pain!
ReplyDeleteI tend to obsess about whether things fit and even if they're knitted in pieces I'll check the sizing against my body as I go along - that's what stopped me ending up in the same situation with my Quick Work in Thick Wool (and I still ended up with a far-too-big Featherweight, which I couldn't be bothered to reknit!).
Thanks for the nice comments, everyone :)
ReplyDeleteSadie and Paperdoll, I did check as I knitted but somehow convinced myself that I was worng, it would magically fit at the end. When it takes me this long to make something it's because I know, subconsciously, that it's not right and am reluctant to finish. Now I've made the decision to rip back and reknit it, I'm feeling much happier and am raring to go. I don't think the reknit will take anywhere near as long as the original knitting (fewer stitc hes, more enthusiasm!)
I am still struggling with the simple knitting stitch to be honest!! I can't even think about reading a pattern!
ReplyDelete