Several months ago, I started a new sweater. It was the Green Gable pattern, modified to have long sleeves. I really liked Julie at Fricknits' version, and I even used Brooks Farm Harmony to make it.
I modified it too much. Or, ahem, I was a little too optimistic on how few inches around it needed to be. Negative ease, while it looks good in some things, does not look good in this sweater. I knew this when I was working on the sweater, but somehow I managed to convince myself to soldier through. It didn't look that bad. Maybe I could give it to my mom.
I finished the sweater, stretched it out as much as I could during blocking, and wore it on a Saturday. I changed out of it when we went out to dinner that night. Clearly, this was not good enough. If I'm spending time on a sweater, I had better want to wear it outside my house when it's done.
Analysis: I like the sleeves a lot, but everything from the chest down doesn't work. It's also a little too short as is, and I want a different finish at the bottom.
I decided to cut off the hemmed edge instead of undoing all of those stitches. It was both strange and fun to cut through the knitted fabric.
Work on this sweater has begun again. I added six short rows in the bust, and added a few increases. I also will not be decreasing so rapidly (if at all) this time. And if I start feeling like I need to "soldier through", it's time to re-evaluate how it's really fitting.
Aakk! Sweating a bit here, looking at your cutting.
Posted by: tiennie | February 27, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Brave, brave knitter! It's beautiful yarn, and I am sure the reknit will turn out well. I know that soldiering on feeling. I've beaten it out of my science--that little voice in my head is smarter than I am--but it still crops up in my knitting. Good luck!
Posted by: Brenda | February 27, 2007 at 02:50 PM
Oh! That is exactly what I would have done...may the fiber force be with you!
Posted by: Carrie | February 27, 2007 at 03:08 PM
Best. Post. Title. Ever. Heart. Weezer.
Posted by: knittingphilistine | February 27, 2007 at 10:41 PM
So the post title reminds me of my friend H who taught me to knit while I was recovering from surgery. Being a perfectionist, every time i added or dropped a stitch, I insisted on undoing it and starting over...leading her to institute the rule that you had to sing that part of the Weezer song every time you undid it...needless to say, there was lots of singing going on that day :-) But because of that, I learned how to cast on really well ;-)
Posted by: Sara Payne | February 28, 2007 at 01:25 PM
The yarn is a very pretty color. Cutting the sweater was very brave. I don't think that I could do it.
Posted by: Oiyi | February 28, 2007 at 03:53 PM