So.... I have a story to tell you. It actually happened back on Memorial Day. I'm just now bringing myself to blog about it.
Poor Judgment
Super wash wool goes into the washing machine so well. I've started washing my socks by hand, but my superwash wool sweater behaves beautifully in a cold water wash and flat dry. I can give you a lot of excuses as to why this happened (some of them might be true), but the fact of the matter is that my gorgeous Drop Stitch Ming Sweater went into the washing machine on a cold delicate cycle. No it is not superwash wool. I might have thought about the consequences of my actions a little more.
Disaster
Yep. You can see the carnage below (sock and thumb are included to prove that the picture is not blurry).
There was shrieking. It did not help.
Mortification
Once I got over the initial shock of ruining my sweater, I began to think about all of you. Those of you who cheered me on when I was making the sweater, those who left such nice comments about it. Those who even linked to my post about it. I let all of you down by ruining a sweater that all of you liked so much. I was a complete idiot. I could feel your expressions of disapproval as you read about what happened.
Contrition
I'm very, very, very sorry.
Hope
As it turns out, that sweater didn't take me all that long to make. Drop stitch patterns are kind of fast because of all the gaps in them. And fortunately, Artfibers still makes Ming Yarn. In lots of pretty colors. With gradually increasing excitement, I placed an online order.
This arrived.
Making Amends
I said something about writing a pattern a while ago. I decided that tonight I would actually sit down and start writing it. I will be casting on again soon with this raisiny-brown replacement Ming yarn, and I'll check through my pattern as I go. I'll have another FO post with a new sweater and a free pattern. I hope that will help.
That's so sad! But don't feel guilty or bad about it. And you get to experience the joy of knitting it all over again. :)
Posted by: David | June 06, 2007 at 11:07 PM
Of course you needed to knit it again anyway. And of course you need a brown one, I am biased as red and browns are my favorite colors...but that choclatey goodness is going to be a gorgeous dropped stitch sweater. Really, it's all for the best. Though I am sorry that you had to go through the trauma and drama of it all.
Posted by: nova | June 06, 2007 at 11:35 PM
As Nova said, such trauma and drama! I can't even imagine! But now we all have the new chocolatey goodness (and free pattern!) to look forward to. And you get to spend more time with Ming, which is always lovely. :)
Posted by: pamela wynne | June 07, 2007 at 01:01 AM
Oh no! I love the new color of Ming though.
Posted by: Christy / Not Hip | June 07, 2007 at 01:34 AM
OH. MY. GOD!! I'm speechless... SPEECHLESS!
Posted by: Nora | June 07, 2007 at 02:21 AM
ugh! i would have waited to blog about it too. you need to come to terms with it yourself first.
maybe you just needed a brown one all along?
Posted by: jody | June 07, 2007 at 05:51 AM
You are the awesome for turning something that really wrong into something that is going to be very good.
Posted by: Sacha | June 07, 2007 at 07:04 AM
And the next step in the healing process is to hack up the naughty felted sweater and sew it into a gorgeous bag. That will serve it right! ;) I'm excited to see the pattern!
Posted by: Anna | June 07, 2007 at 08:54 AM
oh no - that is too bad!!! maybe knitting the second one will bring some closure to the situation with the first. "Phoenix rising from the ashes" type thing....
Posted by: stacey | June 07, 2007 at 09:01 AM
So, so sorry to hear that your sweater decided to commit sweatercide. In this situation I always fall back on my trusted "blame the knitwear" stance. I know it's an inanimate object and has no consciousness or free will or mobility, but somehow it makes me feel better to think that the knit just had a death wish or something. And I think its replacement in brown will be smashing.
Posted by: Ariel | June 07, 2007 at 09:28 AM
Noooooo! You're a very strong woman for your eventual sweater forgiveness!
Posted by: kelp! | June 07, 2007 at 09:46 AM
Oh that just sucks! It's very admirable how you have turned a disaster into an opportunity. Looking forward to the pattern and the new sweater. I am glad I got to see it in person at MDSW.
Posted by: Kim | June 07, 2007 at 10:42 AM
Good for you - jumping right back up on the horse. The one time I lost a sweater (the dry cleaners shrunk it. It wound up about the size of a preschooler. Now I hand wash) I didn't have the heart to start again.
It's always tough to lose a loved one. Perhaps a burial or cremation ceremony might help?
Blessings!
Posted by: Susan P | June 07, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Oh, honey, that sucks! You'll get no blame or disapproval from me. I'm just sorry you had to suffer. But you've got a great attitude about it now. These things have a way of working out for the best.
Posted by: Jean | June 07, 2007 at 12:09 PM
Okay, I have to comment again because I'm rather excited by the free pattern possibility and I was just looking at the Artyarns website and I know what color of Ming I want and, and....breath, Jean....How much Ming should I buy for, say a 34" chest?
Posted by: Jean | June 07, 2007 at 12:15 PM
Oh no! At least you can knit it up again quickly.
Posted by: tiennie | June 07, 2007 at 12:47 PM
Aww, I'm sorry! I've done the same thing with my favorite blue beret, so I feel your pain!
Posted by: Lindsey | June 08, 2007 at 11:01 AM
How to bad! But you shouldn't feel guilty. These things happen. I'm glad you could get new yarn, and I am looking forward to seeing the new sweater and pattern. Have a great weekend!
Posted by: Brenda | June 08, 2007 at 07:35 PM
OH NO! I'm so sorry, but on the bright side you now have an excuse to write up the pattern.
Posted by: Christine | June 09, 2007 at 02:43 PM
My heart goes out to you! Glad you have picked yourself up and are not wallowing...its more than what I would have done!
Posted by: Tanya | June 12, 2007 at 07:34 AM