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September 21, 2005
Jinx, buy me some yarn!
STUPID! Stupid! Stupid! NEVER, never talk about your knitting and how good it's going. How much you LOVE it. How much you can't wait to knit and fondle and oogle your wonderful knits. It's a surefire way to FUCK everything up. Cockiness will get you NO WHERE.
So, I'm knitting along fabulously on my Almost Everyday Cardigan, sailing really, stopping every few rows to marvel at the wonder that is color and Manos and stockinette stitch. Every so often I take out the tape measure to see how much progress I'm making. I'm doing good. I'm thinking I will have the body finished TONIGHT! Only a few more inches to go.
And then I decide to check my gauge. M-I-S-T-A-K-E In my defence, Manos is hard to gauge because the yarn is so uneven. You'll get this really huge felted parts and these really small dental flossy parts and most of the time though you do get even stitches. When I measured the dreaded swatch/sleeve somehow I tried to convice myself I was getting about 4-4.5 stitches per inch on size 8s. Now I'm getting 4.5-5 stitches per inch on size 8s. I think the damn thing's too small.
I took it off the needles and laid it out to try and measure it. I'm doing both the fronts and the back remember so I thought if I laid it all out and everything I could just measure across the whole thing and get what I needed. Inconclusive. Sometimes I got like 38" and sometimes I seemed to get 42" (which is more like I want.) Was I stretching it out? Then I tried to try it on, wrapping it around my body. It's so hard to tell. How much do you allow for the buttonhole bands? The stockinette part seems like it will fit but the ribbing is pretty tight and I wanted this sweater to be loose - everyday loose - like a sweatshirt that you throw on and run out and just love. I'm thinking it WON'T be that loose. Can you say devastated?
And to top it off I wake up this morning with a dire warning from Johanna in the comments: "Don't end up with a manos sweater like Moth Heaven Julia! We want you to love your knits!" What does THAT mean?!?!
Oy. When will I learn to keep my big mouth shut?
I'm not sure what to do. Should I keep going and see what happens once I split for the shoulders and fronts? Should I cast on for a different body and go up about ten stitches in all areas? I do love the Ann Budd book for all the different sizes and shapes and such. I know it's fast - it only took me a couple days to do most of the body - but I want this for Rhinebeck! Even if Cassie says sweaters are so 20th Century! I'm a modern girl!
Pride goeth before a fall. If I EVER start to brag about my knitting again, please cover my mouth with your hand! Even if I start to gnaw at your fingers - DON'T LET ME SAY IT!
Class starts tonight. I'm nervous, as always. Wish me luck.
Posted by Cara at September 21, 2005 08:07 AM
Topics: Almost Everyday
Comments
I'd just forge ahead. But I live on the edge. That and I'm afraid to alter patterns.
Good luck with the class - you'll be awesome!
Posted by: Carole at September 21, 2005 09:02 AM
Hey
If you can be as funny and honest in class as you are in your posts, you have nothing to be nervous about.
Posted by: kathy b at September 21, 2005 09:11 AM
Maybe wash and block your swatch to see how much it relaxes - that might make the decision of stay/go a bit clearer.
Posted by: Mary Beth at September 21, 2005 09:27 AM
Ribbing will block wider. If you're worried, you might want to stop with the AEC, swatch, and block the swatch to see how much everything changes.
Posted by: Colleen at September 21, 2005 09:34 AM
I say go forward. In my experience Manos is VERY forgiving when it is blocked. Getting an extra few inches out of it shouldn't be a problem. Also, I don't know this particular sweater, but button bands generally add 1"-2" to the overall width, assuming the stitch count for the fronts was not adjusted to take this into account.
Good luck with class, I'm sure it will go well.
Posted by: anmiryam at September 21, 2005 10:28 AM
You might try washing what you have knit and then remeasuring gauge. You might be surprised (happily I hope) with the results. Good Luck!
Posted by: Michelle at September 21, 2005 10:33 AM
I'd likely forge ahead, too. I agree with Colleen that the ribbing will block (I'd make it block) wider. Is there much stretch and give? What's your gut tell you?
You'll be great!
Posted by: Vicki at September 21, 2005 10:44 AM
If the fit is that close, you can probably just forge ahead and the block for fit.
Did you block your swatch? Did you make a swatch?
Rather than tearing everything out - first take your swatch, or make one, and get it wet and see how you can manipulate it. And how it looks after manipulation and drying.
If it gives you wiggle room - go forth and knit.
If it doesn't, then you'll have to consider other options.
Good luck.
Posted by: Juno at September 21, 2005 10:46 AM
Chances are it will grow in the washing! Does it really not fit or are you just nervous?
Posted by: margene at September 21, 2005 01:46 PM
I read one of those sentences at the beginning of your post as "Cookies will get you nowhere."
I personally think that cookies would be a good idea right about now. That, and the blocking. If you are sometimes getting the measurement you want and you haven't blocked yet, chances are good that you will get the right measurements via blocking. But Juno's idea is very, very good. It will help you predict.
Breeeeeathe :-)
Posted by: Lee Ann at September 21, 2005 03:52 PM
The knitting goddess is brutal, don't you think. My daughter and her friends are VERY into jinx -- very cute :)
Posted by: Kathy at September 22, 2005 08:09 AM