I was feeling a little under the weather today, and I figured that since I didn't have the energy to dig my car out of the snow, I wasn't going to go anywhere this weekend. So, I set out to finish my pink vest that I have been working on. I got to the point where I split the front and back, and completed the armhole shaping for the back portion.
So, I had the bright idea to try it on. Look what happened. Now my head is already really foggy from the flu, but that still doesn't stop me from seeing that this is way too big. Gauge problem? Well, let's try to figure this one out.
(Please ignore the smile in the picture. I am really pissed off. My mom made me laugh by calling me knitty shitty, since I messed up)
The pattern specified a gauge of 23 sts/ 4" in the Fair Isle pattern. I decided not to Fair Isle this sweater, and the gauge I measured was 22 sts/ 4". So, I decided to take out a sweatervest that I know fits me very well. Look at the difference.
Even if I went down to the XS size, I will only be losing 12 stitches which would still leave me with a big sweater. Based on the measurement of my sweatervest that I bought from a store, I calculated that I need about 36 less stitches. So, it is time to frog this. Just as I spliced my 3rd ball of yarn. Aarrgghh!!!!Hmmm... You think I should just make a skirt??? Just an FYI.. my hips are about 39 inches with this junk in my trunk, plus I have on jeans which is adding a little more. How did 35.5 inches from the pattern turn into 39 in my sweatervest????
I am so fed up. I was getting really excited that I got through more than 50% of this sweater, and was looking forward to wearing it when the weekend was over. I also wanted to surprise Deborah who seems to believe that I won't ever finish anything I start. (Well, she just teases me by saying that... I know she loves me, and believes in my abilities) I also wanted to have one FO for the year that wasn't a hat that I agreed to give away. This was going to be all mine, in my favorite color, and fit perfect. Maybe I am just emotional because I am sick and needy right now. But I am sad. There, I said it. I am human, and I have feelings.I also want to add that Nancy really appreciates having me as a friend because I am always so enthusiastic about my knitting, even if it is pissing me off. Well, Nancy... have fun laughing at this one.
So, if you have any ill-fitting stories, I would love to hear it. You just got my very first one.
13 comments:
OMG,it can be so saddening , maddening when your knit won't fit !!!!! man .....and your pissed and others laugh .. where is the love..one summer i cried , just couldn't believe tht i'd have to friggin' frog my top !!!!!!!!!!!! aaaaagggghhhhhhh. girl i feel ya !
but you will get over it ... get to the finish line shemeka !! go on girl !!! one knit at a time ...
Gurl I have been there done that and probably will stumble across it again soon! My Ms. Marigold purple mess! I picked the wrong yarn and the size was too big..ugh!
Needless to say I am "doing it over" and will finish it up in the spring time.
It appears b/c you didn't get gauge b/c doing Fair Isle gives a tighter gauge.
Take a quick break and come back to it, it will all work out!
Hope you feel better soon Shemeka!
I think the Fair Isle gives a tighter gauge as virtuous states. May I suggest that as skirt it looks like a sarong, a la Shakira, maybe some belly dancing classes?
It does suck that happened, I hope the vest can be salavaged.
Yes I do love you and know that eventually you'll get some FO's instead of alot of new UFO's. LOL Sorry to see your fitting isuue. I'm proud of ya for trying to get it done though. I think every knitter has experienced what you are. I myself had to frog an entire sweater and start over after my sis noticed something wrong about my knitting. Of course, this was my very first sweater ever back in 2003. Also, it ended up being way to big and have never worn it.
Oh, that sucks. My stuff always comes out too wide, even though my gauge is correct and I'm making the smallest size (and I'm not THAT skinny!). If it came out too small I could at least stretch it out when blocking, but there's not much your can do to make a big thing fit right. Is there some sort of tendency for knitting patterns to run large?
So sad! It's so disappointing when something you work so hard on doesn't fit. Well, we live & learn. You don't happen to have Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns do you? I'd bet that has a basci sweater vest pattern in it that you can adjust to whatever yarn you want. The Big Pink does look nice as a skirt though.
It was looking so lovely too! Sorry. My 1st sweater was to gauge, but still ended up too big for me. The bottom looked huge & sloppy on me. It also stuck out from my body like a stiff board. I recently trashed it. I went on to make CPH,a Fitted Knits sweater & the Top-Down Cardi & am happy with all. I made every one of them one size smaller than my bust size because it turns out I like zero to negative ease in my store bought sweaters. Frog it baby, take in some hot tea, & re-do. You'll feel better in spite of it all. ;)
I once knit a sweater for Ian that took nearly 2 years for him to fit properly. Thank god kids grow, lol!
I say a cute pink skirt...maybe you could pick up stitches at the bottom and add a ruffle thing?
Aww Shameka I know how excited you were about that one! I'm so sorry to see that it doesn't fit! Maybe some gauge swatching and adjustments might help to get your own custom fit? I don't know what I'd do - but I know I'd be just as mad at myself! :(
The fair isle probably pulled it in a bit and made the fit tighter. Just a guess. Anyway, bad sweater vest! Bad! Stick it in a corner until it agrees to behave. :-)
I'ma put my two needles in, with a solution. Measure the length and width of the piece you knitted, as that is the correct gauge. Then, start a new piece with the unused yarn. The excitement of knitting the second part correctly, will negate the disappointment of frogging the first and make it easier to do.
This way, your vest won't become a UFO, or a skirt (a consolation prize you don't really want).
You KNOW I think your knitting abilities are fab––just look at the sidebar on your blog. We ALL mess up, sometimes.
I'ma put my two needles in, with a solution. Measure the length and width of the piece you knitted, as that is the correct gauge. Then, start a new piece with the unused yarn. The excitement of knitting the second part correctly, will negate the disappointment of frogging the first and make it easier to do.
This way, your vest won't become a UFO, or a skirt (a consolation prize you don't really want).
You KNOW I think your knitting abilities are fab––just look at the sidebar on your blog. We ALL mess up, sometimes.
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