You are very brave! I don't know if I could stand ripping out a completed sweater... I notice you have my name down already and here's what I want to rip: 1) bright pink alpaca sweater, about 2/3 of the back... changed my knitting method and want to do it over with a different bottom border 2) shetland lace shawl that is just too big and scratchy to carry around 3) ???? is this valid? My mom made me a sweater a few years ago out of very bulky yarn. It's like a huge box, I've never worn it, it doesn't fit right. But the yarn is pretty. Dare I...?? I'd love to have something out of that yarn that actually fit me... she lives thousands of miles away...

Banff is a nice design, but 50" around for the S/M size??? Both of us could fit into that...at the same time! ;-)

Hi Carrie, nice projects for ripping! That pink alpaca is really pretty. I can't wait to see you knitting with it again at Knitsmiths. I think Ingrid is also ripping out a sweater that her mom made for her. It's also way to big. Being a knitter herself, wouldn't your mom understand about sometimes needing to rip and start over?

Claudia, I have a big, oversized sweater from JCrew (back in their big sweater days in the mid-90s) that I absolutely love. It too measures 50" around but I really love wearing it. And I think it still looks good on me. I'm hoping that Banff will end up being similar. And now I know that my yarn grows after blocking and how droopy it can get if the sweater is too long, I can knit Banff a bit tighter and shorter to avoid the same problems.

Okay, here's a pic of my big 1990's JCrew sweater that I love so much.

Am I crazy?!

Well, I have not one but two huge oversized sweaters that my mother made for me in high school, when those oversized sweaters were all the rage at the Limited, etc. Quite simply, I can't imagine ever wearing either one again - but so much work went into them (one has big intarsia blocks, for crying out loud) that I feel like it would be a crime to rip them out, even if they're going to waste now. Sigh.

well, it does sound ridiculously huge, but i've seen the original on jenna, who is tiny, and it looks amazing.

which is why i'm making one. however, i'm making the smaller size, which isn't as oversized for me as it is for her. and in a finer-gauge yarn (by necessity -- the wool thing) so it's coming out around 48".

i adore this sweater. the raglan shaping is so elegant.

if you were to start a knitalong, this is one i could actually participate in! :-) (is it cheating if i'm almost finished already?)

Alison, you're a small girl! Flaunt it! Yes, the Banf is a pretty sweater, but why don't you think about making a bit smaller around. The pix on Knittys shows Banf to be shorter than your cute Jcrew sweater, so you'll get quite a flaired sweater without shaping it a bit. Have you measured some of your other favorite sweaters? That's what I do when I'm thinking about starting a new one...

Speaking of ripping, as an inspiration for you, I wore the Rebecca aran last night--this one has previously been a huge aran and ripped out. Lots of compliments...

I wish I could join the Rip-along but I gave all the projects I was unhappy away to people who loved them more then I ever would. Goodluck with the ripping...I love the new sweater! Can I steal your "Vintage Knits-along button for my site?

Good idea, Amy - the downsizing and the knit-along. I know of one other person who's planning on making Banff, so maybe we'll join you in a three way knitalong. Sound good?!

Thanks for the inspiring ripping story, Silvia. And of course for your good advice!

Laurin, it's very good of you to pass along your not-favorite projects to others! And speaking of passing things on, you're more than welcome to the VintageKnitsalong button. I added some finishing touches to it. Hope you still like it! But feel free to make your own button if you like. You didn't have one yet, so I went ahead and made one, but if you were planning on doing something else, I won't be insulted. :)

so, where's the button already? :-)
i'm in!

"I'm not a gal who needs ribbing wrapped all the way around her butt." That's the best line I've read all day! :)

Hello from slushy Vancouver...

I knew there was a reason I was dawdling on ripping Poppy's Peach Cardigan... I was waiting for the Rip-Along!

I started a cardigan for my super-tall grandfather five and a half years ago. I was making it out of much too fine a yarn and on 3 mm needles! He asked for it in peach to boot!! Yikes!!!

Anyways I quickly became very disenchanted with it and it became a UFO. As my grandfather passed away in October at Thanksgiving I figure it's time to let the Cardigan go, too.

Loved him, hated the cardi.

Poised to rip,
Miranda II

alison!! my rip-along sweater redeemed itself to my wardrobe this weekend, so i am happy (sad, not really sure which) to say that it is not going to the frog pond. details to follow over at my place. although, i have a lot of sweaters, i am sure that i will soon find something to add to the rip-along.