Oh yeah. Rip it. Rip it good. Man, there is nothing more satisfying than completely erasing a knitting project that didn't fly. I love Elizabeth, by the way, but can't imagine a more impractical sweater for a young mother. White bell sleeves? I don't know about you, but I'd have finger paint or peanut butter on them in 10 minutes.

Can you add me to the list of Feb fixer-uppers please? I have a little list of my own that need tweaking..

I'm looking forward to seeing your mods for Rosebud. I like the original, of course, but it will be interesting to see how you'll improve on it.

Sorry that you don't like Elizabeth. Personally, I love it. Thanks for the pattern idea.

Ripping Elizabeth will take real cojones after what you went through. But, what's got to done, has got to be done.

Free the yarn!

said in janice's tone "OH. MY. GOD." that post made me absolutely catch my breath. you're crazy girlfriend!! yous gots the biggest knitting cojones... :)

Oooh - not Elizabeth!!!!
That being said. . .you are one brave knitter. And you are ripping out more things that I knit sum total over a year! I applaud your speed and bravery.
--Ingrid

Wow. You are brave. I hate to rip. Have you thought about dyeing Elizabeth instead of ripping? I think that would be a great sweater for an evening out, maybe in a deep red or purple. My fixing will be much more modest. Just a few necklines getting re-made. ;)

Oh, it's so sad when things are knit and then never worn :(

what?!! Your husband never wore Brown butter? I LOVE that vest! After seeing it I really thought about making one for myself, and asked a friend of mine what he thought about girls wearing sweater vests!! ^_~

p.s. you could dye the white elizabeth yarn in some cool color if you aren't inspired by it...that might be kind of fun...

I'm inspired... I have a bag of projects to fix and frog- I would love to join the February is for Fixing group. Great idea!

oooh, I was just thinking about your elizabeth saga last night (was flipping through starmore pattern books) Before you rip elizabeth, what about experimenting and dyeing it? Or would that make a difference?

I admire your bravado! There are a few things that I fell out of love with, and I used the lazy girl solution of fixin': give them away or trade them away. But I've never considered re-using the yarn. The mere thought of picking apart those seams (eeeeeeeek), ripping out the pieces and recycling the yarn makes me want to dive under the bed and cover my head. I need to get you a tee that reads : Not afraid to rip and recycle, mac!

My knitting production isn't high enough to have things to fix. Next month will probably be Finish It February for me. I have three or four projects that I still like but they became too large or too complicated for me to knit on my morning commute.

no,no,no, not Elizabeth.....

Why not try dyeing the Elizabeth? It's a lovely shape.

Wow you ARE brave! Have you considered dyeing Elizabeth? I mean, if she's too white, she'll be too white in another form...it just kills me to think you can rip a sweater that you already knit how many times? As for greensleeves, you said first it was perfect. Was it after wearing that you realized it wasn't? OOO, I am learning so much from your blog about sweater construction, picking the right yarn, and fixing a unsatisfying project!

Nooo, not Elizabeth!

I was going to suggest dying as well. If it's wool, you could do Koolaid dye with your boys. I did that with my kids, and it was really a lot of fun! The wool soaks the color right up, and the water that's left is absolutely clear! Amazing! We no longer drink Koolaid though ;-)

I don't even know where to start with so much fixin' goig on! You are a brave woman. And scarily productive.

Wow-- ripping so many FO's. This may be giving me the push I need to rip a few projects myself. Count me in.

Not Elizabeth!
I haven't been reading your blog long enough to know the saga of Elizabeth, but she caught my eye when I was browsing your finished projects. I'm so inspired, I'm thinking of faking my own Elizabeth -- seeing what I can come up with without having an actual pattern. Love the cables on the cuffs.

oh. oh. You know what you want, but I'd try everything before ripping....I love the looks of Greensleeves and Elizabeth. Good luck on your fix-a-thon!

Wow, I didn't know you liked my Lauralund! Cool! I'll be interested to see how you change it. I have to frog and fix mine as well. It needs to fit tighter, I think. However, to be honest, I was thinking about using the yarn for a cardigan. We'll see. Best of luck!

I'll join in the crowd: NO, NOT ELIZABETH! It seems like such a waste, you spent all that time knitting her three times. What about giveing it away, putting it on ebay and get lots of money for new yarn (it's one famous sweater, you know).

And besides, I think you picked the wrong month!! Didn't you know that February is the shortest month of the year?? My fixing list is a lot shorter, thank god!

Sockapalooza sock on my blog - what do you think? Since you are the only one who knows who it is for (besides me of course): Do you think it will make my pal happy?

Thanks for listing out your fix-it list - you've given me the courage to face an ugly cotton tank that I knit. I was on the verge of throwing it away, yes, it's truly that ugly. Now I'm thinking, maybe I will see if I can save the yarn to re-knit into a bag. (it's actually a nice pink cotton). Good luck on your fix-its. Hmm, can I join your fix-it-along too?

Sounds like you have your work cut out for you
Enjoy =)

Here's to hoping that there are better fates for Elizabeth. I think the dying idea is a good one if you like the sweater otherwise.

And please add me to the fixin list... I have an Audrey with a collar to re-knit and a capelet to reduce to it's component yarn.

OOoooh. What a good idea. Could I join your gang of fixers? I have a little pile in my office that has been neglected and would love it if I'd get off my tuckus to get it fixed up and useable/likeable.

Sign me up for the fix along! I need to fix my Noro cardigan so I'll actually be able to wear it.

I want to fix along! I need to resize a number of items.

PLEASE ADD ME to the fix-along. I need a deadline! I made a fab sweater for DS in Rowan denim and it is HUGE! I have read Bonne Marie and talked to the LYS and I THINK I CAN fixit, reknit and sew it all over. Long enough for me, sleeve holes too small for the sleeves......the list goes on. Now that boy wonder is 5 instead of 4 he deserves his superhero sweater. I can do it--feel the power of the Knit Along!

Yes, yes, elizabeth's got to go. Don't think she'd work too well for dyeing either, as the yarn is a wool/silk blend that might not take dye evenly and I have absolutely no experience at dyeing yarn!

So glad we've got so many fixer-uppers for February. It'll really be helpful to see other knitters rip and rework projects. Just keep thinking: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

I am so, so, so very in love with Elizabeth.. although I understand why you're ripping it. I've been looking for the book that pattern comes for, though, and I only found it on Amazon so far... for over $100. Gah! Any other suggestions as to where to find it? I'm guessing you- and any other same person- probably didn't pay $100 + for the pattern book. :)

Hi Alison! I feel silly posting again, but I flubbed my own url! There should be a .com after the word livejournal. I guess in my excitement to rip up all the things I've spent so much time on, my fingers forgot where they were going. Well, that or I don't really want anyone at all to ever come and see all the things I've made completely wrong...

Thanks!
Nadia the Semi-Illiterate