the blue blog archives: the jinx

I finished sleeve number one (after having ripped it once already) and set about to knit the second one and get this sweater done in record time. It looks good enough.

But looks can be deceiving. Dunno what happened to my gauge, but with the same number of stitches and rows, it's much looser and floppier looking. Then there's the fact that the lace pattern on it is completely wrong.

It's perfectly lovely but - can you believe it? - I totally misunderstood the directions! I thought I was just supposed to do row one from the lace leaf chart. Didn't see the "lace pattern" listed there in the stitches section at the beginning. Doh! I actually kind of prefer this lace pattern. But I have to reknit the sleeve anyway. It just seems thick-headed to knit it "wrong" again on purpose.

Well, I think it is anyway. There is an outside possibility that it could be okay, but since it's constructed so oddly, who knows? I tried sewing in the good sleeve (which, it is clear now, is too long - so that's two sleeves to reknit) to see if the body will fit, but I've only got the front part of the body done. I'd really need to knit the whole front and back to see if it will be wide enough to cover my shoulders and be comfortable in the upper arm. Still, I know it's going to end up being too small. I know it.

So clearly, it's jinxed. I've actually already knit 7 of the 8 balls I have, but both sleeves are goners, as is, most likely, the upper body. Luckily, it's only taken me one week to get this far. If I can just bring myself to forgive the sweater and the knitter, I could still be done in record time!

posted by alison at 9:19 am | in cork

Comments

It's the curse of Cork--I started that afghan--2? 3? years ago? It sucks you in with it's loveliness, and then your whizzing along so happy because of the softness, the stitch definition, the bigger needles, and bam! You've messed up a row. It's the fruit punch cocktail of yarns--you take in so much that it hits you later!

Posted by: Dava at January 9, 2006 9:25 AM

hey, seems you have angered the knitting elves somehow. They appear to be reknitting your pieces to different sizes when you aren't looking. Perhaps if you leave them some stitch markers and milk overnight? I have the utmost faith you'll win in the end..

Posted by: thea at January 9, 2006 9:27 AM

just read Dava's - and totally agree! Am now afraid to pick up my bag o cork again.

Posted by: thea at January 9, 2006 9:28 AM

If there's any doubt, rip it out.

Posted by: Jennifer at January 9, 2006 9:39 AM

You must be right, Thea! I'll have to start coming up with knitting elf bribes again. Hmmmmm.... how about some new sock yarn? cashmere? ;0)

Posted by: alison at January 9, 2006 9:40 AM

Oh, that yarn sure doesn't want to be that project. You might not be able to win on this one!

Posted by: Chris at January 9, 2006 9:46 AM

Sheesh.

Posted by: Ann at January 9, 2006 10:09 AM

You have more patience than I. I would have thrown in the towel by now and started something else. Good for you. I hope you will be rewarded with a most spectacular sweater!

Posted by: Nicole at January 9, 2006 10:34 AM

I would be soooo frustrated... either that or I'd have to give it to my smaller sister so I wouldn't have to reknit. That just makes me lazy though...

Posted by: Tania at January 9, 2006 11:06 AM

I had similar problems when I knit my Cork sweater. The first piece I knit was a sleeve. Perfect. Then the back. Up to the underarms and I realized I was 5" too narrow (miscounted the cast on). Reknit. 2nd sleeve...way too floppy. I measured it and it was 2 inches longer and wider than Sleeve #1. Reknit. And I'm not small, either. My chest circumference is 50". That's a LOT of knitting and reknitting. In the end I ended up with a fantastic sweater. Totally worth it.

Posted by: Maggie at January 9, 2006 11:07 AM

Could this be a candidate for the next Fix-along? :-)

Posted by: Beth S. at January 9, 2006 11:18 AM

Maybe it wants to be Bless after all? I do love that cardigan!

Posted by: Tammy at January 9, 2006 11:34 AM

Why don't you line up the pieces that you have with a well fitting sweater so that you can judge the fit better? These raglan pieces are sometimes quite decieving. Good luck!

Posted by: Ellen at January 9, 2006 11:55 AM

This is a good time to share my theory that yarn has a mind of its own. I have had this proven to me by the periwinkle blue wool that was suppose to be a sweater, but decided that it wanted to be a shawl. I am still working on it, but it's already much happier as a shawl.

Listen to the Cork Alison. It will tell you what it wants to be.

Posted by: Katherine at January 9, 2006 12:21 PM

Oyish...i guess thier is comfort that it's only a weeks worth of knitting. i think it's time to check with rowan if they made any corrections to the pattern...i also think it's time to have a break...have a kit kat ;-) and then go right back to it.

Posted by: Orli at January 9, 2006 12:38 PM

I once knit a sleeve over 8 times until I thought it was perfect...my 2 boys teased me that I was knitting a sweater for an octopus...Yeap! Good luck!

Posted by: Marianne at January 9, 2006 1:18 PM

You can do it! Don't give up! This is an awesome sweater and when you finally finish you will love it. Promise. xox,

Posted by: Julia at January 9, 2006 1:35 PM

The Yarn Harlot is having trouble with this same sweater at the moment. Perhaps it is designed for shoulderless mutants? Too bad, because it's so pretty.

Posted by: Lara at January 9, 2006 2:24 PM

One other thing I notice on the pictures of this finished sweater is that there seems to be quite a pull across the top front. It appears tight and stretched if you look closely at the finished pics.

Tammy

Posted by: Tammy at January 9, 2006 2:27 PM

The yarn harlot seeems to be having issues with the Lace Leaf shoulders as well. . .Check out her blog entry for today.

Posted by: Ingrid at January 9, 2006 3:12 PM

Lawdy, I wouldn't want to think about what would happen if I actually (one day) start to knit a jersey for myself!

Posted by: Elemmaciltur at January 9, 2006 5:14 PM

Ditto the Yarn Harlot.. go check out her issues.. That makes me super nervous about potentially knitting this bad boy.

Posted by: Dani at January 9, 2006 6:19 PM

Have you seen the thread over on Craftster about it? I just got some Rowan Polar to make it with, which others have used. Burried a few pages into this thread some one posted a chart of the lace pattern reverse so that you can knit it all in one peice without grafting it. I think I'm going to try to do that because my kitchner isn't so great and I really don't think this is the best thing to practice with (the pattern and the yarn).

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=48914.70

Posted by: megan at January 9, 2006 10:28 PM

actually, it might be the pattern. stephanie (aka yarnharlot) posted the pic of the attempt she made, and it looks exactly like yours, shoulder wise, and she said it doesn't fit her well either. maybe this pattern was designed with twiggies in mind, and not real women (heaven forbid, teva!)

Posted by: minnie at January 9, 2006 11:55 PM

I've got to be the only person in the world who's a little bit happy that you're having some troubles with this. It's reassuring, because you look like you have very nice shoulders and arms, which is what I thought I had before the sweater didn't fit.

Posted by: Stephanie at January 10, 2006 8:36 AM

Well, at least with so many capable knitters on this problem pattern, there'll hopefully be a "homebrew mod" to it soon!

Posted by: freecia at January 10, 2006 7:44 PM