Progress: forward and backward
May 6th, 2004 at 5:04 am (hardangervidda)
First - the backward progress: I ripped out Hardangervidda. All the way. Down to the first ball of yarn. I had ripped out the sleeve a few days ago - didn’t want the yarn getting too crinkly. I had about 8" done on the body, and it just kept getting wider and wider and wider. I measured it and it was 6" larger than it should have been. I tried it on DH, and it was pretty gargantuan. I did measure my gauge and I was getting 6st/inch as I should have been for the most part. So WHY was it growing so much? It must have been a combination of the draw-in from the colorwork and me knitting loosely. My row gauge was a bit lower than it should have been (which is wierd for me), but then you’d think it wouldn’t grow in width - it’d grow in length right?
So - I ripped. And rewound into balls. And will reassess.
Ripping in process:
After ripping the body:
I realize I forgot to include the partial ball I had just started yesterday in this picture. Owell. So now I’m back to balls of yarn. When I re-start Hardangervidda - which I will restart it, and soon! I still really like the way this sweater looks. I will do one size smaller in the body (L instead of XL). I might decrease some stitches evenly around the body after I do the 2nd colorwork portion. This is where it seemed to substantially start growing and flaring out. Some growth in size isn’t bad - you’d expect the bottom hem to be pulled in a bit more than the body, but it was really doing it too much.
So what was my forward progress? Well, I realized I wasn’t going to be happy with the sweater how it was coming out. DH wouldn’t have liked it (too big!) and he wouldn’t have worn it. Yes it sucked to rip it out and I was not smiling while doing so. Hopefully when I restart it, all the stars will align and it will work better the second time around.
Meanwhile, I think I’ll take a slight break from it - and cast on for Ingeborg. I’m pretty set on my color combo; I’m pretty sure I have enough yarn (I need one more session of calculations to make sure). I’m excited to get started on it. I’m sure I’ll get sick of always having to follow the chart so closely on the body, and then it’ll be back to Hardangervidda with it’s much simpler pattern and lots of st.st. body. I also did a few rows on the critter blanket. I can’t wait to be done with it, it’s so tedious at this point :)
Also - No baby yet.
Mandella said,
May 6th, 2004 at 12:32 pm
I’m gutted for you. I feel your pain - all that ripping. But, I’m pleased you’re going to start it again and wish you better luck next time!
My yarn is in the Country, but impounded at the Post Office. They won’t bail it without the required bond of £13.86.
I hate customs!
judy said,
May 6th, 2004 at 12:47 pm
Do you need more needles? Have you checked the math on the pattern? I wonder if there is a problem with the number of stitches you are supposed to have really equateing with the gauge and finished size. I’ve run into that problem before. I’ll keep checking on your Blog, while I’m at Ingrid’s to see if the baby has made his appearance.
Jill said,
May 6th, 2004 at 1:46 pm
I think the baby is on its way!!! (If it isn’t here already!) I spoke with Nancy this morning and it sounded like things were progressing. I told her no news from her meant she was busy delivering and I haven’t heard anything else all day!
Ingrid said,
May 6th, 2004 at 9:25 pm
Ripping: :( :( :(
Baby: :) :) :)
I was about to start recommending old wives’ tales I’ve heard, like driving over bumpy roads and eating Chinese food. Now you can avoid the bumpy roads but eat the Chinese anyway!