You're ready to knit yourself a sweater that you've been wanting to knit for months.
You've settled on the yarn and you've even done a gauge swatch (or four).
You settle down and start knitting.
After several inches, you notice the sweater seems a little bit small.
You get out your ruler and double check the gauge.
You stretch the knitting just the teeniest bit to get the right gauge and continue knitting.
You stop every couple of inches and measure again, telling yourself it'll be fine; it's only half a stitch off. (Can you see where this is going?)
You knit the entire back of the sweater before you decide to ask your friend what she thinks.
That's when this:
becomes this:
I've already cast on for another sweater, Knitting Pure and Simple's Neck Down Swing Coat, using the yarn from this failure.
I still plan to make the Drops sweater. I just couldn't bring myself to start it over just yet. I'll find a different yarn and I'll remember that sometimes gauge swatches do lie!
I have done that. In my case, I just convince myself that I wanted the sweater to be snug!
Posted by: Sarah | Jan 22, 2009 at 10:20 AM
It could have been worse, you could have been sewing buttons on when you figured out it wouldn't fit.
Posted by: joan | Jan 22, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Good move...why knit wrong! ;-)
Posted by: margene | Jan 22, 2009 at 11:46 AM
I have never, ever, swatched for a sweater for myself.
I have never, ever ripped out part of a sweater for myself.
This could all be because I have never ever started knitting a sweater for myself. I do have a lot of patterns & yarn to match though!
Posted by: cursingmama | Jan 22, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Oh, that's crap! I can definitely understand, though. Usually my problem is that I underestimate my bust measurement and have a sweater that is WAY too tight to wear in public. Or...I run out of yarn. Damn those hand knit sweaters!!! ; P
Posted by: Gina aka SleepyEyes | Jan 22, 2009 at 04:00 PM
YES! it certainly has happened to me!
Posted by: Pat | Jan 22, 2009 at 05:19 PM
I know this feeling all too well. It's all about learning to listen to the little voice in your head.
Posted by: Carole | Jan 22, 2009 at 05:25 PM
I know what you mean...I am fixin' to rip out the Elizabeth Zimmerman sweater that I started a while back...and do something wonderful with the yarn!
Posted by: Sara | Jan 22, 2009 at 05:46 PM
Yes, they can be dirty rotten little liars. and that's the G rated version. bah!
I love the Pure and Simple sweaters, that's the first time I've seen that Swing Jacket though, niiiiice!
XOX
Posted by: marianne | Jan 22, 2009 at 05:59 PM
Half a stitch?! Ack! I knew there was a reason I hated swatching. Gauge is mean and doesn't want us to have sweaters...
Good luck with the second try!
Posted by: Sheepish Annie | Jan 22, 2009 at 07:58 PM
Been there, done that. I had a sweater about 85% done and had to rip. I was sad...
Posted by: Karen | Jan 23, 2009 at 08:12 AM
Well, maybe that extra tug or two helps them lie... ;)
Posted by: Chris | Jan 23, 2009 at 10:31 AM
I dunno, I think they lie more than they don't!
I find no matter how big a swatch I make, my project can be different cause of external factors.
Sometimes it's just dumb luck that if works out no matter what you do :)
Posted by: Debi | Jan 24, 2009 at 06:00 AM
Damn - and yes, unfortunately I know ALL about that. :(
Posted by: teeweewonders | Jan 24, 2009 at 09:17 PM