Miracle Fit

I often fall into the trap of believing that I actually know how to knit. I mean, I can manipulate those needles and make yarn do some pretty cool things, but sometimes, my brain just fights hard to humble me whenever possible.

I'd been dreaming of making a cardigan out of some alpaca yarn I purchased during a trip into the city a while ago. I liked the combination of the colours together, but somehow, it just wasn't coming together.


I played around with a bunch of ideas, and eventually decided that I needed to throw another colour into the mix. After a day playing with the dyepots over at Tara's house, I had a perfect lime green skein of yarn to work with. I made a gauge swatch, did a few calculations, and cast on for my cardigan.


I started playing with the colours, adding them in one at a time with a chevron lace stitch. I strategically placed the colours so that they would hit my torso in a flattering way... and it seemed to be working out.  I got near the bottom edge and then took out the measuring tape and...


It was too small. Not terribly small, just... snug. I messed up on my gauge somehow. I left it on the couch while I pondered. Rascal added his opinion.


I carried on bravely, contemplating how I was going to make this thing fit. I was going to add a button band to it anyway, but instead of using just one colour as I planned, I decided to use three and make it a touch wider. That sort of solved the girth issue. At least the thing wouldn't look like I'd raided the kids' section at the department store.

After I took it off the needles and tried it on, it looked a little too short. I pondered for a while and then decided that I would hope that the very nature of the alpaca yarn would sort it out for me. It has a tendency to grow when washed, and even though my gauge swatch (which I always wash) didn't really show much growth, I would block the crap out of it and hope that it would take.

The sun is sort of ruining this shot, but you can see how I treated it like a lace shawl on the blocking boards.

And, lo and behold, it worked. It is wide enough to close over my cookie-loving belly and long enough to look like a grown-up sweater.





The yarn saved me this time, but I think I'll plan for a little more room all around for the next one. This experience was a little too nerve-wracking for my liking. If your brain is going to sabotage you, it's best to put in a few safeguards, like a little more common sense and a little less hoping for miracles.

Who am I kidding? Every project of mine needs a little miracle-magic. It's the only way stuff gets finished around here.

Comments

Anna said…
I love it! And blocking is magic. :D
Unknown said…
Beautiful! I still have no idea what blocking does or why it needs so be done.
AdrieneJ said…
Here's a good page that shows an example of how blocking changes your knitting: http://blog.lionbrand.com/2011/03/07/blocking-before-after/
nursenikkiknits said…
It looks great! I'm so impressed that you were able to turn those hanks in to such a striking and original top.
JD said…
Stunning! I'm envious!
AdrieneJ said…
Blocking is a miracle, isn't it? I think I might steam it just to really set it well.
AdrieneJ said…
I had some inspiration from some other patterns out there, but none at the right gauge for this yarn. It's liberating to leave the pattern behind and just improvise, but it's a bit scary!
YarnKettle said…
So Rascal's solution was to add dog hair? I think my cats think the same thing, pet hair it makes everything look better!

Looking at the three original skeins, I would have thought the purple would have enough pop on its own. But man that lime green just brings everything together.

It is beautiful and looks great on you too!
AdrieneJ said…
I think Rascal's solution was for me to convert it into a dog bed. In reality, all my stuff is a dog bed to him.

Yeah, I thought the purple would be enough as well, but it just needed a bit more contrast. I'm glad the lime green worked out!
Unknown said…
I love your ability to manipulate the project to accomodate the issues that some how come up after you have rejigged the gauge. Wonderful perfect. Looks great. Love it. :)
Wish our weather in So Cal would get cold enough to wear sweaters in the winter without trveling all the way to the snow in Mammoth 5 hours away. Dare I really complain??? Not.
Unknown said…
Seems I can not spell well by mistake.
AdrieneJ said…
Thanks! I think I am just unwilling to give up after investing all that time in a project, so I'm game to try anything to make it work!