Can you help Amy decide?

ann@backwoodsbeadery.com wrote

on Mar 23, 2012 10:02 AM

I've ripped and re-knit great yarn quite a few times for a variety of reasons, and have never been sorry I did.  Your cardigan will be so much better because of all you learned, and it will fit!

Good luck!

A

ninse wrote

on Mar 24, 2012 11:38 AM

I would suggest, that you make some smock sewing on it, mayby with pearls as decoration - that way you can get in the the size you want and it will be your very own design ;o)

best of luck

Lene

Mary P Rourke wrote

on Mar 24, 2012 2:25 PM

I vote for deknitting and doing it again, after carefully swatching of course. 

Mupson45 wrote

on Mar 24, 2012 3:59 PM

Yeah, rip it out...try thinking that this was a practice run (a first draft if you will) and the next one will be the KEEPER!

SirBrunhilda wrote

on Mar 24, 2012 6:15 PM

I completely agree with bubbles4423 - use a sewing maching to tailor it to fit correctly. 

NancyH@5 wrote

on Mar 24, 2012 11:16 PM

Start over.  Yes it will mean undoing and reskeining that beautiful yarn in your to-big-sweater.  Consider the first knitting of the sweater as practice.  If you still like the same pattern, use it again.  After all you have a fairly good idea of how the pattern is constructed.  Use that as courage and go forward.  You have a new sweater to gain and nothing to lose. 

Sandra Donohue wrote

on Mar 25, 2012 10:03 AM

I see that voting has ended before I had time to really think and act on this issue. I would probably not have knit with a softly spun single, or any single as the amount of surface area of the yarn exposed would cause abrasion and probably pilling. I prefer a three ply yarn to knit with.

I would consider weaving with this yarn (if you have a loom) or plying it with a finer singles. If you were to spin enough singles that you could produce a three ply yarn, it would behave better, and even if the singles you spun weren't dyed, your new sweater would have a lovely sparkly, heathery look.

I haven't done much spinning in the last few years as I'm persuing painting right now, but I alsway found that paying close attention to yarn structure yielded happier and longer lasting results.

Good luck with this project. Don't give up.

Sincerely,

Sandra Donohue,

Robson, B.C., CAnada

weinrich wrote

on Mar 25, 2012 1:35 PM

After the wonderful article in the last issue of Spin-Off where it was suggested "frogging" or unkntting sweaters and using the yarn, you now have a  beautiful shade of blue yarn, in just too large size.  Rip it out and start again.  The color is wonderful.

ursel3 wrote

on Mar 25, 2012 9:09 PM

I would go with decision nr.3. You spent spent so much time to knit it ,it's now almost finished. It may be tough ginving the garment away but if you know someone worthy who will enjoy wearing it, then it may put a smile on both of your faces when you see it plus the friendship will deepen.

klabath wrote

on Mar 26, 2012 11:53 AM

Rip it and knit again.  The fun is in the process anyway!

Adina wrote

on Mar 26, 2012 8:42 PM

Take the sides and tailor them in with a false seam. It will make a little ridge, which would be a neat design element. Don't rip! It might compromise the tender yarn.

swifter wrote

on Mar 27, 2012 5:54 PM

Ripping it out is what I would suggest but then I remembered that the yarn has been in the knitted garment for a time so it may be curly or wavy when it is ripped out. I had to rip out a wool sweater that I had handspun and this is the way it was and I found it difficult to knit with and it changed the appearance of the final garment. So you may have to spin out the waves... more work.  I would give it to someone who it would fit.

ann@backwoodsbeadery.com wrote

on Mar 27, 2012 7:06 PM

Of course its "set" in waves. Just as hair would be. All you have to do is rinse it and let it dry. Its as good as new. Better, in the sense that its already grown a bit. If to were mine, I'd consider adding a bit of twist, but that's just me. The silk single sweater I made 25 years ago  got caught on everything I passed. I WISH I'd done it over. 

lburrell wrote

on Mar 28, 2012 1:00 PM

Rip it out and knit it again. It won't take long. And you'll be so delighted with the FO you'll be glad you did!

Thanks for sharing this with us. I thought I was the only one who did things like this... :-)

GHersh wrote

on Mar 29, 2012 10:02 AM

 I say give it to someone who will love it!  Maybe trade for some more silk yarn to make another sweater that you will love just as much.

I have a project that I worked hard on and it didn't turn out like I wanted and I never wear it, because it is not just what I envisioned.  So learn from your mistakes tell the story to your most fortunate friend and she will appreciate it all the more for the lessons you learned, and every time you see her wear it you will know that in spite of all your trouble someone is loving your sweater!!!!!