Do you ever have one of those projects where you feel like it is just impossible to make progress? Well I’m right in the middle of one of those at the moment, and it’s pretty frustrating. After finishing the Wilshire shawl I was so excited to cast on some new things. But I’ve only started one new project, without too much to show for it.
The Sperry sweater is one of those projects that’s been in my queue for quite a while and I’ve had the yarn lying around for months as well. The construction looked easy enough and then just loads of stockinette and some stripes, how hard can it be?! But I’ve just been falling from one obvious mistake into the other. The pattern instructions are also a bit of a mess, since there are no paragraphs at all (the horror!) and I’ve been so focused on just reading through it and trying to not mess it up that I’ve made an epic mistake.. I twisted while joining in the round (I’ve put the evidence for this behind this link, I don’t want to involuntarily upset some knitters with these horror pictures). Rip rip rip. And even after that, a little M1 mistake here, a horrible colour switch there. And every time again I’m just rip rip ripping it out.
At least now I’ve come to the point where I’m about ready to separate the sleeves and after that it really should be easy going (right?!). I’m actually thinking of putting a lifeline in it right now, unheard of! And now all kinds of horror scenarios are spooking through my head. Like the fact that a lot of ravelry project notes warn for the neckline ending up too wide, and me thinking that wouldn’t be a problem because I like a wide neckline. But now actually seeing it maybe I should’ve taking the advice. And then there’s the thing of me only doing a kind of gauge swatch, so who knows what size this will end up as. Oh well, I’m going to keep my optimism hat on for now and soldier on. Even if it ends up with a huge neckline and in a tiny size, I’ll just have to find that one friend with a slightly shifted shoulder to waist ratio and then they’ll have a wonderful christmas gift.
I know exactly how you feel. I was exactly the same with my last project. I was doing a sweater with a mixture of cables and ribbing and I did everything wrong! I forgot to cable, I cast on wrong 3 times for the sleeves and the finally as my patience snapped so did one of my needles!
But I kept going and it was all fine, so keep this positive thoughts and I’m sure yours will be great. The colours are fantastic, can’t wait to see it finished!
Thanks for the support, I’m still keeping positive about it and hopefully it will have the same happy ending as your sweater.
Well, I absolutely love that pink yarn you choose – such a beautiful, bright raspberry color! I hope the rest of your sweater goes much smoother and it fits you perfectly. Sometimes knitting magic works out like that!
Knitting can do some pretty magical things sometimes, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed it will happen this time as well.
Oh no! There is nothing more frustrating than realizing you’ve twisted in the round, I feel your pain! It’s a pretty pattern, I’m sure it will be well worth the extra effort. It’s super pretty yarn too!
It is indeed extremely painful! But I agree that the pattern and yarn are pretty so it’s worth starting over.
I think we’ve all been there- I have definitely twisted a join before, and then merrily knit many inches before realizing my mistake! I think that if any part of you thinks you should put in a lifeline, then do it- if you end up needing it, you’ll be so glad that you did. It can mean the difference between an easy fix and a total disaster.
You’re absolutely right, it is probably a good idea to put in a lifeline, especially if I already have a feeling that I might be needing it.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you! Hope it all works out!
Thanks so much Kat!
I love your ‘optimism’ of finding that one friend! I think we’ve all had a knit like this if we’ve been knitting for a long time. And yes, it is okay to cry a little when you discover your knitting is twisted!
Haha yes, well have to stay optimistic about these things right 🙂 I’m glad it’s okay to cry a bit about it, because I certainly did!
For some reason all my knits have the “longest knit ever” feeling. Ironically the knits that feel never-ending always end up being a fav. Well done on pushing through. This is going to be beautiful.
That at least gives me hope that this might even end up being one of my favourite knits!
just keep stitching….like Dori in Finding Nemo 🙂 You will get there and I’m sure it will be gorgeous! Can’t wait to see the progress!
Just like Dori I’m constantly going ‘oh look, a new project I can knit!’. Which slows down the progress a lot 😉
i love the color! and fingers crossed that it’s going to fit. (if we’re sort of having true confessions here….my latest sweater didn’t get a gauge swatch before i launched in to it……and it looks like it’s going to fit perfectly. hope yours does, too!)
Great that your sweater is going to fit! It feels a bit sinful to not swatch properly, but I get so excited about casting on new projects that I don’t take the time for it usually.