Friday, February 22, 2013

Can This Project Be Saved? - Part I

"One step forward; two steps back."  It's been a bit that way this week.  I wanted to spend more time knitting, and I did...with mixed results.  I got the heel flap finished on a sock, the pattern for which I'm not enjoying too much but haven't the time or inclination to take it out and do something else.  And in the UFO department, I did finish the camisole...in a manner of speaking.


There she lies, drying out after been washed and blocked.  Pretty, yes -- but I intended it for me and it's six inches too big around!

How did this happen?  I've been knitting for years.  Was the gauge off?  Well...perhaps.  I wasn't using the yarn called for in the pattern but, I thought, something simlarly luxurious.  The piece is knit in the round on a circular needle.  When you divide for the front shaping, you go back and forth for each section, leaving the rest on the needle till you're ready for it.

  • On the ball band, it reads: "22 sts = 10 cm (4") on 4 mm (US 6) needles.  That's 5.5 stitches per inch.  
  • In the pattern it reads: "24 sts and 26 rows = 4" on the needles called for -- 4.5 mm or US 7.  In other words, 6 stitches per inch -- just a tad finer.
  • Using a 4.5 mm  circular needle, I managed to get 5.25 stitches to the inch.
  • I selected my size and then reduced the number of stitches very slightly across the back, because my real bust measurement lay half-way between two sizes.
Hmmph.  It's still damp, so I won't be able to fiddle with it for a while, but I'm thinking seriously of taking it in 3" on each side by sewing a seam down each side at the desired width, trimming away the excess and finishing the edges to prevent ravelling.  

Before I do so, I'll make sure I have a stiff drink!

What do  you think?







1 comment:

Kitchener Quilter said...

Whoa, doesn't that just make you crazy!? Looking at you photo, I'm thinking you might be able to do just one seam down the back. Depending on your knitting pattern, you should be able to make this work. I'm saying this also because of the shaping on the front. You might lose too much of those nice triangle parts if you take that much off the sides. I'd try pinning it and put it on, carefully, to know for sure. I have more experience with alterations than knitting, but I have successfully made sweaters as much as a size smaller. Just my 2 cents worth. Hope this helps.