“I
want to thank you again for your trust in my skills. This cardigan might work
or then not, but you will be the first to know. It is at time out now. I just
cannot face all the mistakes I have been making so far. But… on the bright
side, I have learned a ton, from now on, I know, how I should have done it and
hopefully my next projects will benefit from this. “
This
is what I wrote about the Sheepy few days ago, and then I started to clean my
desk. (I postponed writing the final words on it, because I wanted to show you
something else and tried hard to think of another piece to work on.) I had
decided to clean everything away, in the hopes of sweeping away the memory of
the failure too. While doing it, I lingered in my thoughts around the cardigan
and wondered what went so badly wrong that I could not salvage it somehow… and
what did I learn from it. If I were to do it again, how would I proceed, what
would be a better route?
At
first, I envisioned this big open cardigan… but the fabric was too heavy for
that. Then I decided to cut it into pieces and make this fitted jacket… I did
not think this through beforehand and sort of ruined the procedure; without a
good plan, it was difficult to go on; I should have drawn a pattern, then I
should have calculated the gauge of the piece and start from there. Instead I
made one mistake upon another, and this error chain was leading in total
disaster… I could not keep on building on this error chain, every next step was
going one step further to the disaster and I had to snap the chain.
These
pictures are along the way… shaped pieces seamed into a cardigan… hem added…
button/neck band added… and then again, everything undone and back to the pile
of pieces, this time even unhappier pile than last time.
The
ratty pile of pieces was there neatly folded away waiting to be put away. Then
I just could not do it. Was there really no way to go, and if this is how I
feel, why am I bothered to keep the pieces anyway. It does not make sense, not
at all.
Okey…just
one more go… One small, well thought step at a time.
I
started with the fronts. At first I calculated the gauge of the fabric; around
30 stitches and 35 rows. Took out few of my knitting books to see if I could
find a cardigan in those books that would somehow work with this gauge. Couple
of years ago, I knitted Ursula by Kate Davies and the gauge of the fabric was
close enough to the gauge of my Ursula. With that in mind I crocheted around
the fabric piece the shape to map out the outlines of the front piece. Did the
same for the other front and then I blocked those pieces. Did the same for the
back. This took a long time, since I was trying to match the patterns in the
sides and along the sleeve openings. The fabric was almost impossible to rip,
the yarn has done its magic and the fibers are grabbing to each other, even the
bottom of the sweater was impossible to unravel.
I
am not sure if my shoulders are correct or if they are still too wide. I
compared them to my Ursula, and they are wider than those, but then I compared
them to my store-bought sweaters and they are closer to them. I am really
scared to cut away any more fabric.
My
back piece is drying now. Once that is done, I will seam the pieces to see if
the fit is about right and then will proceed from there. I will need to stop
and think about the shoulders then again. The real challenge will be with the
sleeves. I will need to build fitted sleeve heads and this will be very
difficult, if I try to follow the stitches and rows… This fabric is very
difficult to see close as the colors sort of blend together when looked at
close distance. My option is to knit new sleeves, but then the challenge would
be to try to find a good yarn and a good color. Then again, it would be an
opportunity to spice up the colors, which do look little muddy, there is no way
around that fact… I could maybe knit ribbed sleeves… lace?
There
was a point where I was very frustrated and close to a breaking point with
this, but now, I am beginning to like this cardigan-to-be-hopefully. Maybe we
will find a mutual understanding after all.
It
took me a week to come up with this post, and the reason was this feeling of
failure… I am still at the point I started this post with… this might or might
not work but I have hopes.
In
the meantime, here are pictures of the mittens I knitted earlier this fall and
of which you saw few process pictures.
Until
next time (I wish I have something good then…),
Wool
with you,
Lene
Go for it! It is a lovely pattern and who knows success might be just around the corner. I admire your perseverance and love the mittens.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, total failure and total success is only one step from each other...keep on, it will be good in the end!!
ReplyDeleteSometimes, total failure and total success is only one step from each other...keep on, it will be good in the end!!
ReplyDeleteMy thought would be to draft a sleeve pattern as you would a sewing pattern. Check the fit with a muslin fabric and then just cut and sew the knit fabric after reinforcing it so it won't unravel. Or if you've got a sleeve you like the fit of just trace that one off or copy one from a knitting book. It's just math and you're crazy talented!
ReplyDeleteI have put quite a few dead projects in the trash lately.
ReplyDeleteEllen in Connecticut.
I have put quite a few dead projects in the trash lately.
ReplyDeleteEllen in Connecticut.
Don't give up yet! If all else fails, you could make a bag out of this dense fabric. Your other upcycling projects have turned out so well, I'm inspired to tackle the ones I have lying around. I never seem to get to them because I can't make myself stop knitting new things.
ReplyDeleteI admire your patience!
ReplyDeleteLiesbeth
I love watching your process! Someday when my kids are bigger I will tackle some of the things I made years ago and make them even better. When I look at that jacket, I envision ribbed sleeves in a darker color. But I'm sure whatever you do will look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI love your perseverance! However, I am the first to say that not all projects go as planned. :) I'd suggest that however it goes, you try to get it back into a wearable object. Then, if it does not suit you or you are not happy with it, please give it away so that someone else can be warm this winter. Some of my "failures" have gone on to live long happy lives this way, and any warm thing is good when a person is cold. I hope this creative process is rewarding!
ReplyDeleteColorwise, it looks like my favorite handspun sweater, made from natural colored singles. I accidentally grabbed a ball of the wrong wool, so there is a streak with a whiter color than the rest of the sweater.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, you need to set it aside and just think about it for awhile. One of my sweaters was completed and I just didn't like the way it turned out. I had a collar on it and took that off. It turned out to be exactly what I needed to do.
I think you are on the right track. The brown looks much better than the white edging. I like the brown garter stitch at the bottom too. The sleeves will be tricky, but then they always are.