Sept. 23, 2024

8 Aug

For a few YEARS now, I've wanted to make a jumper or cardigan for my partner. Given that I've made quite a few jumpers for myself over the years, this should be so difficult right? 

Before the green cardigan, I had made him a jumper in grey, which had some interesting patterns on it. After I finished knitting and blocking it, the jumper grew WAY too big. The sleeves were about 50% longer than they needed to be and the body was also too wide. I did try to do some knitting surgery, but the arms were still a problem. Since it was knitted flat (not in the round), it was alot more tedious to unpick the seams and in the end I gave up and frogged the whole thing. I made myself a cardigan out of it, which fits me perfectly...

Then a while later I decided to embark on another attempt to make him something. This time a lovely green merino wool, the free pattern found here.

Again, its knitted flat, including the sleeves. I completed the whole thing and it was... slightly too big. Granted it was much better than the first, but the sleeves still a bit too long, the body too big and something about the cardigan ribbed edge was wonky. It was kind of passable though so it did stay in his cupboard for a while and my partner wore it a few times mostly in the house...

Eventually it was admitted that he didn't wear it out because of the fit. Now... I'm not perfectionst, and my partner scores much higher on that scale. I protested for a while, saying it was handmade, never going to be perfect. However, if something doesn't feel right, then it just isn't, so after about of year of sitting in cupboard, I decided to remake it - same pattern.

This time I twice measured every single part of the jumper, I took one of his existing jumpers to measure off, trying to get all the calculations spot on... and then adjust for blockage growth which was quite an unknown factor. Unfortunately, I had not retained my knitting notes from the first time I did it, so I didn't know what needle size I used, or what stitch count adjustments I may have done. So actually I was starting from scratch again, without much reference.

20 Aug

I knit the whole body again and... it was WAY too small. Even after blocking, now my calculations were just wildly off again. Really not sure why this keeps on happening with him!

I've given up making it for him and decided I'm not going to remake it a third time. Instead I'll repurpose it for myself - again. Its even tight on me, no positive ease, slightly in the negative ease space, which is unusual for a semi-bulky cardigan.

While unravelling the original version, I stopped at the last sleeve thinking I didn't acutally need to reknit that as I could just go a bit shorter on it. As it turned out, the sleeves were the perfect length all along, since now the shoulder seam sat much higher up the shoulder, so no need to do anything but reattach it.

Unfortunately I only thought about keeping the original sleeves at sleeve number two. Sleeve one was unravelled already, hence the picture below. Only problem is, I can't remember the knitting needles or stitch count I used for the first sleeve... And then need to match exactly or it will just be off.

2 Sep

I knit the second sleeve again and it was ridiciously small. Anyway, long rant short, I will need to remake the second sleeve AGAIN - am trying to size up the needles and getting the right gauge. I can't wait to finish this guessing game and have it finally completed. The HOPE I deem it good enough to wear in and out the house.

23 Sep

The final sleeve took a few days to complete, but we are DONE. What a journey. It fits me reasonably well, i.e. its a tight fit cardigan, which I'm not unhappy with as I don't particular like baggy clothes. I haven't managed to make something for my partner, he's still keen for me to make him something, but I'll call this project done. I still have a sizable ball of green yarn leftover. So will make maybe a hat or something out of it. Yesterday I saw a cut baby hat in the shape of baby yodas ears, that could be something cool.

However, I've completed this and will call it an eventual success. Perserving into a completed objects that meets the wearable standards is the goal! I do think I'll get some use out of this, but time will tell.

My Learnings and Conclusions

• It's best to follow the pattern as exact as you can rather than make adjustments and not keep track of them.
• Always keep your knitting notes.
• Don't be afraid to remake knitwear, if it's not wearable its useless.

Sleeve Method - Personal Notes

Trying to get the same gauge and knitting needles as sleeve one:

• Ribbed cuff - 32 stitches cast on - 4mm needles
• Start main sleeve - Increase to 40 stitches - 5mm needles

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