Saturday, January 03, 2009

start as you mean to go on*

0109GZUCKERfamvar_  026
My first knitting act of 2009 was un-doing. A fresh beginning, not letting a mistake go unaddressed, no stepping around the misdeed as it slumped in a pile in the corner. I love a little mixed metaphor to start the year, don't you?

You last saw this yarn as my Imogen in progress. I finished in mid November, enjoying every stitch.
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Here she is, completed in all her capacious glory. I could have smoothed the shoulders for the shot better, this was unblocked but you get the idea. I am sorry to report that shortly after making this image, I wove in all the ends. And only then tried her on.
(I know. What could I have been thinking? I have sweaters I've been wearing for months that still have the odd end flapping around inside).
Anyway, Imogen is waaay too much woman for me. My gauge swatching had been on target but even wrapped overlapping to the max around the front, I had huge bags of extra fabric in the upper back, hanging down behind the arms. I could have fit another person in there with me.1108GZUCKER_200I adore working with this yarn, and same for the pattern with its unusual construction but after studying all the Imogens over at Ravelry and exchanging emails with other folks swamped by their Imogens, I'm going to make some other squooshy cardigan with this. Although I am still resisting temptation to try again- in a size S rather than L.

May I add? It is
a lot of work to unravel a huge sweater in which one has conscientiously swapped out two or three skeins of yarn every couple of rows to blend variegated shades. Good thing I enjoy a messy tangle every now & then. (yeah, another metaphor. Whatever!)
neighborhod
I love the way shades of green pop in the neighborhood landscape in winter. Give me a few weeks and I'll be popping on the beach, in my new green, properly fitting cardigan .

*I first heard this wonderful phrase- so Mary Poppins-ish, isn't it?- on Brenda Dayne's Cast On podcast of the same name, here, from a year ago. Go giv'er a listen. It's been rumbling around in my brain ever since, resonating like crazy. This year, action!

13 comments:

  1. Onward and upward! Or something.

    I'm sorry you had to rip that cardi, but that's better than trying to make a too big sweater work for you.

    Ya know, I had the same flappy extra fabric with my Mr. Greenjeans, but not enough to let another person into it with me. *L*

    xo

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  2. Anonymous7:57 PM

    that yarn is definitely too lovely not to be worn, so sad to have to rip though...

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  3. Anonymous8:12 PM

    Sadly, I DO know how much work that is ;)

    It's such pretty yarn that it would be a real shame to tie it up in a garment you're not happy with. I'm sure it'll be gorgeous next time.

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  4. sweet color green! i would go ahead and try it again in a small if i were you! (it's calling to you!)

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  5. Frogging sometimes really makes all the difference... both for the project and the health of the knitter's mind!

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  6. Bummer about the sweater. You can make something even more fabulous now, though.

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  7. Anonymous8:59 AM

    Oh, you have my sympathies on the full-sweater rippage. But the yarn is so gorgeous, it deserves to be knit into something you'll actually want to wear.

    You're the second person I've read in the last two days who's mentioned the fit issues with this pattern. As someone who had the pattern in her queue, I thank you for saving me the trouble of knitting it up only to discover them myself!

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  8. Anonymous1:37 PM

    So sorry about the sweater. I made one last year and while it's not snug, I fixed the problem in the back by adding a seam. I knit the sleeves straight across without adding the extra for the back. Knit the bottom back, seamed them together, and then picked up for the collar. It fits pretty good. Unfortunately it's knit in Alpaca and is so hot I hardly wear it. But it fits.

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  9. Anonymous10:58 AM

    Oh dear. Sorry about the frogging. I will stop complaining about how hard it was to ravel 3/4 of one sock....

    The yarn is lovely and is well deserving of being made into something that will be warn.

    P.S. It is winter - maybe it is a good idea to have a sweater that will fit two people at once - more body heat sharing that way...

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  10. How courageous of you! I have sweaters I've been wearing for several years with an end or two flopping around inside, I must admit. I know it's lazy and sloppy but I never seem to see them until i'm somewhere without a needle.

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  11. You are fearless, good for you!


    Oh, and the yarn for my Kiri is a dk weight. I really tend to like shawls that have a little substance to them:)

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  12. Anonymous1:37 PM

    I'm sure you won't regret the frogging, and with lovely yarn like that, getting to knit it twice is kind of nice. Easier said after the ripping is done, of course!

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