Mrs. Collins Makes Stuff

Hello darling. I finished a lovely sweater. Yay!!! I knit it a full size too small. Boo!!! I have already waxed poetic about the Calliope Sweater, by Espace Tricot, the last time I knit it so I can mostly skip that this time. I will say once again, that this is a fantastic pattern and I feel is a great second sweater pattern for a new knitter. I knit this sweater using the Lana Grossa Come yarn that I bought at the good Pleasant Hill thrift store. The yarn is a bit splitty, but it knit up beautifully. I love the dark orange color and thought it would look quite nice on me. When I knit the last one, I chose the second size. I decided that I wanted just a tiny bit less drape this time, so decided to knit the first size instead. So, now she is a full size too small.

Mistake were made:

1. I knit a full size smaller. I am definitely smaller in the bust and waist than I was when I knit the last one. I am NOT smaller in the shoulders, however. With the shape of this neckline, the shoulders really matter and pull awkwardly if they are too small.
2. I did NOT read the part in the pattern where it tells you to switch from the size 6 ribbing needles to the size 7 body needles, and therefore knit the whole thing on size 6 needles.
3. I followed all of the pattern sizing, including body and sleeve length of the smaller size. So both the body and the sleeves are too short. I would have done the right thing and fixed the length issues if the shoulders weren’t messed up. Since the sweater is too small overall, I didn’t bother. It will be completely proportionate for the correct recipient.

So what went right? It will make a fabulous, beautiful gift for someone. Or for Feebs when she grows more. The sweater is beautiful. I did really good work and I washed and blocked it once she was complete. I am just incredibly bummed that it won’t fit me.

Yes, I have two more balls of yarn. Yes, I could rip the whole thing out and start over and ensure that it fit. Am I going to do this? No. I simply don’t want to go back over all of that work at this point. I will just put her in the gift basket and see what comes of her. She will find a good home eventually.

Loves,

M