A parting shot before it all unravels

The sweater, that is. The empire waist cardigan.

empire frog.jpg

It’s just not working. I still like my original idea. I still like the yarn. I don’t like the two of them together. The heavy collar and cuffs are great, but not in cotton, which is already heavy enough. I think the cuffs work, actually, but now that the sweater is at a point where it can be tried on, I tried it on and just wasn’t happy. The seed stitch collar hangs…well…heavily and doesn’t sit right. I also wish I’d knit a smaller size for myself. I swatched but I didn’t take enough into account the degree to which cotton drapes and grows.

I think I’m going to frog the whole thing and use the yarn, which I do like quite a bit, for something better suited to it. A drapey little cardi. Something unstructured and easy. Maybe sort of like an adult Yoda sweater. And then I can do the empire waist as planned in a wool yarn that can stand up to all that seed stitch.

I think.

I’m not going to frog it right now. I’ll sleep on it and see how things look in the morning.

44 Comments on “A parting shot before it all unravels

  1. Ouch. All that knitting..and now a lot of ripping. That’s sucky!!! Oh well…that’s the nice thing about this craft. If you don’t like it…rip it until you do ;O)
    Posted by: Stephanie

  2. Ouch. All that knitting..and now a lot of ripping. That’s sucky!!! Oh well…that’s the nice thing about this craft. If you don’t like it…rip it until you do ;O)
    Posted by: Stephanie

  3. Smart idea to sleep on it. I sometimes let it sit for a few days before I do a big rip. Can you save any of the knitting? What if you did a different collar and cuff treatment?
    Posted by: LaurieM

  4. Always good to sleep on it. If you do decide to frog, maybe the Minimalist Cardigan from Fall IK would do well with this yarn?
    Posted by: Anne

  5. Good idea to sleep on it. Maybe start some of your fun socks and let it hang out for a while…
    Posted by: Natalie

  6. sometimes we have to do what hurts the most in order to get the best results. there are many yarn stores here…you’ll find the perfect, not too drapy, yarn (unless you have some in your stash already).
    Posted by: shannon in oregon

  7. Smart idea to sleep on it. I sometimes let it sit for a few days before I do a big rip. Can you save any of the knitting? What if you did a different collar and cuff treatment?
    Posted by: LaurieM

  8. Always good to sleep on it. If you do decide to frog, maybe the Minimalist Cardigan from Fall IK would do well with this yarn?
    Posted by: Anne

  9. Good idea to sleep on it. Maybe start some of your fun socks and let it hang out for a while…
    Posted by: Natalie

  10. sometimes we have to do what hurts the most in order to get the best results. there are many yarn stores here…you’ll find the perfect, not too drapy, yarn (unless you have some in your stash already).
    Posted by: shannon in oregon

  11. YOu aren’t nearly as despairing as I would be. If it’s any consulation, the design looks beautiful. The right yarn will make it shine.
    Posted by: Elizabeth

  12. Oh my dear! You & I are *rowing* the same boat ;p

    I am 3/4 of the way through a sample (with a deadline) and have decided to start over. From the beginning. Scratch. In another yarn.

    [A small drum beat in the background as the original was lobbed under the sofa. Ta. Dum.]
    Posted by: Bonne Marie

  13. I do so hate that particular variety of bite-in-the-butt which is the wrong fiber for the project. So. Aggravating.

    Live and learn.
    Posted by: claudia

  14. Oh how sad! …and dedicated! I’m horrible at frogging an almost finished object. Good for you for putting the yarn to better use. Good luck with the lawyers!
    Posted by: Johanna

  15. There’s absolutely nothing constructive I can add without seeing the garment in person, so…

    …good luck! I love the color.
    Posted by: Amy

  16. I love you for being able to think about frogging an almost-finished project. I tend to just abandon them for months (or years), or worse, finish them anyway and then have an item I won’t wear because it isn’t quite right.

    How’d it look in the morning? Inquiring (nosy) minds want to know… 😉
    Posted by: Mother Chaos

  17. Oh how sad. But I find that often happens to my cotton projects. I suppose I just don’t think in cotton. That yarn IS pretty; I know you’ll find a good use for it.
    Posted by: Lizbon

  18. YOu aren’t nearly as despairing as I would be. If it’s any consulation, the design looks beautiful. The right yarn will make it shine.
    Posted by: Elizabeth

  19. Oh my dear! You & I are *rowing* the same boat ;p

    I am 3/4 of the way through a sample (with a deadline) and have decided to start over. From the beginning. Scratch. In another yarn.

    [A small drum beat in the background as the original was lobbed under the sofa. Ta. Dum.]
    Posted by: Bonne Marie

  20. I do so hate that particular variety of bite-in-the-butt which is the wrong fiber for the project. So. Aggravating.

    Live and learn.
    Posted by: claudia

  21. Oh how sad! …and dedicated! I’m horrible at frogging an almost finished object. Good for you for putting the yarn to better use. Good luck with the lawyers!
    Posted by: Johanna

  22. There’s absolutely nothing constructive I can add without seeing the garment in person, so…

    …good luck! I love the color.
    Posted by: Amy

  23. I love you for being able to think about frogging an almost-finished project. I tend to just abandon them for months (or years), or worse, finish them anyway and then have an item I won’t wear because it isn’t quite right.

    How’d it look in the morning? Inquiring (nosy) minds want to know… 😉
    Posted by: Mother Chaos

  24. Oh how sad. But I find that often happens to my cotton projects. I suppose I just don’t think in cotton. That yarn IS pretty; I know you’ll find a good use for it.
    Posted by: Lizbon

  25. Oh, I feel your pain. But I’m looking forward to seeing how it comes out, all re-worked!
    Posted by: Annie

  26. I picked up a copy of The Last Summer of the World earlier this week. I am about 80 pages in and am really enjoying it. I imagine it will be one of my final leisurely reads before grad school related readings take over my life! I couldn’t figure out how to make this comment under the original post in the July archives, so this will have to do!
    Posted by: Sarah

  27. One of the nurses on Labor and Delivery made a yoda sweater a couple of weeks ago, by the way. It was absolutely adorable. Your patterns are preceding you to Portland!
    Posted by: Mandy

  28. Oh, I feel your pain. But I’m looking forward to seeing how it comes out, all re-worked!
    Posted by: Annie

  29. I picked up a copy of The Last Summer of the World earlier this week. I am about 80 pages in and am really enjoying it. I imagine it will be one of my final leisurely reads before grad school related readings take over my life! I couldn’t figure out how to make this comment under the original post in the July archives, so this will have to do!
    Posted by: Sarah

  30. One of the nurses on Labor and Delivery made a yoda sweater a couple of weeks ago, by the way. It was absolutely adorable. Your patterns are preceding you to Portland!
    Posted by: Mandy

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