Sigh. What should have been the most straightforward and fast sweater for Matt has turned out to be a bit of a pain. I’m making him an Ease, adapting it to have a narrower neck, no waist curve, and shorter ribbing at the bottom and cuffs. Simple, right? Almost all stockinette with only 2% thinking necessary. Well, somebody (me) got cocky about not needing a gauge swatch, while at the same time going up a needle size. This made the body huge, but of course I didn’t have Matt try it on until it was 10 inches past the armpit. It was 5.5 inches too large. Matt asked how long I thought the sweater might last and I said maybe 10 years. He said, “Well I’ll probably get fatter.” It was very sweet of him, but I preferred him to have a sweater he could wear now, and this is also a man that can eat half and half on cereal and whatever else he wants and not gain weight, so I’m not holding my breath on that one. I rrrrrripped back to a few increases before separating the sleeves. At long last I finished the body.
Then I moved onto the sleeves, going along with the decreases in the original pattern, not giving a thought to how the numbers differed or where I wanted the width to end up until I was about 2 inches before the ribbing for the cuffs, knitting along as fast as I could so I could finish this on Christmas Day. Then I took a good look at the suckers and realized how crazy wide the sleeves were compared to his other sweaters. He tried them on. He was nice about it. I finished and blocked it anyway, just to make sure. Annnnnddd…somehow that didn’t make the sleeves magically narrower or better. From the elbows down it just looked like some wings. I probably should have taken a picture of this for documentation and later amusement (I’m not ready to laugh about it yet). Instead, I resigned myself to ripping out 2/3 of the sleeves. 
I had him try it on again, holding back my tears (ok, slight exaggeration), and I marked with the stitch marker where the sleeves needed to get drastically narrower. To quickly amend the wings, I decided I would go down a needle size. This time I’ve done some math, so I know if I want him to have approximately 9.5 inch cuffs, I’m going to make about 10 more decreases, one every inch or so. I’m doing both at once so they’ll match perfectly. I think this will fix everything, and if not, I guess I can just force him to wear it or burn the damn thing. 
Here I go again.
Oh, I feel your pain! Sorry the sweater is giving you fits, but it’s a lovely wearable color.
The power of ‘denial’ will get ya everytime!
Reblogged this on i is knits and commented:
A fun read about fixing mistakes! I take it as inspiration – and a reminder to swatch, even though I hate it.
This actually sounds kinda familiar — I’ve suffered from not doing the math as well… :/ Good luck this time!
Oh dear. That sweater is a labor of love!
Ugh, fit issues! Gets me every time.
Oh, yes. I knit myself an Ease sweater, and, yeah. I ripped it out several times, and still didn’t learn my lesson – it’s definitely a big, slouchy, 80’s style “inside” sweater for me. Hope round 2 goes better!
I hate when that happens! Good luck with your fixes, I’m sure it will turn out better this time.
It’s inspiring how you muscled through fixing the mistakes! Reminds me to keep doing the same.
It’s always the simple things that end up taking the longest. At least you’re close, and you know where you went wrong. I say the next thing on your needles should be for you, just to cleanse the palette a little.
Oh, I wholeheartedly agree. I started socks for myself. I also want to do another cardigan or tunic or something.
Hopefully it works out for you this time. I think there is some sort of curse associated with needing or wanting to finish things on Christmas Day. Everything seems to go wrong with those particular projects.
Oh sh*t. I am so sorry about that.
I was crazy during Christmas getting my lace shawl finished, but knitting a garment and then panicking and trying everything to get it done in time and then having to rip most of it out again … OUCH. :/
But I love his comment: “I’ll probably get fatter.” If nothing else, that makes him worthy of so many sweaters to come!
Happy new year to you! I hope that the new sleeves will fit!!
It’s just like knitting to misbehave when you most want it done, blocked, worn and adored. You have my sympathy.
Your last photograph was a “Eureka!” moment for me. I’ve never thought to knit two sleeves at the same time. Oh that would have made my sweater so much faster and even! Good luck!
Oh dear! The yarn for the jumper I’m planning to make for Mr BAM arrived today and I’m already terrified about starting it! Will swatch carefully I think. I really admire you persistence though!
Aw, good luck.
Well, I know exactly that feeling. I’ll have to dissolve a sweater I was really looking forward to. But it is too short and the sleeves are to long. It looks awful. Knitter’s heartache, I guess. 😉 I don’t know, if I’ll knit it again.
Good luck with yours!
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I do love your husband’s comment – truly the words of a knitter’s spouse who understands all the work that ripping back requires.