Yes, it's knitting. (What were you thinking?)
I've tried, over the years, to knit sweaters several times. Every time I had to give up because I'd get 3/4 of the way through (don't ask me why it took me that long to figure it out) and realize the thing was turning out monstrously the wrong size. Well, every time but one. I hopefully and optimistically finished that one, and didn't discover it's flaming disasterness until after it was all done.
I made my dad two sweater vests (he liked that sort of thing). The first was too small. The next was so much too huge it would have been comical if I weren't so pissed (it was his only Christmas present that year, and I was finishing it on Christmas Eve when I realized it was miles too big - so no time to do anything about it, or even get something else).
But ... despite all evidence that I'm an utter failure at knitting sweaters, I've decided to try another one.
My problem has always been (I think) gauge. In knitting, you're always supposed to knit a gauge swatch - a piece of knitting using your chosen needles, yarn and stitch pattern - at least 4" square, and then take measurements to match up what you're knitting with the size you want to knit. And I always do a gauge swatch! In fact, after the first or second disaster sweater, I did much larger gauge swatches, sometimes as much as 14" square.
Why? Because my curse du jour was that my knitting seemed to get much looser the farther I got with it. My gauge would be dead on at the beginning, and it wasn't until I had, say, and entire sweater back done that I'd discover it had enlarged and was now 3 sizes bigger than I'd intended.
The only thing I could figure out was that somehow the knitting was stretching as the piece got bigger and heavier. Yet I'd never heard any other knitter complain of that, nor had I ever read any suggestions to counter-act that. So ... I can only assume that it was me, that my stitches just got looser and sloppier as I knit.
I decided to try yet again, but with a scheme to counteract that tendency. Usually when you make a sweater, you first measure the intended recipient around the chest, then add several inches to that for ease - otherwise, the sweater will fit like a bathing suit, not a grand idea.
I chose my measurement size, then purposely didn't add the ease. I figured that way, when the thing ended up several inches bigger than it should, it will 'just fit.'
I think this may be a faulty plan, but ... I'm trying it. And so far, it seems to be working. I have about 12" of sweater back done, and checked the measurement - sure enough, it's 1" wider than it should be. One inch isn't much - oh, it's enough to make something not fit (because that's 1" on the back, and 1" on each front side piece, adding up to 3" or more too big - if you'd already added ease to make the thing loose to begin with, you end up with a sweater that you and your best friend could wear at the same time ... which may be okay under certain circumstances, but was not my goal).
However, without having added the ease, adding 1" to all the pieces of the sweater by 'accident' will, in fact, make it the right size.
In theory anyway. I still wish I could just get the damned gauge right, and don't understand why I've never seen anyone else mention this problem. I cannot be the only one.
Anyway - I'm still kind of cautiously psyched about the sweater, and will keep you posted.
In a brief other-news update, Tyler's been doing GREAT! His eyesight is back to being what it was at least back in the early summer, before the eye catastrophe struck - he navigates around the house and yard without any issue, even when things get moved around. He follows me around the house with no problem. He seems to feel good, has been perky, interested, had a great appetite lately. Just all around seemingly doing really well.
No thanks to the waste-of-time holistic vet I took him to last week. I can't remember if I wrote about that. If not, I might, some day.
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