How to fix the fit
How to make a garment fit after the sew-up, is something I have years of experience in. The yarn I chose to knit this cardigan with, was Jo Sharp's Silk Road Tweed. It's a fabulous heathery colour with lots of depth. The pattern I had chosen was from an old collection (five well labelled and indexed folders!) I had saved from English magazines. It was simple, long, classic and with a collar.
I knitted a swatch, got it right, and did the whole thing in a couple of weeks. Sewed it together and triumphantly put it on. It looked like I was a SACK OF POTATOES wrapped in knitting, and big potatoes at that.
(I should know by now that the knitted garment does not make you look like the model in the picture. YKW shows that so well; all knitting models are skinny so that the bulky garment looks like slimline wear.)
I was going through a "life is wonderful, smile and take what comes" phase so before I felt the tears of frustration welling up, I unstitched and frogged the lot. I washed it and hung it out in hanks with small weights on them to get rid of the kinks. I rolled it into balls and went to the LYS for a pattern. None of my hundreds would do.
I bought Patons Book 2126 for Caressa and chose style nine.
This time I ignored swatches and just kept comparing it with a favourite garment for width. I knitted the lot without measurement checks and sewed it together. It looked gorgeous. I put it on in front of the full length mirror. It looked like a TENT.
What to do?. I showed Robert and he looked kindly at me and said, "it'll be alright, Dear", but we both knew that it wasn't.
I put it on inside out and stood in front of the mirror and pinned the sides to where I would like them. Then I got out the sewing machine and some bias binding tape and sewed down the tape and desired seam line.
THEN I GOT A SHARP PAIR OF SCISSORS AND CUT AWAY THE UNWANTED INCHES!!!
I rolled the bias binding over the raw edge and hand hemmed it down.(O.K. caressa is thinner than
silk road tweed, I knew that all along but I didn't want another potato sack)
I have been wearing it for a couple of years and so many times people have said to me "Love your Cardi!"
I have been trying to put another pic here to show how well it hangs but I'll have to post that on it's own. I'm making good and steady progress and this time I have been able to place a pic but I couldn't get another one on the same post. Thanks a million Lori
I knitted a swatch, got it right, and did the whole thing in a couple of weeks. Sewed it together and triumphantly put it on. It looked like I was a SACK OF POTATOES wrapped in knitting, and big potatoes at that.
(I should know by now that the knitted garment does not make you look like the model in the picture. YKW shows that so well; all knitting models are skinny so that the bulky garment looks like slimline wear.)
I was going through a "life is wonderful, smile and take what comes" phase so before I felt the tears of frustration welling up, I unstitched and frogged the lot. I washed it and hung it out in hanks with small weights on them to get rid of the kinks. I rolled it into balls and went to the LYS for a pattern. None of my hundreds would do.
I bought Patons Book 2126 for Caressa and chose style nine.
This time I ignored swatches and just kept comparing it with a favourite garment for width. I knitted the lot without measurement checks and sewed it together. It looked gorgeous. I put it on in front of the full length mirror. It looked like a TENT.
What to do?. I showed Robert and he looked kindly at me and said, "it'll be alright, Dear", but we both knew that it wasn't.
I put it on inside out and stood in front of the mirror and pinned the sides to where I would like them. Then I got out the sewing machine and some bias binding tape and sewed down the tape and desired seam line.
THEN I GOT A SHARP PAIR OF SCISSORS AND CUT AWAY THE UNWANTED INCHES!!!
I rolled the bias binding over the raw edge and hand hemmed it down.(O.K. caressa is thinner than
silk road tweed, I knew that all along but I didn't want another potato sack)I have been wearing it for a couple of years and so many times people have said to me "Love your Cardi!"
I have been trying to put another pic here to show how well it hangs but I'll have to post that on it's own. I'm making good and steady progress and this time I have been able to place a pic but I couldn't get another one on the same post. Thanks a million Lori
posted by Gillian at
9:09 PM
2 Comments:
No problem!!
I am equal parts completely impressed and terrified at the thought of the effort you went through to fix your sweater!! Nope. Actually, I'm just mostly impressed. I will have to keep that in mind the next time disaster strikes!!
I, too, like your cardi!
By
Lori, At
8:01 PM
OMG - I'm in awe. I blanch at the thought of steeks. Glad it worked out so well and thanks for visiting my blog. :)
By
Taphophile, At
2:11 AM
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