D’oh! (a sweater update)

Last week, I promised a sweater update.

Today, I’ve got one.

It’s not good news.

There is going to be a frogging.

Even worse, there’s going to be a frogging because I’m a dumbass.  I avoided writing this all weekend, hoping I’d come up with a positive spin for the situation.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to candy coat a stupid decision based on ‘alternative facts’.

It is a teachable moment though, so that’s the saving of grace of it.  Maybe you won’t make the same stupid choice I did.

So what happened?  Because this doesn’t look so bad…

Well, halfway through the body, just to make sure I was on the right track, I checked gauge on my progress.  It was off (or so I thought).

I didn’t panic, I just changed direction a little bit.  My gauge was off by just the right amount, in just the right direction, I could switch to the larger size and keep going.

No Problems!

Except, I totally had problems.  Did I measure too close to the needle?  Did I not measure on a flat surface?  Did I measure with a tape measure and not a rigid ruler?  Did I just flat out miscount?  Maybe all of the above?

Whatever the case, I rushed to judgement with poor data because, in fact, now that my sweater body is on waste yarn waiting for the sleeves, I have discovered my gauge to be spot on.

I’ve let cooler heads prevail on the frogging.  There’s no way around it though.  I’ve gotta pull out about half of what I’ve done so far. It’s a very bulky fabric, 2.5 sts/in on size 13 needles.  As is, it’s huge.  A bulky gauge sweater with extra bulk is not a good idea.  If I’m not going to wear it, no sense in moving forward.

A-frogging I will go!  It’s going to be pain, each stitch needs to be delicately relieved of its position with pencil roving.  There’s no hastily ripping out with this one.

It’ll take time but I’ll get there and it’ll be worth it, getting it right.  Still though, there’s a special spot in the time out corner just for this sweater.

That’s what I get for thinking a sweater on size 13 needles would be a no-brainer that went quickly!

D’oh!