Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Keep going or turn back?

That's the question in my head right now with regard to this baby sweater.

Garter stitch baby sweater


I'm using a Debbie Bliss pattern from this book. My gauge is right on, yet this sleeve looks huge! The pattern says the sleeve will be five inches long with cuff turned back. This is eight inches sans cuff, so that's gonna be one huge cuff. What worries me even more, though, is the measurement from the top of the sleeve to the sleeve seam. Right now--before seaming--it's four inches! I think a six-year-old could get his arm in there. The entire sweater is only 10.5 inches from shoulder to hem. Grrr.

I hate to rip this all out, but I sure think the pattern is wonky. I may also run out of yarn before it's all over. Sigh. Most likely I'll keep going and see what happens. Full steam ahead?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I'm at a crossroads like this, I ask myself a very important question: will this imperfection just bug the crap out of me till the end of time, or just till the end of knitting the project. Obviously, if it's going to bug you till the end of time, frog it. If you can live with it once it's left your hands, go with it. Unless you run out of yarn. Then it's a whole other issue...

Carole Knits said...

I think you should listen to the little voice in your head. Perhaps a Baby Surprise Jacket would be a better choice.

Leslie said...

Karen, this is meant as a gift for my neighbor's baby; I'll likely never see it on him, so I suppose it can't bug me too much! And Carole, I wanted to knit a BSJ, but I made one in this same LL yarn and it came out so small, I don't think it would fit the little guy when he actually needs to wear it (around 4-5 months). That's why I hunted around for a simple pattern in a 6-month size. Sigh again.

La Cabeza Grande said...

Leslie, double-check your expected finished measurements against standard measurements for comparison: http://www.yarnstandards.com/babysize.html. That might give you a bit of a pattern reality check.

BTW, I went to the DB website to see if there was any errata for that book, but could not find any. Best of luck!

Unknown said...

As long as the body is coming out the right size, keep going. Sleeves can be turned back, and babies grow.

clothesknit said...

at first glance i thought you were knitting an ez unvention. maybe that would be a better route? sadly the two times i knit a db pattern it was a disaster and i couldn't find errata.

Katy said...

A friend of my knitted a pair of booties from a DB pattern, and she said they turned out to be huge. (I do believe her words may have been that a six-year-old could have worn them. ;-)) Since that experience, she has heard from her LYS connections that DB patterns are notoroius for their errors.

Rani said...

I don't think they look that big. The sleeves look quite normal, in fact. Is there any way to try it on? Can you 'borrow' a baby that it would fit and see? Take it with you next time you hit the grocery store and ask a nice looking mother if she would let you hold it up to the baby. Don't despair! I think it looks fine!