Amanda Takes Off...

So I never wrote about why knitting on size 3 needles was crazy. It seems like a lot of people thought that just knitting on that size of needle was crazy.

No, the real reason I was crazy is because I was trying to crank out this sweater in time for our engagement photo sessions.

And even though the session was rescheduled...I did it.

Now, cranking out a sweater in two weeks isn't terrible, if it's worsted weight or so (4 to 5 stitches per inch). But this was not worsted weight.

Two Saturdays ago I started knitting this pattern. This is not my pattern. I finished it Saturday night. Fifteen days (inclusive) from start to finish on size 3 needles. That was 7 stitches and 10 rows per inch.

The pattern itself was frustrating. I found multiple math errors, and when I asked the designer about them, she didn't answer me for five days. I had to send her a second message to get any answer, and when I did, she got the math even more wrong. Had I followed her "corrections," the pattern would have made no sense. I even found errors in sizes I wasn't knitting.

I think the sleeves, as designed, are too tight and possibly too short, in general. At a size 50" bust, the sleeve is only 15" at the underarm. I know that everyone's body is different, but show me a woman with a 15" bust and a 15" arm, please. Since I was going for negative ease, it worked, but...

(I went for negative ease because I am busty enough. I didn't need the shell/fan pattern and a ton of extra fabric in front.)

On top of that, there were other typos and inconsistencies, too. The directions for an I-cord tie wouldn't actually make I-cord. The schematic was incomplete, too. The ridges ride up when I move, so I'm hoping that slightly overblocking the yarn will help. I need to be careful though, because if this yarn is overblocked, it won't go back to its original shape.

The pattern is original and beautiful, but I was reminded of why I tend to do my own thing. I know a lot of knitter love this designer's work, but if I weren't an experienced knitter, I would've had a lot of problems. This makes me want to go over my own published patterns one more time with a fine-tooth comb.

Good Man helped me find beads at Michael's, but fitting those big beads through the little hole (2 sts wide) was a fun experience. My sweater gave birth! To a baby bead!

When I put on the sweater to take photos today, Good Man nearly started drooling. OK, I guess he likes it.