Aaaaaaaaugh! I'm an Idiot!

...



I've been working steadily on an ambitious knitting project: an elaborately patterned cardigan, made up of yarn that I dyed with plants that I either foraged or grew in my garden. (And no, I did not dye that crazy green at the bottom. That's just a temporary place-holder.)




The decoration is complicated, so I've been trying to keep the shaping simple.  I'm basing my garment on the proportions of a favorite store-bought cardigan.  




I used the existing sweater to create paper templates. And then I knit to fit the templates. I'm knitting both sleeves at one time, in a large tube. I'm going to cut the tube apart, which will result in two identical sleeves. 




The knitted motifs are based on historical garments, although I shuffled around the placement of the various bits. 

I thought I was really clever. 

But, in fact, I'm an idiot. 

Look at the photo above this block of text. Do you see the area between the two blue knitting needles?  See how there's a big yellow motif, made up of s sort of flower surrounded by brackets?  See how it lines up, inside the blue lines? Top yellow band has a big flower, smack between the blue needles. Next yellow band has the same thing. And the yellow band at the bottom of the photo?  The one that I'm currently knitting?  The one that has taken me two nights to do?





I could just cry. 





Comments

Barby said…
Lisa this is an amazing project. I am in awe. Now, remember that perfection is something we must always seek but never achieve, because then there would be nothing to strive for! Beautiful work. Kudos to you
Anonymous said…
This word . . . idiot

I do not think it means what you think it means.
Anonymous said…
A lot of rug makers overseas, and native Americans PLAN to put in mistakes on purpose in their rungs, weaving a, knitting, in order as a method of "signing" their work. Consider this signed!
Annalisa
Celia Hart said…
Undo and reknit. It's worth it. That's what I'd do xx

Looks amazing. And I love the colours!
Renee Anne said…
Yeah, I wouldn't have noticed until later and even then, I probably would have ignored it.....but it would have driven me nuts and I would have fixed it because I'm classy like that. Or not.
Resident Squint said…
I just saw that yellow flower motif on a man's vest on the first episode of "Home Fires" just now showing on PBS Masterpiece. I'm loving how this is working up. I agree, I'd reknit it too.
Cinderellen said…
It's a beautiful and ambitious project, which of course makes this kind of thing happen :( Of course you'll rip back. What I tell myself when I have to rip it is that if I really like knitting I should enjoy having more of it to do. It's less convincing after the fifth rip, I admit.
Lisa said…
NO WAY!!!!

Someone also pointed out that this motif is used on Charlie's costume in the Tim Burton Willy Wonka movie.
It took me 3 tries to see the error you were talking about. You should NOT rip it out because no one, NO ONE, will ever notice it! Of course, if you mention it and show it to people . . .

This, dear Lisa, is what makes you an artisan and ME just a hack quilter.

DoubleSaj

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