My dilemma

General Knitting
1

[color=indigo][/color] :thinking: A friend at work taught me to knit this past January (I have crocheted for years). After knitting a hat, a couple of scarves, and a pair of baby booties and matching hat, she assigned me the task of knitting a sweater for my soon to be 4 yr old granddaughter. The sweater is called ‘The Wonderful Wallaby’ and is a pullover hoodie w/a pocket.

I have the first 10" done on the body, along w/the pocket, and today finished my second sleeve. I have to tell you, I was quite proud of myself to figure out how to use those double point needles! Anyway, the directions called for using size 8 16" circular needles to do the main part of the sleeve once you got thru the experience of using the four needles to knit the cuffs. In my head, this is wrong, but I didn’t know any better at the time, so did what the directions said. When I finished the cuff on the second sleeve, I used size 8 12" circular needles which was much easier and not so stressful as I didn’t like how the 16" needles stretched the stitching out so much. So, I have my first sleeve, measuring 10 1/2" long, and my second sleeve measuring the same. I counted the rows (which for me is about as easy to do as it is to read a knitting pattern!) and there is a difference of six rows, which really stresses me out. In my brain, this is due to the fact of the 16’ needles stretching out the knitting as I did the first sleeve. I was set to rip out the first sleeve down to the cuff, but she told me that I should just go by the measurement for the length of the sleeve, as that is what the pattern says to do, or I can split the difference and add a couple rows.

Now, this has me completely befuddled. Should I just go by the pattern and use the length or sit here and dwell on the row count? By looking a them, you can’t tell that there is a difference in the row numbers, and the stitches all look the same…so I’m sure I am worrying for nothing.

Thanks for any replies!
pat.[color=indigo][/color]

2

It is difficult to be a perfectionist and be a crafter, no? If it were me and my sweater, this situation would really grate on my nerves as well. However, I would try to relax and take a deep breath and realize that if the sleeves are the same length and no one (except you because that will be the first thing you think about when someone admires your beautiful handiwork) else sees a problem, then it’s all good and you should just put the sweater together. It probably is the change in needle length that caused it. A friend of mine said that the only unforgivable mistake in knitting is splitting your yarn, the rest is just design modification. If you can’t stand it, or you think it will make a difference in the finished piece, by all means redo. The only thing you don’t want to do is get too frustrated and throw the thing across the room. (I have done that) :lol:

It sounds like your knitting skills are quite good. I’d love to see the finished sweater. Where did you get the pattern?

3

Sara,
I purchased the pattern down the street at the yarn store. It’s a little booklet from someplace in Iowa. When I am at work tomorrow with the pattern (yes, they let us knit or do other crafts at work!), I will post the name of the place it came from.

I am actually quite impressed with what I have done so far…especially since my friend was supposed to be doing the same sweater for her daughter at the same time I was doing this one, but she is still on her last sweater, so…

When I get it done, I will attempt to post a picture of it. It is knit w/Cascade 220, the body is in a deep rosy maroon, and the pocket is in a light pink. I chose these colors because Ryan (the soon to be four year old) is a big fan of Strawberry Shortcake.

pat.

4

I wouldn’t fret about the row count. As long as both sleeves are the same length and length is correct for the recipient, then all is well! …IMHO…:thumbsup: