Shrink a sweater FO?

#1

so I finished the Direct Cable Vest from creative knitting. It came out really well, the cables are all correct, there are no dropped stitches, and the edges all lined up perfectly for seaming. But there is a problem with the finished piece- it’s a tiny bit too big.

I did a gauge swatch, and though it was correct, i must really knit differently over large pieces, since the gauge is 14 stitches per 4 inch rather than 17 per. is there a way to shrink it? if i put it into the laundry with a regular load, will it shrink significantly? or will it felt? should it go into the dryer?

i only need to shrink it a tiny bit, not too much; and i don’t want to ruin the yarn, so if shrinking doesn’t work, i can frog it. I used lambs pride worsted weight, i got 14 stchs per inch on us size 4 needles.

if someone knows, would you mind posting a reply?

#2

If you wash it, it will probably felt. Even if you use cold water, the agitation will felt it. I don’t know about just putting in the dryer…
Maybe someone else knows. I would hate for you take a chance though and ruin all of your hard work.

#3

yes, i don’t really want to waste the work either. it didn’t really take too long to knit, ten days or so, and there is a whole weekend of football coming up, but i’d rather not frog the whole thing. though, i suppose i could frog up to the point where the arm holes start- those are really where it’s too big. eeeh, but do do all those cables over again; blech.

boy, we really suffer for our craft don’t we?