FI friday.

...I just had the complete pleasure of posting about (someone else's) finished objects (FOs) and I was searching for some other (polite!) word I'd use to describe the state of my friday knitting.

FI=fit issues. as in what in the world was I thinking to keep knitting all the way through the yoke and halfway down the body without trying on the sweater. (is there a word for idiot that starts with F?)

I'd struggled (for reasons I hate to even contemplate - it's not a pretty picture of my knitting skills!) with the lace charts and had to rip and re-knit twice to make my way through the yoke. All the more reason to be absolutely sure before I considered the yoke "done" that it fit! but no, I didn't take those five minutes to put the sweater on scrap yarn and try it on - I guess I was just so happy to be "on pattern" and through the hard part...

but I had a nagging doubt and this morning I decided maybe it would be a good idea to check. and yes, it was a very good idea. because it was way. too. big. I had checked my gauge - I knew my row gauge was about 5% bigger...but the sweater was too big by about 30%. my measurements are just smaller than the pattern knits up. and one of the great things about top down is that you can check that as you go. and I failed to do that. huge lesson learned.

and a great reminder that top down isn't only great because you avoid sewing. it's really because you can ensure a good fit!

so I've now ripped back, checked stitch counts, synched back up with the lace chart and I'm ready to start the body (and yes, I've tried it on two more times just to be sure).

p.s. I had been about this being "just" a knitting blog. and today I worried about this being a knitting failure blog. thanks for all your support. and for sticking with me!