Feeling discouraged...

[KnittyKitty]

So my cardigan isn't coming out quite like I'd imagined... I thought I got the gauge right but I only ended up using half the required balls of yarn. I'm now on the button bands and the neck band still needs to be done but I'm just not motivated to complete it as its a complete mess. And just for the record... I hate seaming!!!! I just couldn't stick to two rows to do the mattress stitch - I'm pretty sure I butchered it. Its too short in the back as well. The blocking process (I'm not even sure I did it right) didn't fix all the rolling from the stockinette stitch. There are a ton of ends to weave in too and I'm just not feeling it.

I'm unsure now... I'm wondering if any of the other projects I want to do will flop like this one.

Here are a few pics of the disaster so far:





Lisa

[KellyK]

I would not call that a DISTASTER. A disaster is what happens when the dog chews out several rows or when the piece becomes somehow otherwise completely wrecked and unwearable. I would say DISASTER always involves holes of some sort.

RE: the back being too short, how does it look when its ON you?

Blocking can cure all kinds of things.... lay your cardi on the floor on a towel... place a damp towel on top of the cardi and and iron on the damp towel. if you use a downward motion on the back, you may be able to make it a bit longer!

Sometimes you can fix other little discrepancies with the ends that you weave in, too....

Good luck! Dont give up on it yet! Your stitches are so lovely and even!

[callmesusan]

Gee, gulp, it really has a lovely start. I love the color and it looks like a sweater. I have only made two sweaters and my experiences were a bit like yours. The first one, I patched together and it is definitely wearable, and I do, sometimes... The second one is huge, despite the guage being dead on. I put that one away, waiting for summer to pass. I intend to get her out again and fix her somehow.

I chalked them both up to learning experience, but I know how discouraging it is to be so excited with anticipation and work so hard to get less than awesome results. I keep wondering how all the knitters on this forum get wearable projects to actually be, well, wearable.

You might want to finish her and see if some of the problems straighten themselves out when completed. As far as the bottom hem goes, you could just button the bottom couple of buttons--I think that is a cute look.

I say wear it with pride that you made a sweater!!! That is an accomplishment to celebrate in any case. As for me, I'm sticking to projects that don't have to fit for a while.

[Ingrid]

I don't think it looks bad at all!! Nothing will stop stockinette from rolling, and once you finish the button band, it won't be an issue, anyway.

There's no law that says if you're not happy with a project that you have to finish it. One thing is for sure, though, and that's that you learned a lot from doing this sweater and you will remember and apply all that knowledge to the next one. You stitching is great, your raglan shaping looks perfect. To be honest, it's hard to see anything 'bad' about it. It is possible that you picked up too many stitches for the front band. It would lay flatter if you had picked up fewer--like 3 out of 4, or 4 out of 5.

[IndianPrincessSIP]

I'm with Kelly, I don't think like it looks like a disaster. I think it's pretty cool.

On perfection~
I was working on a toe decrease for a pair of cotton socks I am making, and got confused if I was on a decrease row or a knitround one. So I knit around, only to realize a few rows later that it should have been a decrease row. It is uneven. The first thing I thought was, now this wouldn't get a blue ribbon at the fair! ha. It's going to be wrapped around a loved ones TOE for cryin out loud! On the ground, in Shoes! Not under the microscope in a judging booth. I know it's there, now You know it's there, but n o one else ever will!

It stays as is.

Your sweater, dispite what you see as booboo's is Very Cool. I really like it, and like Kelly said the stitches are gorgeous. Take a needle and sew up that little edgy thing and try blocking like Kelly suggested, and wear that baby with pride.

You get a Blue Ribbon, in this judges booth.

[Ellen Edwards]

I think your knitting looks fine!! As Ingrid says, stockinette always rols!!

But I KNOW what you mean about the empty awful disappointed feeling of never wanting to finish it. I just finished my first pair of clogs--the 2nd one is NOTHING like the FIRST --and I don't know which one is right--I just want to trhow them in the trash. I can't even figure out where to begin to rip one out and start over even if I could figrue out which one is done RIGHT!!!! ARRRRRRRGH!

Wow, I think it looks great! Ingy's absolutely right--even if you frog this (which I hope you don't!), you have learned much more than you ever could have just reading about sweater-making. You've actually knit a sweater! A good looking sweater!

My first sweater didn't turn out like I wanted it to, either. The arms are too big at the shoulders, and I can't seam worth crap. But I made it! And I wear it.

Please don't let this one experience discourage you! Learn from it, grow from it, and next time you knit a sweater, you'll have a much better feel for how it's made and what you need to do.

Maybe you can set this project aside for awhile and then return to it with fresh eyes, and maybe an appreciation for all that you did 'right' (I see all right, frankly!)--then perhaps the 'mistakes' you see now will just become 'hand-knit design features' that you can live with happily!

[KnittyKitty]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! You are correct - I will treat this as a learning experience. I won't give up! I'll give it a rest and then get back in there! :XX:

I promise a photo of it when I finish it up.

Thanks again!

Lisa

[Hildegard_von_Knittin]

keep on keepin' on Lisa!

Atta girl, Lisa!!