I have a finished sweater that I’ve been meaning to show you for a few weeks. After the 10-year sweater, it seems amazing to me that I can finish a sweater in a reasonable amount of time. I started this sweater the week between Christmas and New Year’s and after three weeks I had the front and back finished but it was apparent that I would run out of yarn, so I had to wait a few weeks for some yarn to arrive from overseas.
By the time we went to Utah, all the pieces were done and I’d started to sew it all together. It was apparent that it was going to be too big, so I tossed it aside while I debated what to do. Finish it or tear it all apart? Hmmmm.
A week or so after we returned, I decided to just put it together and see what happened. And Guess What?
It’s still too big!
Bummer!!! (Apparently, I’m not as giant as I think I am LOL.)
So, I’m thinking I might get it wet and throw it in the dryer and see if I can shrink it a little bit. Have any of you knitters out there tried that? Do you think it would work???
The pattern is Kilmory in the book Aran Knits by Martin Storey and the yarn is Silkroad Aran Tweed by Jo Sharp in the Beach colorway. It was really fun to knit, in spite of redoing the front yoke three times due to careless mistakes!
(Btw, I loooove those pockets. That may or may not be why I couldn’t tear the sweater apart.)
Anyway, if you think of any other ways to shrink my sweater a little bit, let me know!
XOXO,
Anna
Well I have no idea what you can do to shrink it, but that is one gorgeous sweater!! I absolutely love it. I hope someone out there can solve the size issue for you.
I have tried to shrink a hat I knitted (I wanted it to become felted) and I tried everything under the sun but to no avail. Apparently, the better and more expensive the wool, the harder it is to shrink, which, under normal circumstances, is a good thing, isn’t it. The only thing is to give it away (I think it would fit me perfectly;)!!!!
Beautiful work, Anna. I was thinking of suggesting the dryer. Of course, it will depend on whether was superwash. I have some mittens in Jo Sharp Silk Road Ultra; I think they would shrink in the dryer, they have felted a bit. If you’re never going to wear it the way it is, what do you have to lose?? Good luck!
i shrunk a thrift shop sweater last week. it was entirely unintentional, a laundry disaster – my most fave cardigan in the entire world, which new would cost over $400………….. it would now fit a small toddler who likes Very stiff clothes. so I’m not going to advise shrinking it………………. just in case it is too successful. x
Hi Anna, if you did a swatch and still have it you could throw that in the dryer first to see how it goes? Or if not maybe knit a quick swatch and try it out. I gave my Boxy sweater the dryer treatment because it grew to a ridiculous size when wet and it worked a treat, but I have heard of people who end up with a miniature felted version of their sweater. The question is – would you rather use the yarn again for a different project? If so maybe you should frog???? Easy for me to say…not sure I’d have it in me…
That is awesome Anna, I could never make anything like that . I’m not sure about ‘ shrinking it’ . I would probably just wear it big and sloppy :-)
It’s gorgeous Anna! How can you knit so quickly?? Too big? Send it to me – I’m happy to wear it too big!!
I wouldn’t risk trying to shrink it!! Can’t you just wear it big and sloppy – or sell it to someone so that you can buy more yarn to knit a smaller one?
How come I always seem to be below Anne in the comments? Hi, Anne! :oD
Anyway, what if you tried to shrink it and it went too far? Can you take bigger seams in the sides? If not, leave it and wear it like it is. :o)
Use the sewing machine and zip down the arms and side. When you come to the vent, just turn the garter band in and tack down. Trim excess knitting and wear happy
well i am certainly that giant…and love oversized…so if it really bothers you, ill take it off your hands! :) more snow in the forecast…you see that?
what size sweater is it? I would love it LOL – so beautiful – are you sure you can’t wear it big or does it drown you? I have very long arms and a long torso :) maybe it would fit me
i’m saying go with what Mary said and beware of shrinking. i know nothing about this mind you, but shrinking it scares me to death.
Hi Anna! It’s gorgeous. I love it. But I’m with everyone else who said beware of shrinking it. That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen and wouldn’t it change the feel of it? Just take a bigger seam or wear it big – is my vote! Good luck!
That is one of the many talents and skills I wish I had! I admire you and your beautiful creation!
Amber
Well Anna, I’m not sure about shrinking it, but big sweaters are in style right now! Pair it with a pair of skinny jeans and you’ll look awesome! If you can wear skinny jeans. I can’t. Hey, if worse comes to worse, I’m sure that I’m larger than you and I’d be more than happy to take it off your hands! It’s just beautiful…
It’s beautiful Anna. Too bad it’s so large. You’re tiny. I’d find so someone to gift it too. Or frog it and start over. Good luck with it
It’s lovely but I think I would knit up a little test square to see how much it would shrink before risking the whole sweater in the dryer.
Love how it turned out! You so give me the urge to knit! It “was” my serious hobby back in the late 70’s. So many sweaters under my belt. Sadly, I don’t wear them anymore. I still have them! They are just stashed away! Gave most of my yarn away! Did keep all of my knitting needles. Ya just never know! Thank you for sharing your new finished sweater! Cheers!
Oh, no! I am so sorry. I think that’s why I stopped making clothing for myself – way too much work to have it not look quite right. I hope you figure out a way to salvage it so you can love wearing it. It’s way to pretty not to enjoy.
I LOVE the big sweater! It’s beautiful. I would just wear it big, like a boyfriend sweater, with a white shirt underneath. Roll up the sleeves if you have to. It’s gorgeous!
Love the sweater. Agree…the pockets are AWESOME! I am not the one to ask about shrinking sweaters. I might’ve put one of Mr. Jones wool sweaters through the wash. Looks like it could fit one of Snow White’s gang now. Ooops.
Easy – just eat more cake!
love the oatmeal color of you sweater. I have big baggy sweater that I have loved wearing this winter. It has one pocket and is perfect for my ipod. To big even with a turtle neck and jeans? You must be tiny cause it doesn’t look all that big.
I think a controlled shrinking might do the trick -let us know
I’m with the wear it big and sloppy folk … maybe because that’s how I like to wear my own sweaters, but I think it will look awesome that way.
I’ve tried the yarn you’ve used and I wasn’t too keen on how it felt in my hand, despite it knitting up beautifully. How have you found it?
Years ago, I knit a sweater with some extremely-expensive-to-me Manos del Uruguay yarn, and the more I wore it, the bigger it got. When it became unwearable, I washed it in the washer and dried it in the drier, and that did work. I figured I wouldn’t be out anything if the experiment failed, since I couldn’t wear it the way it was. Having said that, my latest crafting phase has been sewing mittens out of wool sweaters I buy a Goodwill and felt in the washer and dryer using the same process. Some of them come out Barbie sized! I haven’t figured out yet what determines which sweaters will shrink down to nothing and which ones will just come out nicely felted.
I say you wear it ‘as is’! nothing beats a baggy soft sweater on a cold winter’s morn! ;p otherwise, send it to me because I know it will fit me! i know it! ;p
Tough one. The sweater and especially the cabling is beautiful, if you did shrink it (aka felt it a bit) it would be a bit stiffer, but I wouldn’t do it in the washing machine unless you wanted it to shrink A LOT…. like, ruin it. To wet felt it by hand, sandwich the sweater in between two pieces of window screen and baste the edges of the screen together. Mix up a slurry of grated bar soap and some dish soap (which is alkaline and good for wool) then (in a place that can get wet, and on a table that can get wet, with rubber gloves on) pour HOT SCALDING water on the sweater and some of the soap, then roll it on the dowel. Do this on both sides and this way you can gently felt something through heat and agitation, without it getting crazy shrunk.
I should really tute this on my blog with pics so it makes sense! But if the wool will felt, this method will gently shrink your sweater. That said, it is lovely as it is and I would wear it big! Nice work!
I am so sorry your sweater is too big. It is so gorgeous. Love the beautiful cables on the front.
Oh wow Anna! Your knitting skills are amazing, too bad about the size, sorry I can’t help much there. I had the same thought as you, try the washing mashine and the dryer but that could also change the portions :/ — you should just order some more yarn, give this one away and make another one before spring! LOL
It looks wonderful! I’m not going to advice you on the shrinking part, as I’ve ruined more than one self knitted sweater by putting it in the dryer, or washing it too hot ;-(
I vote that you just eat lots of girl scout cookies. Then it might fit. ;)
Oh-I hit post before I said how beautiful it is!! I love it! :)
That sweater is gorgeous. I hope you are able to shrink it to perfection. I love the way you styled it in the tree and with cones and needles (spruce, I think?) prettily in the pocket.
Lovely. Not much help in the shrinking department. Seems like whenever I would like something to shrink, it won’t, and when I definitely don’t want something to shrink, it will! Yes, those pockets are somethin’ else!
It’s just my kind of sweater – if you don’t want it, I’ll take it off your hands? I know the Tumble Dryer thing works when you really don’t want it to and shrinks things but I’ve never tried to do it on purpose. Let us know what happens! xCathy
It turned out beautiful. I’m sorry I can’t help you with this one. Try his gal, her name is Kathryn and she owns a yarn shop, I’m betting she might be able to help you…http://www.ewetopiafibershop.com/
Oh dear, too big? It’s beautiful. Can you grow a little bit?
No shrinkage advice for you but beautiful sweater. Let us know what you decide to do and what the outcome was.
This might be my most favorite *as seen on the internet* sweater pattern ever. Can’t bear to even think of how one might address the size issue. (Eat more desserts?)
Stepping away…will wait for the next report. ;-)
Hi Anna, the sweater is stunning. I love the rustic styling in the tree too-lol.
Oh, how I wish I could knit. I could never get past what looks like chicken scratch for directions and I’ve never gone beyond just the basics. Knit one, purl two or whatever it is-lol.
This is lovely and so beautifully detailed. Your cable stitches (is that what it’s called?) is stunning. Wow.
So glad I popped over to browse around.
Enjoy your day,
Lisa