I got distracted from my honey comb hat and scarf and knit a few other things instead.
These are the sweet little baby booties by Susan B Anderson I told you about. Super cinchy to make! I knit them out of soft soft alpaca and they are for a baby shower gift.
I love the blocky toes, so much like chubby baby feet. I added the felted I-cord for the bow. These are for a boy, but Susan shows little rosettes on hers for a baby girl.
And…here is my Shalom Cardi. I looooved this pattern when I found it on Ravelry. HAD to make it! I didn’t have the right yarn in my stash and new yarn is not in my budget…so I compromised and bought Lyon Brand Wool-ease. Made this for under $20! The original pattern only had one button but I wanted three. I also shortened the length a bit.
The jury is still out on the finished result. I’m feeling a liiiittle like the yoke portion is too long on me. If I re-do this (argh) I may shorten each section by a few rows. It’s looking a little too much like…I don’t know, an Egyptian Cleopatra collar? The original just looks…better. Not liking the 3 buttons now either! Gah!
Oh well. Regardless of my inability to bond with my new sweater, this was a blast to knit and it went quickly due to the nice thick yarn. I wouldn’t mind knitting this again. Kinda.
So, what do you do when your knitting goes awry? Rip it out and start over? Give it away?
Those booties are adorable! The sweater does look a leeetle long. I’m often sick of a pattern by the time I’m done, but if I *really* wanted that sweater I might cut off the yoke and reknit that part, then attach the bottom again. Was the row gauge wonky? It’s a lovely color!
Carrie,
Oh, that’s a good idea. I can just cut it? Eek…I’m not imagining how I would reattach it! Hmmm…have to ponder that.
I thought the gauge was good…but now I’m not so sure!
Betz
Those little booties are just the cutest! I wish I could knit so I could make them but for now I will stick to crochet. Great cardi too!!
I really like the way the sweater looks. I personally don’t think it is too long and I like the three buttons. The color looks terrific on you!
The booties are really cute…I love alpaca wool. There is an alpaca farm just a few miles from me and this weekend they are celebrating their 3rd annual alpaca days. I will go visit those cute little critters and buy some yarn again this year. I am not quite good enough to knit garments, but I do so love lovely wool yarns :+}. It will soon be sweater weather even down here in the south.
*grin* I just keep it to look at. Eventually it might make the way into “rip out and reknit…later. Much later.” The yoke looks funny _only_ if you compare to the original design. 😉 Can you see where I’m going with this thought?
I am fascinated!
I actually just learned how to knit yesterday, but all of that is WAY beyond me!! Awesome job!!!
Booties are ridiculously cute. I agree that something’s not quite right about the cardigan, although it looks cozy. I’m definitely a process person, so I figure it’s better to rip it back and enjoy knitting it all over again. …sometimes with a long break between…until the sweater and I come to terms about it. Why settle for something you won’t use? Give the poor yarn a happy, useful life!
I’m with you in spirit. I recently (almost) finished Orangina, but I wanted just the bust to be done out of lace and the rest in ribbing (there is a lovely example on Ravelry called “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”). Only I’ve knit too much lace and now that it’s blocked it comes much lower than I intended (and the sweater is a bit…tunic length). So, yes, I will be cutting apart black, fingering weight yarn, ripping back at least an inch of the lace and then grafting it back together.
I vow to not banish it to a drawer along with other projects I’m dissatisfied with!
I like it and I’m sure this took a really long time to make so you must keept it!
Jenni
To me the back looks fine – not too long at all. In the front it might only be the three buttons, which make it look to long. Try leaving the lowest one out so that the cardi opens up a bit and falls more losely. Overall I think the cardi looks most comfy and warm and the colour suits you.
If I am not happy with one of my projects I usually don’t even finish it. I have plenty of nearly finished knitting and sewing projects in my stash. I never do anything with them but I can’t throw them away either since so much time went into them already.
The top of the sweater reminds me of a victorian capelet or something, so it doesn’t bother me… Cute little booties, tooo!
Love love love the littles booties!!!! I made some a while back, but they were a different pattern, but these are something else, and look really easy to make too!! So, who’s having a baby next that I can make these for?!
As for the cardi, well it is obviously quite different from the original you give a link to, but i think it’s quite cool as well. I’m too much of a beginner though to give any kind of advice in terms of ripping it apart though sorry!
…..VERY NICE THE LITTLE SHOES…
kisse
simona
Betz, I’ve made three of these sweaters (mine, gift, w/ sleeves and full buttons). I noticed that the first section of yoke was very long, ripped, and only knit 1/2-2/3 of each section so that it ended just below the tops of my shoulders. Megan is a tall woman, and since I’m petite and small boned, I knew mine needed to be smaller. But it is a great pattern. I think I made notes about these on my ravelry page
I may have to make these little booties for my new nephew!
Bridgman pottery, Thank you so much for the tips!
Hi Beth,
I’m kinda with you on the proportions dilemma. I’m not too sure about cutting the top off. I see it immediately unraveling. I vote either gift this one (you could take out the bottom band and lengthen it for a taller gift recipient), then reknitting it for yourself with the yarn you love :o) It would be very special since you’d know exactly what you like.
Cute booties!
I think your sweater yoke would look better on you 2/3 of the size. So one option would be to basically take out that 3rd tier. It would really be not too much new knitting that way.
To “cut” the bottom off you don’t need to actually cut all the way around. Just snip one thread and undo it in both directions, while picking up the stitches for the bottom section.
Sorry, I’ve been reading EZ that last several nights and it’s making me very empowered about cutting!
I think the main problem with the sweater is that it doesn’t fit you with the same ease as the original picture you linked to.
In the pattern, she lists a 32″ sweater as fitting a 34-35″ bust, so that means it has 2-3″ of negative ease. It looks like yours fits you with positive ease–I’d guess that if you measured it, you’d find it is a few inches larger than your actual bust size.
It doesn’t look bad, but it has a different style of fit than the picture you were envisioning while you knit it. You could keep it as a looser, more casual sweater, or you could rip it and start again. Personally, I think I’d start again. It shouldn’t be too hard to fix, and it is a pretty quick knit!
Have you looked at the gallery of Shalom FO’s on Ravelry? There are tons of notes about how people adapted it to fit them. A lot of people noted that they shortened the yoke section. I agree yours may be a touch long.
Good luck!
Amy
The booties are sooo gorgeous, definitely the cutest knitted booties I’ve ever seen. I think just being able to knit the cardie is hugely impressive so wouldn’t sweat the yoke size!
Oy, I rip and re-knit until I can’t take it anymore, then I stash it in a bag and “forget” about it. A new project facilitates that process. Eventually the project resurfaces and I take another stab at it. I have one knitting project that’s been stashed, revisited and stashed again. It’s being very patient with me.
Duh, I forgot to say that I LOVE the sweater! Don’t change it! And the booties are precious.
I love that rust color…so FALL!!!
Those booties are darling =)
The booties are adorable. I think the sweater looks better with just one button. Is there anyway to redo the button band? Also, try it on with a long-sleeved t-shirt like shown in the photo. That just might make a difference.
I like the look of it. If you are not satisfied, tear it out and fix it. That’s what knitting does for us: it teaches us patience and perseverance. I probably sound like an old hen.
Anyway, nice job. cluck, cluck, cluck…
First I must say I found your blog from Soulemama and am so glad that I did. I love, love the booties. They make me wish I could knit instead of just crochet.
The cardigan does seem a bit long (in the front) but as such it reminds me more of a capelet which I adore. I think it’s the third button that may be giving you issues.
If you must know what I do when I see a mistake. I rip my projects apart and nothing ever gets done, because I am always making mistakes. Thank-you for asking. As far as this beautiful work of yours…I don’t see any problems. It’s lovely…and those booties are so sweet too. xox
I think the sweater is awesome, maybe because I couldn’t knit and have not advanced much with crochet?? Anyway, have you tried it with a different shirt, a turtleneck maybe, or something that hugs your body and what about with a skirt. I just see so much hard work I want you to be able to redeem it without unraveling it.
As for my “Mistakes” I unravel and re-do or repurpose because I simple can’t waste….I can’t, I’m just too frugal.
I am in the process of knitting the very same thing – but because I am not 6 feet tall like the original knitter I shortened each section of the yoke by 2, so there are only 6 repeats instead of 8. So far, so good.
Don’t you hate it when you invest a lot of time in knitting something and then hate the finished object? Ripping is sooo hard, but having an awful FO is, too.
Hi Christine,
You’re so smart! You’d think I would’ve thought of that but nooo, I just thought shortening the length at the end would suffice. This is precisely why I am first a sewer and second a knitter. 🙂
Good luck with yours!
betz
I do like the sweater!
Those booties also – so simple, yet functional for the new wee little one.
Beautiful work.
Really great!!!
Actually I like yours better than the original. That said, I am trying to download the pattern to see what I might do with it myself.
L Hutch
I really like the Shalom Cardi and think it looks great as it is. Have you tried wearing it with a long-sleeved T-shirt underneath? Maybe the shirt collar is not showing it off to its best advantage – just a thought. Love the baby booties, very sweet.
I’m proud of you for getting around to this so quickly while it still sits in my “que”. Humm, sounds like there are some great suggestions here (and I think I’ll follow some since I’m also petite) and since it seems a relatively quick knit I vote you gift it and start again. Unless you don’t have anyone to gift it to (but my guess is you do).
Oh MY Goodness! Those booties are the most adorable thing I’ve seen in a long time. I only wish I knew how to knit; my grand baby wood be sportin’ those in some girly colors. Great job.
I totally hear you. I’m doing the EZ tomten jacket and it’s giving me a hard time for the sleeves.
I can’t decide if I just want to finish and move one or fix it. Tough call. Would love to know what you finally did.
Did you like the wool after all?
the baby shoes are soo pretty. Where can I buy them from? They’ll be the perfect gift
Tudo muito lindo por aqui. PARABÉNS!!!! Bjus