I've been knitting since I was 8. I'm now 70. I still struggle with gauge. I can't tell you the number of sweaters that I've made that are too big to wear. Despite doing gauge every time I end up doing smaller sizes on smaller needles. Crazy. But I still love the process. It's about the journey rather than the destination for me. Enjoyed your video. Thank you.

@showandtellmeg

19 күн бұрын

I agree! Sometimes it just happens despite our best efforts. Thanks so much for watching :)

I am now reknitting a sweater that I had almost done already: I did the whole body, looked at it ans decided I don't like the pattern. I had that moment "yeah, I can carry on and end up with a piece I don't like and don't wear, or I can unravel it and try to improve' At least, knitting is kind to its producer in terms that you can unravel and start over, and you won't end up with a pile of scraps as in sewing.

@showandtellmeg

23 күн бұрын

I totally agree! I have completed sweaters that are too big for me now and I have them waiting to be unraveled and made into something that does fit. Its great :)

Very interesting. I don't knit but I crochet. I'm very new to this hobby and I had to unravel a ton of projects and hours of work because of the mistakes I made somewhere along the way. I never think of it as wasting my time though. I learn something new with every project so even when I don't end up with the finished item I feel like I accomplished something by just working on it. I really enjoyed listening to your view on this!

@showandtellmeg

29 күн бұрын

Thats great that you already have that mindset - you'll be able to go much farther in making things since you won't have to combat your own issues about not being perfect like I did. Its definitely not wasting time because you're learning :)

@marsy1480

27 күн бұрын

That’s a really positive attitude. 🩷

I deal with the disappointment of needing to rip things out by reminding myself that as soon as I finish I’m going to stat something else and of course i find the product useful and enjoyable but I also enjoy my knitting time. In the end you get something to wear that you love.

I am a believer in frogging an item if it no longer gives you joy. Glad that you took that step, because in the end it increased you overall output. 😉🙂

Best lesson for sweater knitting... try it on as you go.

I’m sitting here trying to hand wind a hank of gorgeous hand painted yarn that I found at Joann’s today. It’s taken me two hrs and I’m still at it. I want to scream. But after watching your video I’ll persevere bc the yarn will make a beautiful scarf. I can’t quit because it’s hard. So thanks fr the pep talk, Meg.

@showandtellmeg

23 күн бұрын

I'm so glad it helped :) Yeah hand winding is a slog. I got a cheap winder off Amazon pretty quickly after hand winding a few skeins lol. Knit picks has good sales on theirs too sometimes, nd I recently found one at a thrift store! I'll think good thought of you finding a winder before your next project haha.

Oh my heart. I have had that sweater half knit for years! haha might have to finish it now : )

I totally get it and have frogged total projects to make into something usable. I like the original color but love the second color!!!

First time viewer - really needed to hear this today. Thank you.

@showandtellmeg

23 күн бұрын

I'm so glad it helped! Thanks for watching :)

Ahhhh yes, knitter's denial.... when you know something isn't right, but you've spent X numbers of hours on the project so it can't POSSIBLY be all for naught! Of course, in reality it's all learning. In my early knitting career, I gave away or donated so many sweaters that just weren't right for me. Now I'm a lot more willing to rip out and start over ;)

Mine was the blanket that changed my crochet. I had resigned myself to never being able to read patterns. They stumped me (inc/dec/repeats/rounds) just didn't' make sense on paper, I couldn't decipher. I always needed a video to show me how, But one pattern changed all that, I diligently followed a YT crochet along and followed her pattern along with the video. Something clicked, I now can do many patterns without any visual help which opened a whole new world of crocheting. I can do more intermediate/expert patterns with textured stitches. I'm glad I didn't give up on raising my crochet skills.

@showandtellmeg

24 күн бұрын

Absolutely! I'm all for the easy projects, but when we push ourselves through a hard one it can majorly change what you are capable of in the future. Thanks for sharing :)

This is a really important lesson in any endeavor. I've restarted or reworked so many projects in my life because I knew I wouldn't be happy with them in the long run. Sometimes it takes a bit for me to make the decision -- might leave it by a while -- but in the end, it's always better to proceed with the course that will give you a result you will actually love. And of course, I always feel like I learn the most in those situations because they are the most challenging ones. Challenging yourself inevitably risks some sort of "failure", but that's how we grow and discover new skills, etc. Sometimes, of course, the decision comes down to whether or not you want to continue with a project at all if you've started to realize that you'll never wear or enjoy it, and giving yourself the permission to let something go is a valuable lesson to learn, too. That material might simply be made for something else.

@showandtellmeg

26 күн бұрын

Absolutely! I've had a few projects I knew wouldn't work out how I wanted, so I give myself permission to let those go. Its a hard balance to strike sometimes.

@AmoCultumAlo

26 күн бұрын

@@showandtellmeg So very true. This one really sank in for me fairly recently when I finally unraveled a vintage 1950s sweater I had started. It was the one that really got me into knitting because I so wanted to make it, but when it came down to it, I hated the process of working on it, it would have taken probably a year or more to finish (lace-weight yarn), and I had realized that the style wasn't one that would be comfortable for me in practice. In the end, I had to let it go, and it was completely the right decision for me.

I knitted a super bulky mohair wool alpaca blend sweater in super quick time one weekend about 25 years ago. The thing is so hot you could cook a goose in it without an oven. It’s gorgeous, but I live somewhere it never snows, and I do not run out of fingers when I count the number of times I’ve worn it 😳

@showandtellmeg

16 күн бұрын

I feel this to my core! I live in Florida, so while I love making sweaters, I have to be realistic about what types of fibers I can wear. I have a stash of mohair and I can't deny having a bit of fomo that everyone else is making these cool sweaters with mohair held with another yarn and things like that - but I know I would NEVER get to wear it! lol I feel the same about Icelandic yarn. I have some, but I'm afraid to make anything with it because I don't think I would ever get to use it. It's a bummer, but sometimes just admitting our external limitations can save us from a lot of wasted effort.

You are so right and I just want to add that there is nothing wrong with it if someone decides that knitting just isn't doing it for them and puts it aside. I like that saying 'Do what you love and love what you do'. I love the process of knitting. And I love the process of finding the colors that will suit the pattern and me. I'm at a time in my life when I have a bit extra money to spend on nice yarn. And I've discovered the creative joy in do overs until I love the product. This goes for my knitting and the other crafts I do. Now, I'm not saying it has to be 'perfect'. Nope. There is some wiggle room here. I'm just saying that I want to look at it and feel that happy warm fiz in my chest or at least feel pleased. I want to wear it and feel comfortable. Thanks for doing this video because I think a lot of new knitters really need that reassurance while they find their knitting stride.

@showandtellmeg

21 күн бұрын

Yep, its definitely harder for new knitters to rip out and redo, but when I finally embraced that its just a part of making things, it really changed how I look at all of it :) Thanks so much for your insight!

Thank you made me think of my crafty journey. I love the process and if not happy with the final fit happy to frog and restart the journey 😍

I started working on a crochet dress (Maria pattern from Courtney at Tinderbox crochet). I haven't touched it in a year and I do know there were some issues regarding gauge. This video really motivated me to start over, properly. Thank you. ❤

@showandtellmeg

11 күн бұрын

Thats so great! Im glad it could help. That sounds like it will be lovely once it's done :)

Sehr kluger und wichtiger Beitrag

Great advice. Thank you!

I have been knitting for decades- a LOT of decades!- and I too ripped out a color work Christmas sweater this past year. Worst fit ever!!! HATED it! I do intend to re-knit it but need to really concentrate on gauge and fit. Fingering yarn so need plenty of time! Enjoyed you story. Good job.

@showandtellmeg

Ай бұрын

I feel your pain! Especially on colorwork because I'm soooo slow at it lol. Thanks so much for watching and I hope that the sweater fit goes better the next time for you!

You are very insightful and make a lot of sense when you say, it’s trial and error. And it’s about enjoying the journey and that things don’t have to be prefect. That a craft like knitting takes time, and that we are human, and of course make mistakes. We learn from the mistakes. But I can’t accept the mistakes,,, and depending on where a mistake is in the project, I need to fix it. Unless it’s somewhere where it really doesn’t show. I think I’m ready to do a sweater and I am trying to not let fear of failure get in my way! Thank you for the wise words.

@showandtellmeg

29 күн бұрын

I'm so glad it struck you :) I think the best thing with a first sweater is to jump in and just know it might be a bit of do something, take it out, do it again. Im the same that if there's a big mistake, I will pull back to fix it. Some smaller ones I leave depending on the level of hassle it would be to fix, but most of the time I like to fix things I know will bug me later. I hope you have a great time knitting a sweater! Its addictive!

Very inspiring!

Very real and encouraging thank you.

Very good video. Thanks.

Merhaba çok güzel bir paylaşım olmuş elinize sağlık 🎉🎉🎉

I love your sweater, and your thoughts on knitting. ❤🧂Picked up knitting again after 20 yrs not and I have to tell myself it’s ok that you’re not a fast knitter. I do spin my own yarn and you can get wool in white(Corriedale) if you decide to reknit that cardigan.

@showandtellmeg

21 күн бұрын

That's awesome! We don't have to be fast to enjoy it or produce great garments. And I have learned much more about yarn since then but I still can't quite feel that I would wear this more if it was truer to white, lol. I think it's because it's worsted weight. I'm entertaining making a lace weight, short sleeve, white cardi soon and I think I would get a lot more use out of that. And that's awesome about your spinning! I got a wheel for Christmas but have yet to sit down and make myself learn it. It's a goal I have for this year.

You mentioned not being in love with the off-white color. Have you tried "bluing" a swatch to see if that could get a more vibrant white color from that yarn? Just a thought. Thanks for sharing your journey with this project!

@showandtellmeg

21 күн бұрын

I've contemplated that over the years, but honestly I can't even see that I would wear it more if it was closer to actual white, you know?

You can bleach wool yarn by putting it in a bath of hydrogen peroxide for maybe a couple days. No chlorine but h2o2 is fine. Just be sure to rinse it thoroughly when you take it out because it will turn a yucky yellow if you don't. It won't be snow white but it will be a very lovely just barely creamy white. Try it!!

@showandtellmeg

29 күн бұрын

I've always contemplated trying this, but I couldn't decide if I would wear it more as slightly less off white than if it was a different color, you know? Its an option for the future if I ever actually decide what I want from this sweater lol.

I look at it as more knitting time… I knit everyday. I’ve been knitting for years I still dismantle sweaters because they don’t fit. I just did this week. Sleeve too long and body too short. It’s part of the process for me.

@showandtellmeg

14 күн бұрын

Yep! I think once that clicks, it really changes how you knit in general :)

The moral of the story is to make a gauge swatch if youre new to knitting or using a new yarn. If you make 4 stitches per inch then you need 160 stitches for a 40" bust (plus 16 or so for ease unless you want it tight) . Take measurements from a current garment that fits you well and work out how many stitches you need across the back between the sleeves if youre making a fitted cardi like the one in this video.

@showandtellmeg

29 күн бұрын

Yep, thats a great place to start. Its why I was so confused at the time because I did make a gauge swatch lol. I didnt know enough about knitting to diagnose the problem back then, but I got there in the end.

@satsumamoon

28 күн бұрын

@@showandtellmeg I dont think you explained how it ended up too big after youd made a swatch.

@showandtellmeg

28 күн бұрын

@@satsumamoon Back then, I really couldn't diagnose it myself and I pulled it out so I can't check it all to see now. I believe that my gauge changed from my gauge swatch. Im thinking maybe the weight of more stitches on my needle made me not tension the stitches the same. It was 10 years ago now, so I can't remember more than being frustrated and confused lol.

@satsumamoon

28 күн бұрын

@@showandtellmeg oh lol! Ten years IS a long time ago. Yes, not checking the gauge constantly is another thing one can learn the hard way.

This really makes me wonder. I’m recently returned to knitting after 35 years! I’ve made several scarves and hats. I’m ready to move on to knit a vest. In your opinion do you think I should buy some very inexpensive yarn maybe at Michaels and make a “practice vest”. Or should I just jump in and make a vest with better yarn, that I will end of wearing? I sweaters and coat sweaters years and years ago and no I don’t feel secure in making a sweater. Do you think a practice vest is a waste of time or a good idea? Thanks.

@showandtellmeg

29 күн бұрын

My advise would be to just make sure you make it out of something you like the look and feel of. Ive made sweaters before out of the cheap stuff i had on hand, and I enjoyed making them, but I dont really enjoy wearing them. So ive just had to accept that I prefer good yarn when it comes to the finished product and I should be realistic with myself when I see a pretty acrylic. I use it for other things, sure, just not sweaters. But I know other people who prefer the acrylic yarns to wools no matter what the price difference is. So my advise would just be to pick something you know you would like within a budget you're comfortable spending. No need to go for cashmere of something very expensive if you're skeptical of how much you would use it in the end. I hope this helps! And good luck with it :)

@randie5436

29 күн бұрын

@@showandtellmeg Thank you for your response. But do you think I should make practice vest with cheap yarn before I make it in a better quality yarn?

@showandtellmeg

28 күн бұрын

@@randie5436 personally, I would just go for it with the real deal. I like having something I enjoy at the end even if its "practice". Sometimes I will revisit a pattern again years later, but I tend to get bored making the same pattern back to back.

@randie5436

28 күн бұрын

@@showandtellmeg thanks for your reply. I think I will just go for it. I should be braver! I’m not a beginner knitter at this point, I’ve been jumping back in and I should attack it with positivity! Thanks for the push! 😊

@showandtellmeg

28 күн бұрын

@@randie5436 That sounds great to me :) It will all work out great - and if it doesnt, you just pull it out and try again until it does. Good luck!

Great story and encouragement!