OK - this is how it is. Despite being measured up against him, my knowledge that he has a long torso, adding several inches to the body length, and his agreeing that the knitted length was just fine, since wearing it a fair bit, we've had to acknowledge the bitter truth that my hubby's Jet Jumper is really a little short. Bugger.
So - what to do?! I still have 2 balls of the wool, in the same dye lot. I was thinking of picking up stitches along the lower edge and knitting another few inches of ribbing 'downwards'. If I make it the same length as the existing band, the 'line' where I've picked up stitches hopefully won't be too obvious, or will at least look like a 'design feature'.
Anything else you can think of? And adding a frilly ruffle along the hem is really not a feasible option... although maybe if I got him really drunk - I mean really drunk....??!
If there is an actual finished edge at the bottom of the jumper (hem, ribbing, ruffle, whatever) and you are feeling brave...
ReplyDeleteCut the yarn about an inch up from the bottom edge, pick up the stitches of the body and knit down, and then graft the 'old' edge back on. I have done this in the past (shortening sleeves, but it's the same idea) and the hardest part was picking out the blasted seam and then re-sewing it later.
If you're not quite THAT brave, then just cut off the bottom edge, pick up the stitches, knit down, re-knit a new ribbing or hem or whatever, and finish it that way. It takes a little more time but if grafting scares you, it's a good alternative. (Grafting the old edge on can really save time, though, especially if it's a complicated ribbing or hem or something.)
The easiest way to cut knitting like this, by the way, is to snip just one stitch and then unravel in either direction, picking up stitches as you go.
Good luck, and repeat after me: That's not a mistake, it's a unique design element.
Thank you for your ideas Julie - that sounds like what I need to do! The edge is just a simple cast-on, and I think I'm brave enough to cut it... may need a steadying glass of wine or two, but it'll happen :) (Any more than that and I'll be chopping away without a care in the world, and he may no longer *have* a jumper!)
ReplyDeletePics of the jumper are here.
I love your Blog, BTW, and really enjoyed your swatching article on Knitty :D
Damn, I was going to say frill it. I mean, he's happy with odd socks, this is merely and extension (if you'll pardon the pun).
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Jejune. FWIW, I'd unravel the cast on edge and knit down.
Oooh, option 2. Shrink husband. First get some really hot water, then dunk man. Alcohol and earmuffs (for you) optional but advised.
ReplyDeleteI LIKE it - he's always been to tall! The perfect lateral thinking solution :D
ReplyDeleteMy husband's been on a killer diet to make weight for his military job... that worked too, but it's not much fun living with a guy who is eating nothing but steamed veggies. And it did nothing for his height.
ReplyDeleteNow this is where my recent frankenjumper experience is going to be useful..
ReplyDeleteSeeing as you have a 2x2 rib on the bottom, knitting down is going to look crappy. There will be a row where the ribs are staggered by a half stitch. And the Vs on the knits will change direction.
I recommend cutting off the ribbing section entirely, then unravelling it. You can use that yarn to reknit down again.
Unravelling from the bottom up is a complete pain in the @$$. Unravelling from the top down is much much easier.
Then knit in stockinette the extra required length downwards. You won't be able to tell where the join was on stockinette. Then you can knit the ribbing again downwards. The Vs on the ribbing at the bottom being in the opposite direction from the Vs on the cuffs won't be noticeable except to people in the know.
Or you could cut off the ribbing and just knit new longer ribbing downwards. But don't try to just keep knitting the ribbing down because it will look crappy I reckon. And the join needs to be done on the stockinette section.
Good luck!
Thank you everyone for your ideas (and commiserations to Julie for the height of her husband...knee-ectomy comes to mind ;) I started off carefully undoing my long-tail cast on at SnB on Tuesday night, with the guidance and support of Taph, Spidey and Judes. I finally made it to the end of the row (which took ages), pulled and... bugger - nothing! Unravelling from the bottom up clearly wasn't going to work. Damn.
ReplyDeleteSo yesterday I threaded my 4.5mm bamboo circular needle through each stitch in the last row of stocking stitch fabric, snipped the first stitch in the next row down, and laboriously unpicked the first row of 1x1 ribbing. Finally, the band came off! I then skeined it, attached my new ball of Jet to the live stitches, and knit down in stocking stitch! There is now an extra 15 cm of jumper body (on the front half, anyway), and I'm about half-way through the ribbing - hurrah! It looks really good, too - I'll post pics soon.
So I still need to do the back half (I decided against knitting it in the round - since I knit the jumper as flat pieces, and I know my tension is a little different when I knit on circulars.). Hubby is away in Melbourne this week, so he knows nothing... I'm kind of hoping that I can do all these alterations before he gets back tomorrow afternoon, and then not say anything (that bit will be hard!), so when he next puts on the jumper he'll be all like - "Woooah, the jumper GREW!" and I can mess with his mind and freak him out a bit. Always fun to keep the relationship on its toes ;)