Shana, honey, please don’t read this. Your cardigan is wonderful, and I want you to always see it that way. Of course, you probably will because I’d imagine you are much more sensible than me.
So, I finished the first front side of my cardigan.
Yes, yes, it’s very nice. Here’s where it gets troublesome. I was at a friend’s house last night, briefly, to watch her kids while she ran an errand. I took my knitting basket, my VCC pattern, and the start of the other side of the front. I thought about bringing the finished side for reference in case I needed it, but decided against it on account of the extra bulk it would add to my basket. I knit 15 rows of the cable chart before my friend returned, and then I gave it a good, sound look. I thought it looked a bit off. I compared it to the picture on the pattern. It was different. I didn’t think I’d made a mistake, but I could clearly see a difference. I thought about waiting ’til I came home so I could compare it to the other front, but decided that since it was clearly different from the picture, I’d frog it. My friend had to avert her eyes.
Side note- it always amuses me how I can frog something without even batting an eye, just acknowledging slight annoyance, while the non-knitters that surround me pale and balk. Nate can’t stand watching me rrrripit-rrrrripit. Last night, my friend Michal literally blanched. For some reason, I find that funny.
Getting back to it…. So, I frog my second front, then I come home. I look at my finished side. It is just like the side I just frogged. I sort of panic. I am comforted by the fact that I am consistent all the way up, so I figure it has to be the pattern. I go to the computer to look at Shana’s cardi. Hers is the same as mine. So it is clear that the pattern’s cable chart is different than the picture. (Not all that uncommon, I’ve found, but I REALLY hate it). Here’s my problem. I think the cable in the picture is better than the cable on my sweater. As the title to this entry states, Nate thinks I’m nuts. I don’t think it’s worth frogging the whole side and re-writing the pattern, but it’s a huge DANGIT!!!, and I have to admit to contemplating the venture. Talk some sense into me, won’t you? Argh! Blast! Stupid… stinking… pattern!
If you care to, you can click the link to see a comparable close up to both my cables, and the cables pictured in the magazine.
April 6th, 2005 at 10:53 pm
You know, I never even noticed that, lol. It’s not enough to make me rip and redo (if I wasn’t already finished, of course!), but I’m not the person to ask, since I do have an obvious mistake in one part of one of my cables, but I was too lazy to go back and fix it. I just tell myself it adds character to my sweater 😉
I have that same thing with non-knitters and ripping. One person at work who saw me ripping out some rows on the sweater I’m currently working on acted like he was going to have a heart attack and started shouting, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING??” Um, fixing what I messed up?
PS–I meant to comment on your post from Tuesday, but didn’t get a chance. Your shawl is beautiful! 🙂
April 6th, 2005 at 11:11 pm
I’d feel the same way you do, BUT…yours looks great! Even nicer.
April 6th, 2005 at 11:16 pm
I really like the look of yours and I would leave it. I will admit that staring at both pictures on the screen starts my eyes watering (I am supposed to wear reading glassses for situations like this). Therefore, I could just be blind and foolish!
Anways, if you love, keep it. If you hate it rip it. No point in working or wearing something you hate.
April 6th, 2005 at 11:17 pm
Personally, I think that your cabling looks much better than the one in the picture. I like that the cables run the same on each side, and I think that you should leave it the way it is. 🙂
April 6th, 2005 at 11:57 pm
I like yours, and think it looks lovely. But do what makes you happy!
April 7th, 2005 at 12:59 am
Don’t you dare rip it out! Don’t you dare. It looks BEAUTIFUL. I like your way better, anyways.
I’m going to try and go by WW tonight after work JUST to look at your shawl. And not to buy the size 2 dpns I need.
It looks BEAUTIFUL, don’t rip!!
April 7th, 2005 at 2:12 am
That is frustrating, but I do think what the pattern said is better than the picture. I would leave it be, but that’s because I’m a symmetry-lovin’ gal and the one in the magazine picture is very non-symmetrical. 🙂
April 7th, 2005 at 2:13 am
Your nuts, lady. Your sweater is beautiful and intricate and no one at all we notice!
April 7th, 2005 at 2:20 am
I like both versions! Yours looks really nice, I like the symmetry, however the pattern photograph reminds me a little more of the Book of Kells (and another nice Celtic knotworks) If it was me I’d frog, just because I love the overs and unders of cabling that looks like Celtic knots.
But we’ll see if I feel the same if I ever try anything so lovely and intricate 😉
(I dream of someday making this cardi http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter04/PATTmariah.html)
April 7th, 2005 at 2:24 am
I like yours better because it’s symmetrical.
April 7th, 2005 at 3:33 am
I have a very great teacher. Any guesses as to whom I am referring? I think I have a pretty good gut feeling on what she would tell me if I came to her with this same situation.
I believe her EXACT WORDS are, “You can always frog it and reknit it. ”
If everytime you look at it, you’re going to think about it being “wrong” and wish it was “correct”or “different”, then now is the time to fix it. It will just be that much harder later.
Don’t forget to write Vogue and inform them of their error so they can print an errata, that a few might actually find before they do the same thing.
Good luck!
Gayle
April 7th, 2005 at 5:32 am
Well… you already ripped the second front panel, right? So why not try to adjust the cable chart to match the picture that you prefer, and try that for the new piece. Then decide which one looks better to you.
(Mind you, I am waaaay too lazy to do anything of the sort. If it were me, I’d totally be leaving it as is!)
April 7th, 2005 at 7:07 am
I like the purple way. But I like your way too. I’m undecided and a very unhelpful commenter.
But I did want to say “Thank you!” for the stitch markers. They came last week in the height of craziness, right when I needed a pressie.
April 7th, 2005 at 7:20 pm
i’m probably the wrong person to ask, but since you did! i’ve been on and off working on a sweater for paul (incidently, from another VK issue) and they made the same mistake in the cable pattern. there’s a section where one leg stays above the others longer than it should. it bothers me. i don’t think i’ll rip it but it really bothers me because most cables do the in and out thing — above one leg, below the next, woven in and out.
the good thing about yours is that the mistake is throughout the chart. EVERY leg stays above (or below) too long. but, since it’s just a front i’d be REALLY tempted to frog it.
either way, it’s a great lesson. i’ll never blindly knit a chart and not check it against a picture again!
April 7th, 2005 at 8:21 pm
Looks great!
April 8th, 2005 at 12:39 am
I think yours looks great. I would NOT rip it and start over.
April 8th, 2005 at 5:13 am
I wouldn’t change a thing. I think your cable looks better than the pattern too!
April 10th, 2005 at 12:49 am
Don’t rip yet! It’s so pretty (and think of all the trauma you might cause any nearby non-knitters!)!