This is what I’ve been knitting on this weekend. I know… where’s the sweater for my grandson?
Well, I’ll tell you. But let’s talk about the new cast-on first. In my sad stash, I had a bag of very thin (fingering weight, I think) green wool. Or more accurate a 70% wool, 30% acrylic blend. Too much wool for the grandson, but I decided to try if knitting with 30% acrylic was doable for my hands. To be honest, the judges are still out on that. I’ll keep you posted.
I’m making this pattern by the way. I decided it might be a fun tradition to make myself a new cowl/shawl/scarf and hat every year, to bring with me when we go to The Netherlands for the holidays. Not that I will be wearing it much, but you know… for the fun of knitting it. Also, maybe that will get me outside, walking in the woods when we’re there, instead of being a couch potato for two or three weeks.
Anyway. The grandson sweater. I was actually doing great.
See? Only the sleeves to go. But the sizing was nagging me. I have checked my gauge so, so many times. Of course I got a different stitch count every single time (that’s why I usually don’t gauge), but I was either on spot, or not far off. The finished width, same thing. On spot, or not far off, depending on how I laid it out and how much I straightened it out.
I followed the pattern for size 2-4 years. Even if I was a bit off, this sweater should fit my has-yet-to-turn-two-year-old grandson. Or so i tried to convince myself.
But it kept bugging me. It’s not too long ago since I last held him and I distinctly remember him being bigger than the child that would fit this sweater. Even T. (who is terrible at imagining clothes on people) agreed when I asked him if it looked small to him.
So I send a message to my daughter, spoiling the suprise, but what’s the use of surprising someone with a sweater that doesn’t fit? I asked her to measure a sweater that fit him well, because measuring the boy himself seemed an impossible task to me. It took her a while to locate her tape measure and then the sweater she wanted to use was in the wash. Not mocking her, I think this is very relatable, especially if you have a very demanding toddler and a job to juggle.
But eventually she messaged me back with the measurements and that proved me right. This is way too small for him. I don’t understand. Are American baby’s so much smaller? Is the sizing off? Or is it supposed to be a much tighter fit than I imagined? (some of the pictures on Ravelry suggest that, although the baby on the pattern itself wears a loose fitting sweater)
Well, it doesn’t matter what the problem is, I know that I need a bigger sweater. So I frogged to where I stopped increasing. I don’t want the neck to be any wider, so I’m going to increase a bit more till I’m at a width that should be comparable to his favorite sweater. That would be size 6-8 years on the pattern instructions – that’s wild, but I’d rather make it too big than too small. If it’s too big he will grow into it eventually.
Luckily I still have a few weeks until we leave…
Oh I have just realised that had this problem with this pattern in the children’s sizes too, I should have said something. I always went up a size whenever I knitted it. Sorry I didn’t say something before Maggie I had completely forgotten.
Oh, no worries. I’m glad to know it wasn’t my fault.
I have a shawl that’s been on the needles way too long. Maybe I should try to finish it before the end of 2024? And in “it’s a small world” news, my husband was telling me about his friend going to an island resort recently. When he tried to pronounce the island name I said, I know someone who lives there!! I explained who you were and said you are from The Netherlands, and he said his friend said there were lots of people from there on the island. LOL!
Finishing something is always a fun goal.
And yes, there are a lot of Dutch people on the island, both living and on vacation. It’s still seen as more or less Dutch because of our colonial history. While Curaçao has been (officially) independent since 2010, we’re still part of The Kingdom of The Netherlands (the same way Canada and Australia are still part of the Commonwealth). Also, the other way around, there are more people from Curaçao living in the Netherlands than there are living on the island.
We are seeing more and more American tourists by the way. I like that.
good thing you had him measured! I try to go big as much as possible. The sweater I knit him this year might be snug but fingers are crossed!!
Yes, I’m glad I trusted my instinct (eventually). Big is usually better. They grow so fast…
Hope your grandsons sweater will fit him for a while!