When Gauge Lies

Oh, yes it will.  And when it does, just like any relationship, you will stand back dumb founded.  At first, you will not believe it has done it to you.  After all you were committed from the beginning.  You swatched a nice big swatch.  You used several sizes of needles.  You wrote it all down.  And went with the best needle.   The end.  

You believed and set forth on a nice little sweater that you were really quite proud of.  Never once on your friendly little jaunt did you ever give thought that perhaps your gauge had lied.  You are the queen of swatching!  You always swatch.  You would get on your soapbox in a New York minute to tout gauge swatching!  Why oh why did you not double check it as you were merrily knitting along?  Just how long have you been knitting???

So, even in the wee hours of the morning, when you tried the almost finished (as in collar on and one really nice front band picked up) sweater on, did you even think then when it was a tad snug that perhaps your dear gauge swatch had lied?  Why was it not until the almost clear light of day when you were congratulating yourself on a really nice picked up front band, did you say to yourself  "Self, Gauge has lied to you and this just ain't gonna fit."  Not even if you extend the front bands to a couple of inches.

So finally, you get out the ruler and low and behold, you are at least one stitch off which is making a somewhat small sweater AND even if you get 40"  at the top, there is no way in hell is that going to fit that 45" ish hip...what were you thinking?  Did you think overnight that the hips melted away?  How long have you been knitting?

It's Karma.  Not to go into the gory, long details, but I am eating my words and thoughts of yesterday while at the shop.  And my mother comes to mind about how that would be my downfall if I were to get too big for my britches etc.

Ah well, so as to not have to tear it all the way back to the beginning, I only had to rip back to under the arm, (because the smaller needle and gauge is needed for my first quarter measurement), I've went up two size needles and have started the long trek down the body again.

The first time I did some shaping through the waist, but I think this time, I'll just drop down to the size 6 needles.   Because I have knitted almost a "gauge sweater" and know that that is just the size I need for my waist shaping.  So, EZ knits a gauge hat, guess I'll be knitting gauge sweaters!


The light at the end of the tunnel!  It has stopped raining in Central IL....for today.