Saturday was laundry day:
I attempted to steam-shrink the button band on the Philosopher's wool cardigan (I attempt this everytime the iron is out. I think it might be getting smaller...gradually...)
I washed the Kyoto Asian-Fusion sweater, and attempted to shrink the 6 inches of ease I factored in. I did this with the dryer. I think it may have shrunk a tiny tiny bit.
And: I washed and attempted to block the Lotus Blossom Tank. Now, I figured I made this with 1 inch ease, and I should have made it with 1 negative inch ease. I also wanted to flatten the rolling neckline and maybe shrink up the gapey armholes. Just a wee bit of blocking magic, I figured, and since it is Merino wool, I thought it would be an easy task to bend it to my will.
Not so.
I washed it gently in the sink with cool water. I bunched it up while still in the water, and squeezed the excess water out. Never once did I pull it out of the water or otherwise attempt any action that would stretch the garment. Remember, I was trying to shrink it by 2 inches. Just a simple 2 inches!
I lay it out on top of the dryer. It had grown. It had grown by 10 inches of ease sideways, and I can't even begin to tell you by how long. Maybe a foot. The lace was huge gaping holes, holes too big to wear to work. Especially if it turned out to be the size of a potato sack.
I panicked. I assumed I had ruined the damn thing and I threw it in the dryer with the Kyoto, a few towels, my jeans, and various non-knitted laundry (what?! Non-knitted laundry?!?) I checked them every few minutes while I ate ice cream from the carton. And I am supposed to be a vegan.
The Kyoto shrank a little bit, but is still large. The tank shrank back to its pre-wash sizing, complete with 1 inch positive ease, gapey armpits, and rolled front edge.
My conclusion? Too damn bad! Get used to it!
(And I am knitting everything one size too small from now on! It is easier to stretch than to shrink!)
3 comments:
Oh my on the LBT and Kyoto blocking incidents! I was going to knit the 38" size in Kyoto (2" negative ease), but I wonder maybe I should knit an even smaller size to get even more negative ease?
Just saw your comment and read your blog today so I will definitely get started on Kyoto this weekend! Just gotta finish 1 more kiddie hat and the petal bib first.
I do tend to knit very very tight, not factor in the difference between a flat gague and circular needles, and overestimate how large I am, so it isn't all the pattern! The second one is truer to gague, but the recipient lives too far away from me to constantly check the fit. Oh well!
Hehe: May my overgrown tank blocking experience help! Also check out the Knit-Along for some great sizing advice and a chart of the lace. Most people added an inch to the stockinette, or found bust shaping and smaller armhole pickups necessary. Good luck!
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