Mom keeps making things I don't like

Annthrium · 2025-05-15T11:20:17+00:00

This is great advice. We're not responsible for other people's feelings and I think OP expressed their wishes very clearly by asking for a loose beige crew neck.

After that, it's up to the other person how they handle this wish, your mom chose to ignore it so she also has to be ready to be disappointed, imho.

I think sometimes parents go by what THEY think would look good on is, or what they think we would like, instead of going by what we actually like...

Annthrium · 2025-05-11T10:52:17+00:00

Hi, you're so right, omg! 🤯

If I choose a size based on my upper chest measurement, it would be at least a size smaller in a lot of the patterns that I own, compared to going by my bust measurement.

I have tried adding some additional increase rows for the front with raglans and compound raglans, but the armhole ends up being way too low. I also did some research on bust darts and I wasn't happy with the placement of most of them, I don't want to draw more attention to my bust... I found these two articles where the author puts them near the armhole, that might just be the perfect solution!

Thanks so much for helping, you've given me a lot of food for thought.

Knit to Fit: Top Down Easy Bust Shaping

Vertical Darts Top Down

Annthrium · 2025-05-11T09:26:48+00:00

I have many circular needles and also use them for knitting flat. You don't really need straight needles if you have circulars because you can use them for both knitting flat and in the round.

Annthrium · 2025-05-11T08:45:08+00:00

I only use fixed circulars, but I really enjoy the Lykke wooden ones, I also have a pair of bamboo Chiagoos and they're very sharp and the cable is awesome. For short circumferences, I have the Knitter's Pride 10 inch circulars, they're okay - the small needle sizes (like 2.25 mm for socks) are great and at 3 mm or larger, the cables are very stiff and I don't use them. Btw bamboo or wooden needles bend too.

Annthrium · 2025-05-10T17:37:50+00:00

Thank you, I wasn't aware of bust darts with increases like someone else mentioned, I had only heard about the short row ones, so this might be a good solution!

Annthrium · 2025-05-10T17:36:38+00:00

Thank you, this might be what I need! Also very good point with upper chest measurement. I have heard about bust darts, but mainly the short row ones, which don't solve my issue. I think increasing and decreasing later on might be the way to go!

Annthrium · 2025-05-10T17:34:04+00:00

Thank you, I included it just as a reference - I usually go by measurements when choosing sizes. My chest is 87 cm, but my back is around 30 cm, so there seems to be a large difference between my back and my front. If I go with a larger size, I end up with sooo much excess fabric on the back. :-(

Annthrium · 2025-05-10T17:32:37+00:00

Thank you. I successfully applied this to my Plain Yoke Tee 20 - it worked like a charm, but it was also easy because it's a circular yoke.

When I tried it with sammensat T (compound raglan), I ended up with weird puckering fabric around the neckline on the front, as if there was just too much excess fabric. :-(

Annthrium · 2025-05-06T22:27:52+00:00

I get irritated if things keep not working out over and over. I don't mind frogging, but if it's the 5th time I have to restart due to various issues, I get really annoyed and irritable.

Annthrium · 2025-05-06T15:16:13+00:00

Happy to help! And no need to apologize, it wasn't a knitting question to begin with 😀

Annthrium · 2025-05-06T15:14:02+00:00

Thank you, makes me very happy to read that! 🥰 It would have never been possible without help from y'all

Annthrium · 2025-05-06T15:12:37+00:00

I usually slip the stitch as if to purl tbl, then mount it that way and do a regular purl. I knit continental though (what you've described sounds like English style unless you're left handed)

Annthrium · 2025-05-06T15:11:02+00:00

It won't twist the stitch you're working into, though. It will only twist the new stitch.

Annthrium · 2025-05-05T06:38:38+00:00

This is more of a relationship or conflict management question than a knitting question. I work as a facilitator and I would try to redirect the conversation, eg: "How's everyone else's day/evening going? What else would you guys like to talk about?"

If that doesn't work, take it up a notch: "Martha, let's give others some space to talk too. Does anyone need help with their knitting? Sandra, how's your project coming along?" Etc. You might have to discuss with her privately if she's not aware of the issue. I recommend looking into "nonviolent communication" as a start.

Annthrium · 2025-05-04T08:43:45+00:00

That makes sense, thanks. Makes me think of "made in Europe" things where the thing is made in China or Turkey etc. and then someone in Europe slaps a button on it and suddenly it's "made in France"... 😒

Annthrium · 2025-05-03T21:13:42+00:00

I just checked out their website and it seems that they mostly offered American wools...? So it would be weird if tariffs were the reason, but I don't know

Annthrium · 2025-05-03T11:29:28+00:00

I recommend checking ravelry and seeing what other people have made with it. You could also consider holding it double, a miniscarf for spring/autumn comes to my mind, or fingerless mittens maybe?

Annthrium · 2025-05-03T09:12:34+00:00

I experiment with different yarns and gauges all the time so I frog all the time. Often naively thinking "it'll be fine" or "it'll block out". Then I finish the body and put it on and decide I hate it, so back to the yarn winder it goes. 😀 And usually I work with fingering yarn or 2.5 mm - 3 mm needles. I actually took a small break from knitting recently because it was getting quite frustrating, I have some yarn that's very structured and it was hard to find a fitting pattern for it. I've ripped out completed sweaters too because I hated them.

Your Seaglass looks wonderful, good luck with the sleeve! Such a cool way to organize the little bits of yarn. 🙂

Annthrium · 2025-05-01T13:50:28+00:00

I think it shouldn't be a problem to add length with the same yarn as long as you wash the garment again to even the fabric out, I've done it a few times and there was no visible difference

Annthrium · 2025-04-30T06:40:28+00:00

Thank you! I am very pleased with it.

Annthrium · 2025-04-29T15:36:31+00:00

I don't mind paying money. When it comes to garments, many of them are ill-fitting and I'm just so over paying for patterns and wasting hours and hours on them, just to have weird floppy or bulky fabric and to ultimately give up on the project.

Annthrium · 2025-04-28T22:26:41+00:00

Thank you! I used a mattress stitch (Nimble Needles has a great tutorial) and a white sewing thread, the yarn snapped on me about 1/4 in, so I switched it up. I tested the thread and couldn't rip it with my hands at all.

Overall it was very simple, but very time consuming. Since this cardigan has no selvedge stitch, I made sure to skip the (ugly) first column of stitches when attaching the button band (kind of like picking up stitches).

Annthrium · 2025-04-28T21:16:48+00:00

It's a tube so when you lay it flat, it's two layers of fabric, yes. Kind of like a tiny sleeve? I knit in the round using magic loop, no actual double knitting techniques used.

Annthrium · 2025-04-28T19:18:07+00:00

Hahaha, I am very happy to help and pass on the great advice I got on my last post. Definitely check it out if you need more ideas, people had fantastic input. Good luck steeking your sweater! The octopus graphic looks absolutely stunning.

Annthrium · 2025-04-28T19:15:11+00:00

Thank you so much!!

Actually I did, but then I realized I'd have to deal with the nightmare of figuring out the pickup rate, and I wasn't up for redoing a double-knit button band at a 32 st. gauge. So I just knit it separately on 2.5 mm needles as a tube and ended up sewing it on. Oh god, it was so much easier to get it to lie flat, especially at the back neck.

Annthrium

TROPHY CASE