Whenever I knit for someone other than myself I’m always skeptical. Is this too small? Is this really going to fit? Can someone’s arms be that tiny? That’s the case lately for what I’ve been working on for others.
My BFF Jess is a crocheter but she doesn’t or hasn’t crocheted garments so sometimes I get texts, emails or IM’s with things she’d like me to make her. Because she is one of my best friends and because she’s fairly small I typically oblige her requests. Her birthday was last week and she’s taking a trip to Sweden in a week and I wanted to whip up something she could take with her on her trip. Initially I thought a shawl and then I thought why not a quick sweater? I finished an Agnes sweater for her this weekend while watching the Olympics and it’s adorable. But when I was knitting I kept thinking, this has to be too small. Are her arms really this tiny? This can’t be right. Fortunately she spent the weekend with me while my husband was traveling so I go to try it on her and it fits beautifully. Also, it has pockets!! I’m totally making one for myself for another great sweatshirt to add to my wardrobe and I am pretty sure both my sisters will want one too when they see me wearing it.
In terms of what I was going to knit next I decided to whip up a few of the smaller things like baby knits that are quick so I can get them out of the way and focus on bigger sweater projects later without feeling a baby deadline. I’m also straying from my go-to baby cardigan and trying out the Wee Lima pullover and the Wee Sherlock (both are FREE!) to mix things up. This red sweater is the back of the Wee Lima, it has buttons at the shoulder and I think it’s such a cute detail. I also love the look of Wee Sherlock with the asymmetrical cardigan. But whenever I knit a baby cardigan I always think, can a baby really fit this? They aren’t really this tiny, are they? And of course, they always are that tiny.
And speaking of tiny things, Jellybean. As everyone is meeting her they say, ‘wow, she’s way tinier than I thought’ so I’ve started to do a series of pictures of things that are bigger than Jellybean. First up, a waffle fry from Chick-fil-a. Oh Jelly, you’ve gotten yourself adopted into a very silly family.
So am I the only one who second guesses size? What things make you question your knitting?
Yards of Happiness 
Totally agree on the ‘size doubt’ when knitting for others, but you’ve always been spot on because you follow directions so you should never have any worries in that area. 🙂 What a great recommendation for the Agnes! I hope the designer is giving you a ‘cut’! 😉
Let’s not forget my sweater that went completely wrong! A sweater for Jess became a sweater for me.
Your projects look good. I love you in that teal sweatshirt/sweater. I question my knitting when it looks small or big. I check gauge now and then to see what’s going on.
I’ve second guessed myself a whole lot lately. Used to be that everything I knitted in worsted weight came out perfectly on sizes 8 and 5 American. Nowadays, I notice that size 7 is often recommended. And I just frogged two little sweaters that were becoming gargantuan after I discovered that the yarns I was using routinely gave me 4.5 stitches to the inch rather than 5. Very strange. I don’t think my style of knitting has changed. Wish I had some really old yarn to knit a swatch and compare with the new materials I have. Does anyone else have this problem?
Actually, my knitting seems to have loosened up a bit. I used to be pretty consistent and now I have to really check my gauge first.
Hahaha! Love the things that are bigger than Jellybean idea! Lolololol!!