Knitting Gauge ?

[aprilsails]

I am currently working on the Nevelson Lave Pullover from the New American Knits book.

I am actually using the recommended wool (this is probably a first for me) and I know that my gauge is spot-on since I swatched.  I am also a very, very loose knitter. This was a big problem on my last sweater so I've been trying to tighten it up a bit but I'm definitely not tight by any stretch of the imagination. Furthermore, I've finished the body and done up the shoulders and even though it's not blocked it fits to gauge on me.

Which begs the question:  Why do I have an entire hank that there is no way I am going to come close to using?  I'm probably going to have more than 1.5 leftover. This yarn was very expensive and I really didn't want a whole pile extra. I'm always annoyed when a pattern maker doesn't give exact yardage, but this is driving me super crazy considering that I'm using the actual yarn.

Does this happen a lot to anyone else?  I always wind up with a couple extra balls of yarn.

[drloretta]

Beautiful sweater!

It sometimes happens to me, sometimes not. I bought a small hank of yarn for some ankle socks, and panicked that I was going to not have enough. Turned out the socks really only took one mini hank, and now I have an extra ball lying around. OTOH, I had to scramble to find an extra hank for another pair of socks that I (and 2 others) calculated out before I started.

Maybe you can exchange the extra yarn? Or sell it on Rav?

[Cicero]

This is why I try to look at the actual yardage used in people's projects. Of course, that doesn't help when it is a new pattern.

Speaking of the nevelson, do you have any pictures up? I just recently took mine out of the corner after frogging the entire thing because I took momentarily leave of my senses and decided to knit a size with 5" of positive ease.

Also, did you knit the sleeves 3/4? I am thinking of making them full length so while I am sorry the yardage was off for you at least you've imparted the knowledge that I should have enough yarn to do it?

[reinedumonde]

Generally, I think, designers would rather you wind up with too much yarn than not enough and therefore overcompensate a bit with the yardage estimate, especially with something like a sweater that has multiple sizes. It's harder to estimate yardage in sizes that aren't your own. I know I did that on the few patterns I've written myself - although I usually note exactly how much I did end up using on the sample.

And I second PP, could you possibly sell the extra yarn? Or make yourself a luxury accessory out of what's left, like mittens or a small cowl?

[aprilsails]

Sept 30, 2014 8:31:20 GMT -5 Cicero said:

Speaking of the nevelson, do you have any pictures up?

Also, did you knit the sleeves 3/4? I am thinking of making them full length so while I am sorry the yardage was off for you at least you've imparted the knowledge that I should have enough yarn to do it?

No photos yet, I am getting close but it looks kind of a mess and I'm hoping blocking will straighten it out.

I am indeed making long sleeves.  I'm still going to have oodles of yarn leftover though.

I will probably try to sell the extra on Ravelry or hand it off to one of my friends as a Christmas present.