Tracks of My Tears

See this?

It is now this:

I have heard a lot of exclamations (mostly sharp hissing intakes of breath indicating pain) from sympathetic knitters. It wasnt easy deciding that the only course of action was to start over. It took a couple of weeks. I entertained many an idea on ways to salvage at least some of the knitting, but in the end decided that re-knitting would give the best outcome. I have for the moment decided that the sleeves may be redeemable. I have plenty of time to decide if this is true.

So What Happened? Gauge Happened. I was so clever in teaching myself to knit backwards (so I didnt have to follow the pattern while stranding AND purling,) but not clever enough to practice my new skill on a few throw away hats and scarves before embarking on this beauty. I became so comfortable knitting backwards that I couldnt tell which way I was knitting. And that moment happened right in the middle of the sweater. For me, the knitting zone produces looser knitting. Therefore the second half of the sweater is larger than the first half. The sweater was knit in one piece from right front to left front and so there you have it, an irredeemable, (beautiful) disaster.

I have been very mature through this whole thing; I have bravely parried all the looks of pity with careless laughter and I have not cried in public. But its not as easy as it looks.