The Big Question: To Re-Knit or Not to Re-Knit?

Sometimes we don't get it right the first time.

And then there's the question... is it worth taking it out and re-knitting it? This is a BIG question, one that's very individual and unique to each knitter, each project, and there's zero judgment from us about your choice.

A lot of times, it's worth it. You've invested your time and energy (and money) already, so there's a lot of "sunk cost" in the project. It's worth getting it right so you can enjoy wearing it because you love it, and LOVE the fit!

Read on for a profile of two Finish Along Re-Knitting Superstars.

Not the right length: Karen’s Cardigan.
Karen knit a Carbeth Cardigan with us during our Carbeth Knit Along in January of 2024. But she didn't like the length of the sweater body — and it was a bottom-up sweater. This meant that Karen had to be brave — and do some serious work — to first pick out the buttonband (ugh!), then the collar, and THEN the cast on edge, and then add the desired length before redoing the buttonband (double ugh!) and collar! Karen loves the new fit of her beautiful Carbeth Cardigan, and she learned some new skills along the way. Way to go, Karen!

Not the right fit: Theresa’s Pullover.
Theresa made the BYO Party Sweater in a cotton-blend yarn, and she found that she wasn't happy with the fit and amount of ease she'd chosen. At first she thought she would just rip back to the sleeve divide, but ended up re-doing the sleeves as well for a better fit at the underarm. Recently she stopped into the Goat for some Glam Shots — and you can see how gorgeous it is! Theresa described it as a "put it over your PJs" type of cozy sweater — and is delighted with how it came out! Great job, Theresa!

Not worth the re-do: Sweater for Iris’s Husband.
Sometimes you get to a point with a project, you realize it's not right, and gosh darn it, you just don't have it in you to rip back and redo! The project might need a lengthy time out, or it could be time to abandon ship and move on. 

I had completed the body of a sweater for my husband, then realized that both the collar AND the waist ribbing would need to be ripped out and redone for the fit he preferred. Somehow that just undid me. I couldn’t face it.

The yarn was a very dark teal (hard to see) and the all-over stitch pattern had way too much purling in it. And somehow, even though I’d knit an entire man’s sweater body, that stitch pattern had never quite become intuitive.

I decided to abandon ship and shoved it in a drawer — goodbye! He thought I was crazy, since I’d gotten that far! But nope, I was over it, and delighted to start hunting for a new pattern and yarn for his next sweater!

Finish Along
The Finish Along is our summer tradition at The Goat. We excavate old projects that we’ve stuffed away, decide which ones we’d like to finish, plan and prioritize our knitting time, and celebrate each other’s big and small wins. 

The beauty of the Finish Along is you can chart your own course and decide what works for YOU — finishing, frogging, or abandoning a project. We’ll be cheering you on, no matter what! 

There are still a few weeks left in the Finish Along — join us!