Heeeeeellllllppppp... (or, "Another one for the Stitch 'n' Botch File"?)

[mthompson828]

Well I sat down and made my husband a wonderful knit watch cap.  I followed the pattern exactly, and finished the thing this evening.  This was my first "major" project using small needles, fine yarn, and a real pattern.  Well, before I sewed up the side, I put my beautiful creation on my head to model it.  Um, apparently I knit very tight, and shoulda probably used the tip that said if you are a tight knitter you should add on extra stitches.  My loving creation is about right for an adult, except for the edge (hem?) which is about the right size for a NEWBORN! Is there any way to fix this, or do I just write it off to experience and start again, thankful there's still 4 weeks till Christmas?

TIA
Michelle

[girlypirate]

ok, deep breath.  if this is a hat in stockinette stitch, it's possible to fix.  i'm assuming what happened was that you cast on very tightly and your knitting gauge worked up from there.  what you need to do is unravel your cast-on edge.  do this by locating the yarn tail left over from your cast-on.  work this piece of yarn free along the entire edge and then for two more rows, slipping the newly freed stitches onto the same size needle that you used to knit the piece.  once you have the whole thing transferred, knit two rows downward, taking note of whether they will be knit or purl rows by the side of the piece that is facing you.  (bumpy side= purl, smooth "v" side= knit.)  now, cast off EXTREMELY loosely, and if your hat is salvageable, it will be saved.  seam, and hope for the best.  if the hat is knit in a pattern stitch, this method will cause the hat to be 1/2 stitch off when you knit it downward.  i'm really not sure why this is, but i've tested it and it's true, not to mention a little weird.  also, if the hat is still too small after this correction, it is also possible to knit somethiing called a gusset that will fit into your seam invisibly.  do this by casting on as many stitches as it will take to correct the sizing difference, knitting a small strip, decreasing at the top in line with the hat, and sewing two seams instead of one, including the gusset and a little cheating to make your time spent worthwhile.  hope that helped.

[ookpik]

girlypirate, I had never though of adding a gusset in the seam. that is a really hot idea.

and since i am using craftster to procrastinate on photoshop work, i made a little diagram to explain the half-stitch thing.

[girlypirate]

ack!  i get it!  thanks.

[mthompson828]

Thank You Thank You Thank You!  I will be trying this tonite!