Unlike my sister, I’m not a big fan of horror movies. Oh, I like some of them — but not the ones that are truly creepy. Not the ones that get under your skin. Not the ones that give you nightmares. And certainly not the ones that feature sharp weapons doing bad things.
Ahem. That was foreshadowing. Because sometimes a sharp weapon is just what you need when you’re dealing with The Undead.
Remember my Bohus?
I finished the first sleeve. I finished the body. I started the second sleeve. But somehow, prickling the back of my neck like the sound of a door opening when you think you’re alone, was the inescapable horror: it needed to be longer.
I made myself finish the second sleeve before I took action. I have enough singleton socks and gloves — not to mention a drawer stuffed with one-armed pullovers — to recognize my own limitations. So. I finished the second sleeve. The sweater still felt just slightly too short; I knew I’d be constantly tugging it down in the back. It would haunt me. So out came the big guns scissors.
Off came the bottom hem:
I ignored the shrieks of horror: “Where’s the rest of me?”
I put the fiend back on the needles, and Lucy is proudly wearing a new sash.
Stay tuned. The next time you see my Bohus, which I hope will be later this week, it will be finished. Of course, it was almost eighty degrees here yesterday, so I have NO idea when I’ll ever get to wear it.
Le sigh.
YOU have a drawer with one-armed sweaters? I can’t believe it.
But this one is gorgeous…
Comment by Kay-From the Back Yard — March 9, 2009 @ 7:01 pm
Eeeeek!
Hey, at least you’ll have it done for next winter. Or you could send it to me.. it snowed today, I could use a pretty sweater.
Comment by GeekKnitter — March 9, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
Wow! You are truly my new hero! You go girl ~ I can’t wait to see her when she’s finished.
Comment by Michelle — March 9, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
You should watch the movie Dead Again with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson.
Not quite a horror film, but a who done it kind of thriller. Scissors are integral to the plot.
Comment by jess — March 9, 2009 @ 9:27 pm
Hee. That first photo of all of the scissors is still from that movie. It’s one I thought of immediately as I wielded my scissors. I think that’s the first film I ever saw either of those two in.
Comment by surly — March 9, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
Good call! It is always the right decision to make the sweater right, even if it involves some violence.
Comment by twinsetellen — March 9, 2009 @ 10:13 pm
I love the scissor mobile. Did you make that as well? I love the sweater. I am glad you didn’t have to re do the yoke!
Comment by Eryka Jackson — March 9, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
80 degrees, wow. It snowed here yesterday! (I live in the same general part of the world as your sister…much more sweater-friendly.)
That is going to be a lot of Kitchener stitch with dark, fine yarn. But probably beats even more ribbing in dark, fine yarn! And definitely beats a gorgeous, time-intensive sweater that’s practically unwearable.
Comment by Cathy-Cate — March 10, 2009 @ 12:48 am
It is one of the most beautiful sweaters I have ever seen. I’m glad you had fortitude. Joanna
Comment by Joanna Ryn — March 10, 2009 @ 1:30 am
It’s always cold in San Francisco in the summer — wool coat for 4th of July for me. We’re pretty wimpy about the cold as snow is a freak weather event, but SF natives always feel better when the tourists end up huddling together for warmth.
No one would blink if you were wearing this in August.
Comment by GinkgoKnits — March 10, 2009 @ 6:24 am
Ouch! But as the surgeons say, a chance to cut is a chance to cure!
Comment by Angela — March 10, 2009 @ 7:35 am
Ack! Scissors and knitting just scare me to death. (Can you tell I haven’t been brave enough to steek?) You’re my hero. So the plan is to add more length, and then reknit the hem, or will you graft it all back together? Super-stah is what you are. You just might need that sweater this weekend – the temps are dropping.
Comment by Wendy O'C — March 10, 2009 @ 9:11 am
Lucy is wearing the chain of office. Mayor of ‘Frogville’. Don’t complain about the 80 degrees. We are grey damp and slushy here. Typical March.
Comment by Brenda — March 10, 2009 @ 10:18 am
You know the weather will be cold enough for YOU to wear the sweater a couple of times this Spring! I do have this memory of someone who was almost ALWAYS cold — even in July/August in DC!
And the sweater is gorgeous!
Comment by Jennifer — March 10, 2009 @ 11:30 am
That color is so impressive, I hardly even noticed the cutting. I can only imagine how gorgeous it must look in person. It seems to have a movement to it. Wow.
Comment by LaurieM — March 10, 2009 @ 12:13 pm
Collar! Doh, I should have caught that before posting the comment.
Comment by LaurieM — March 10, 2009 @ 12:19 pm
These are two terms I use when I need to do violence to a WIP. I never rip out, rip back or frog, I “knit back”. I never cut and add stitches, I “tailor”. Somehow, just using these names makes it seem like moving forward rather than backward, and takes the sting out.
Being in Minnesota and all, you’ll very likely have an opportunity to wear your “tailored” Bohus at least once before next Fall. It’s just breathtaking and well worth the time and effort spent tailoring so that it covers all the parts it should cover.
Comment by Lani — March 10, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
Why did you have to cut the bottom? Wasn’t the sweater knitted top down? Why couldn’t you just unravel?
Comment by Josie — March 10, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
I could have unraveled, you are correct.
I didn’t b/c I may want to graft the lace patterned hem back onto the sweater so I don’t have to reknit it. I haven’t decided (b/c I am not sure whether i think the bind off was too loose; but this way I have the option.).
Lani: I don’t live in Minnesota. I live in Washington, DC. Only Susan lives in Minnesota, where it’s safe to plan on wearing nice sweaters into April. (I like your tailoring language.)
Comment by surly — March 10, 2009 @ 9:03 pm
I did exactly the same thing to my Wild Apple. After trying to wear it a few times and being irked by the shortness, I finally got up the courage to cut, pick up and reknit. It was scary, but I’m so glad I did! Your sweater is gorgeous.
Comment by Valerie — March 11, 2009 @ 7:52 am
Scissors and knitting..? Wow, you live dangerously! I don’t know if I would have had the nerve to do the same…..but you’re right, you’ll
probably feel better that you “fixed” it.
Comment by Angela — March 11, 2009 @ 6:24 pm
Oh, no — this is like the cliff hanger ending to a serial. Will the sweater grow? Will the bottom be attached again? Will the the Bohus survive? The tension, the nail-biting suspense…
Love the sweater, I bought the book after see the other Bohus on this blog and this was the one I planned to do after I finish off the bazillion other projects on the needles.
Comment by Gayle — March 11, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
Oh wow…i think i held my breath just reading that!!
Comment by turtle — March 12, 2009 @ 11:39 pm
Will you have to graft the bottom back on? That’s a lot of grafting if you do.
Comment by stonemoon — March 13, 2009 @ 1:16 pm
I thought I was alone in the partial sweater department. I’m glad you chose to listen to that “creaking door” and lengthen your beauty of a Bohus.
Comment by Karen B. — March 14, 2009 @ 5:42 pm