Pure new wool and perfect stitches

[venta]

I've just excavated the box on top of the wardrobe in which Eyeore, Bagpuss, Bartholomew Flockless and a gorilla whose antecedents I don't currently remember live.The poor dears were very dusty, so I've just been standing in the garden smacking Eyeore on the arse. I don't know how I'm going to live with myself for the rest of the day.

However, also in the box was a problem which has been in search of a solution for some years. My New Model Army jumper.

While a student, I persuaded the lady who knitted the jumpers which used to be sold in The Celtic Shop to knit me a black jersey with the red-and-white knot from the front of Thunder and Consolation on it. Apparently this was something of a challenge, because when knitting on a machine it isn't usual to put more than two colours on one row - several people had told me it couldn't be done.

She measured me, and asked me how long the jumper should be. I gestured to somewhere just below the hips. And here came the problem of poor specification: to me, it was obvious that a jumper of that length would be big and baggy. She, however, had been planning a reasonably fitted jumper, and just extended it.

Gravity did its work once I started wearing the jumper, and I now have a close fitting jumper which is nearly down to my knees. If you can't imagine that - well, it looks, frankly, ridiculous. Before you ask yes, I have considered wearing it as a dress; I feel that would look even more ridiculolus.

I've tried washing it and drying it in such a way that it ought to stretch horizontally - but it just doesn't make enough difference. Maybe I should find a fat bastard and ask them to wear it for a week or two :)

Ideally, I'd like to make it wider, and shorter. I'm not sure that it's at all possible to shorten jumpers. Or how to stretch them effectively.

Any (sensible) suggestions gratefully appreciated.

Comments

[taimatsu]

How is the bottom edge treated? Does it have ribbing, or some kind of differently-knitted edge?

Stretching it horizontally would be pretty tricky, but may not be impossible. When people knit things they 'block' the pieces before putting them together - this involves stretching them out and steaming them. You may be able to find a way of doing this, though the knitting itself is presumably shaped to be close-fitting, so it will probably never be a standard big baggy jumper.

[venta.livejournal.com]

It's ribbed, like an ordinary cuff. I'm not well up enough on my knitting to be more precise than that, I'm afraid.

As far as I can tell, the jumper is your basic straight-up-and-down affair, it's not shaped in any way.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

I'm sure Tim would wear it for you.

[jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com]

Eeyore loves suffering. Bagpuss wouldn't, though.

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

Hm. I've never tried this, and therefore abdicate all responsibility if it doesn't work, but you could try putting several pillows/cushions inside it, thus making it as wide as possible, and then going over it (still stuffed) with a steam iron on a wool setting?Also, when you wash it, try pegging it to the line with several pegs along one side, and attach seveal more pegs to the other side, with weights on them?

[venta.livejournal.com]

I have tried the pegging with weights thing; the jumper appears to be made of terribly stern stuff :( Not sure about the steaming, I might give that a try.

(Since I think I'm unlikely to ever wear it again as it is, I don't have a lot to lose by experimenting.)

[leathellin.livejournal.com]

Deliberately not following the wool wash instructions might work. Since wool can shrink when washed at too higher temperature or with the wrong washing detergent.
Of course if it is that lovely machine washable wool or already as shrunk as it gets this may not work...

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't shrinking it make it too narrow to wear?

[venta.livejournal.com]

I do fear that.

I also think that it's actually acrylic, not realy wool at all :(

[bloodnok.livejournal.com]

I've just been standing in the garden smacking Eyeore on the arse. I don't know how I'm going to live with myself for the rest of the day.

I'm sure he was fine with it; just affirmed his view of the universe. Try that with Piglet, though, and you'll have me to answer to ;)

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Is it more convincing as a dress if you add a belt?

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Is it more convincing as a jumper if you fold the bottom inside and attach it at roughly waist level (e.g. by tucking it into your belt), thus shortening it to mid-thigh?

[venta.livejournal.com]

It's a very thick jumper, thus wearing it like that makes it a moderately convincing jumper worn by a person with a very large arse.

I am sufficiently vain that I don't consider this an ideal solution ;)