I started this sweater for my husband (then boyfriend) almost exactly three years ago. This week, I finished it.
They say you shouldn’t knit a sweater for a boyfriend because you’re likely to break up before you finish (or soon after). But maybe it helps if you marry him part way through. The curse gets a little confused.
It probably also helped that I reknitted this sweater three times. Hard for the curse to know which version of the sweater to focus its evil mojo on.
- The first time around, I was new to sweater knitting and did not check my gauge. The resulting sweater might have fitted a Harlem Globetrotter, but not my slender husband. Rrrrriiiip.
- Time number two, I reknitted about half of the sweater, then got distracted by other things and let it sit for about a year. When I returned to it I noticed that, in the intervening time, my gauge had changed. Some part of me thought that the whole gauge changing thing was a myth, the knitting equivalent of an urban legend (like unto the Sweater Curse). Nope. It happened to me. And it looked hilariously bad in the poor sweater. Rrrriiiip.
- The sweater sat for quite a while before I mustered the motivation for round three. I knitted everything but the trim/collar, then set it aside (again) for months. Yeah, I know, you’d think I would learn not to do that. Thankfully, no one can tell if the gauge in your ribbed button bands or ribbed collar is different. So I’m saved.
The sweater fits him wonderfully well. And hopefully it will last for years.
Pattern: Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in the Green Olive colorway
Modifications: Instead of sewing in a zipper, I knitted on a button band. Lots of tiny buttons (10 in all). What can I say? I’m still afraid of sewing in zippers. And I know only the most rudimentary use of a sewing machine, so I don’t trust myself. Maybe someday I’ll brave it.
All She Wants To Do Is Knit 
Great job. It looks really good on him.
Looks great! I’m glad I had never heard of the ‘sweater curse’ before I knitted a scarf for my boyfriend – it was quite a big undertaking for me but luckily he loves it and we are still very much together! Clearly it doesn’t apply to scarves 😛
Awesome dedication to the sweater! Go you! It looks great, and well done to you on persevering with making it a wonderful sweater that looks great.
The buttons totally work 🙂 This has given me the kick-up-the-behind I need to see what’s going on with my cardigan (damn gauge!)
It looks great!
That looks amazing!
Beautiful sweater!
http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blohtmlgspot.com/2006/10/separating-zipper-tutorial-handsewing.Great zipper tutorial!!! Love the sweater, he looks great in it.
Amazing sweater
Love, love, love.
Looks good on him! Man-sized sweaters really are quite the odyssey, no matter how well they go.
Yeah. Kind of like man sized socks. I have a friend whose husband has size 15s. She has small feet. So she always buys two hanks of sock yarn, which is barely enough for socks for both of them.
Eep, I’ll pass on the size 15s, thanks!
Fabulous! And the sweater looks good, too 😉
Thank you. 😄
Looks really lovely on him, and the color fits well too ! And I’m sure the curse lost it’s way and decided to go home drown its sorrow instead.