Why does my knitting hate me?

Well, my Soleil tank top is finished.... sort of.

I tried this on a few times while knitting and tinkered with the pattern a little. I added an inch in length because it was looking a little short when I got ready to start the armholes. This alone is a little strange. I'm barely 5'2", so I'm usually shortening patterns, not lengthening them! I also started the division for the v-neck a little higher up than the pattern calls for. I didn't see the need for a neckine that plunges six rows lower than the armhole bind-off - it's perfectly low enough now, beginning at the same row as the armholes. I thought it was going well, but sometimes you really have to sew up the seams and block something to see how far off it really is.

Don't let the camera angle deceive you. The upper fronts are way too wide for me. In fact, the extra fabric has sort of rolled under in the armholes. See?

I've got wings!

Now I'm not one to rip out my knitting because of the tiniest little mistake, but there's no denying that this is really taking away from the look of the top, making it look and feel rather frumpy. I'm also not one to want to show off my underwear to the world. I chose this particular pattern because it seemed to offer a little more in the way of coverage than a lot of knitted tank patterns that you come across. (News flash - cotton stretches and sags, people!) But this is a little more fabric than even I wanted.

I'm going to bite the bullet this time. I plan to rip it back to the armholes and re-work it for a thinner front "strap". Oh well, at least the back fits well.


P.S. Do you like my snazzy office decor? Nothing says "bomb shelter" like unfinished cinder blocks!