This past week or so I knit and frogged the same sweater multiple times. And before you ask, yes, I swatched.

Am I annoyed? A bit. But I’d rather not repeat the experience I had this past year, in throwing out a garment–yarn and all–that I spent months designing and making after nothing I tried could salvage it.

The new project is Altiplano by Berroco. It’s a pretty reverse-stockinette top designed for a specialty yarn called Mykonos.

Altiplano means river basin and Mykonos is, of course, in Greece.

As others in Ravelry pointed out, I was aware the pattern has sizing problems—even if you match gauge. I discovered other issues which are visible in the photo (rolling bottom/sleeve edge and collar). When it didn’t work for the recommended yarn, I tried two others with similar results.

Now that I’m certain the issues aren’t yarn related, I’m going to try again with Mykonos whilst making needed modifications I picked up while I “firkled”.

If you’ve never heard of the verb “to firkle” it’s a new word added to the lexicon in 2024 from an Antarctica research station. It means to mess around until you sort it out. You can find this and the other 10 words highlighted by the BBC for 2024 here. A fun New Years’ read.

And doesn’t “firkle” just sum up working at fiber art to a tee? It’s my new favorite word.

Happy New Year and Happy Knitting!