Hopeful Sweater

Today I joined the shoulders for Hopeful, the sweater I have been knitting. This is exciting because that means I only have to do the sleeves (though I was going to do long sleeves because I think short-sleeved sweaters are kind of silly) and the neckline (though I was going to have to wing it because I'm not feeling the little tie-thingy.)

I even tore out the first attempt at shoulder seams, which included ripping out and redoing the cast-of using a three-needle bind off because the first seems were so bad. (the 3-needle BO looked nice, if I do say so myself).

But.

Then I held up the sweater. Now, I was knitting the largest size, because the largest size is pretty small. And I did a gauge swatch (okay, I measured a hat I had used the same brand of yarn and needles for, but STILL!!) and when it was all squished on the circular needle, I really couldn't get an idea of the actual circumference.

This sweater is big. I mean, really big. What should be a cute, sung, fitted little sweater is far too big around. And too short. Basically, I look like I'm wearing a very loose-fitting box with a very deep v-neck.

And it's all my fault, as when I remeasured the gauge, it was 4.5 stitches per inch instead of 5/in. Don't know how I lost .5 stitches, and it sounds like such a tee-tiny difference - just half a stitch! But over 40 inches, .5 stitches becomes 5 inches of extra sweater. (side note - whoda thought pre-algebra really would be useful?)

So as I see it, there are 3 options:
1) Rip the whole thing out
2) Keep going, hope blocking is magical, and be happy that I have a nice, loose-fitting v-neck sweater
3) Throw what I have finished in the corner and pout.

Right now, I'm leaning towards a combo of 2 & 3.