Damn, Knit & Blast It

My blog posts have been a bit negative, whiney and full of knitterly woe lately – mainly when Big Wool is being discussed

High time I tell you about a project I really like

Remember the beret I made for my sister that Thug modelled?

This one…

I liked it very much and struggled to bring myself to give it away.

So. I promised myself I’d make myself one when I’d finished Ronnie.

The same colours would be boring so I stash dived and came up with this pile of Rowan 4ply Soft.

Like an idiot, I grabbed the yarn and started without giving any thought to how the colours would work together in the stripe pattern. That’s exactly what I did with Carol’s Beret and it turned out super – what could go wrong?

I didn’t like it…..

The lilac, although lovely was far to dominant and the bright fuchia pink got lost in the lilac. I also realised I had forgotten to change needle size after the rib! What’s happening to me – I’ve not done that for years??

It’s a quick, fun knit so It wasn’t a hard decision to start again – with the right needles and more careful thought as to where the colours went.

I got about 8 rows into the reverse stocking stitch part (on the train travelling to London) and the awful truth dawned on me. I had missed the increase row at the end of the ribbing!! I really am regressing as a knitter

My train was badly delayed so I had time for some remedial work – any other time I’d have been miffed with the trains.  I carefully picked up the row of stitches at the top of the rib and separated the stocking stitch part – the teenage girl in the seat opposite was fascinated!

What I discarded looks like some kinda sea creature…

At this point I gave myself the necessary metaphorical slap and started taking a little more care – I could hear my Mum nagging me to be more careful or I’ll spoil it.

This time I did it right. I like the way the stripes are coming out too. It still looks like a discarded piece of underwear on the needles though!

One of my friends prefers the stocking stitch side – it’s not for me though – I like the “mattress ticking” effect…

Sewing up and sewing the ends in is daunting – the trouble  with stripes is that there are quite a few ends to loose in the seam…

But I was very please with how neat I managed to get the seam in the end…

Can you see where it is?

I suppose you want to see the finish hat now?

Here’s one of the hat…

And one of me modelling (allong with my birch shawl that I still need to blog!

Three guesses how Ronnie, the Big Wool Sloppy Joe turned out…

Here’s a clue…

Yep, it’s bonfire time.

I finished the beast last week but have been so disapointed, I couldn’t bring myself to blog it

It is huge.

It’s probably too huge for my sister too. I fact – it’s too huge for Ben (who is 10 inches taller than me!)

Some projects are cursed from the start – I should have know n when to stop huh?And it doesn’t suit me. I think chunky loose big wool garments on a short, slim woman are a near impossible trick to pull of without looking like…well look at the photos – you’ll see!

Here it is in all it’s glory…

OK, That’s not the most flattering shot of the garment but I had to have some fun. Try this one…

The sleeves are the right length – mainly because I read to the end of the making up instructions and you turn the edge of the cuff under so the cable is right on the edge – like this…

The neck is all wrong too. In the picture in the pattern book, the neck is a generous almost cowl next…see?

I knitted a generously long strip (the neck is knit sideways like the sleeve cuff) and tried several times to sew it on. I had knit way too much – there simply wasn’t enough neckline to sew a drapey big collar onto

What you’re seeing is the best I could manage – a slightly floppy polo neck

I tried standing more normally – a couple of guy ropes and a girl guide troupe could camp out in there…

I’m sure someone reading this out there is now thinking, “try it with a belt!”

I did…

I looked unsettling like a Dr Who alien…in fact, I could be a Sontaran!

I did have one final try at making it look good in true “Rowan photography” style – You know how it goes, sit at a peculiar angle, scrunch up the garment so you can only see half of it…etc etc…

Surprisingly this came out looking quite wearable

But the photo lies. This is easily the worst thing I have made EVER!