Clearly I should do something really difficult now as I keep getting blasé and screwing up on the easy patterns.

What better than the scary, never attempted before challenge of the fabulous Autumn Rose Sweater?

I bought the kit at Ally Pally at the same time as I bought the Nimu yarns for Stripe Study – I am doing well at knitting up the things I have bought! <<Pats self on the back>>

It’s this stunning sweater that I have admired for years…

From Autumn Rose

From this book – Simply Shetland 4-At Tomales Bay

From Autumn Rose

Unfortunately, you cannot buy the pattern without the whole book – which is full of patterns I really do not care for 🙁 but after about four years of yearning, I finally gave in and splashed out on the kit. Another gripe is that the pattern is printed too small (OK, I can make it bigger on the photocopier)and with the colours inverted. The light colours are shown in grey and the dark colours shown in white. God knows what idiot decided to do that but it makes following the pattern very difficult to constantly do the “Black is light, White is dark” in your head – plus – Light grey and white for a chart??? Black and white is much easier to see.  Tsk 🙁

I am very lucky that the lovely Ben could use his Photoshop skills and invert the colours for me so now I have a chart which reads – “dark is dark grey and light is light grey”!

I nearly bought the Authumn Rose kit two years ago but wimped out because the Fairisle and (horror of horrors) STEEKING scared the pants off me. Instead I bought and thoroughly enjoyed making “I’m a little Teapot” as a bite sized tester for Fairisle and the evil steeking for the holes for the handle and spout. The steeking was in fact, very easy and uneventful – I cut the knitting and it just sat there looking at me – no explosions, screaming or dropped stitches at all 😉

It was this cute little tea cosy…

From I’m a Teapot

From I’m a Teapot

Confidence bolstered by the tea cosy and money spent on the kit, I shuddered with trepidation looking at the confusing multicoloured pile of yarns…

From Autumn Rose

Then I gave myself a good shake and got on with it!

This is really fun 🙂

Want to see my progress?

Here’s the Corrugated rib..

From Autumn Rose

Here’s one of the medallions…

From Autumn Rose

And all I’ve done so far (along with Ben’s hands -My arms are not that hairy!!)

From Autumn Rose

And here is the back – I can’t believe it’s coming out that neatly – I’m so impressed with myself!!

From Autumn Rose

Progress is slow but steady and very rewarding – but I’m on the easy bit – the tube for the body – waiting to see what the neck brings!!