Ghaaaah!My head hurt from smashing it repeatedly onto my desk … This pattern is not well written.

I’m still plugging away at Elizabeth from Kim Hargreaves. After finding the errata and having to reknit the back, I quite naturally, started on the front. (this post does get more exciting – I promise…)

All was going well – the pattern spelt out the short row shaping to get the lovely curve in great detail, row by row…

Then the waist shaping – 10 rows of this, 12 rows of that, 10 rows something or other….

All was happy in my knitting bag ….

Then to “Shape Font Neck and Collar”

6 rows in, it’s as if Kim realised she was taking up to much space with the pattern; There is a garbled paragraph explaining, collar increases, front decreases, armhole shaping and (get this) continue edge shaping as for the back!

I’m an experienced knitter. I can fathom most patterns but this was an exercise in logic and arithmetic. I had to go back a write out what I had done for the back so I could apply the same shapings to the front. Then work out all the front and collar stuff . Urgh, after a long day at work I didn’t need this. I perfectly capable of working out the arithmetic in a pattern but I don’t want to – I have enough details stress at work- that’s why I buy patterns and don’t write much of my own. Grrrr!..

Sorry Kim – no two ways about it – that section was very badly written.

Eventually, I think I worked out the logic, wrote out the rows and finished the front. Here she is…

From Elizabeth

After all that head-hurty-fathoming of the pattern, WOW! It’s a really good design!

The curve at the back follows onto the fronts (Kim’s usual foray into short row shaping).
The waist shaping is detailed and (after a holding it up to see if it fits session) looks like i’s perfect for me.
The collar is also beautifully done. a column of reverse stocking stitch divides the main body from the collar and gives a neat fold line (something I wish I’d had in other patterns!)

From Elizabeth

And the wrong side view…

From Elizabeth

Then we have a notch in the collar – Kim gives clear directions on how to cast off and cast on with an extra stitch between each stitch to make sure it doesn’t pull tight.

Lastly you extend the collar belond the shoulder so it wrap around the back of the neck – all very well done.

All is  good again. 😀

Well – I say good – that was one front….an attack of SKS (Summer Knitting Slump) later I’m having a hard time doing the other front!!