This is finally finished and now looks like this:
I don't think I picked up enough stitches around the circle bit but it will have to do. I am not (no way!) frogging that ribbing and re-doing it. It still needs a wash to block out the ribbing a little and allow the yarn to bloom. I learnt a few lessons knitting this:
1. I do not like big needles. I used 6.5mm needles and they were WAY big.. People joke about building up some serious arm muscles, but I think it's my finger muscles I was working.
2. When working with coned yarn that's been oiled for machine knitting, take advantage of the fact that it's been oiled. Sew in the ends before washing and blocking the individual pieces. The blooming caused by washing made the yarn that much softer and that mnuch harder to thread through the needle.
3. When a pattern says "pick up and knit 392 to 420 stitches", 328 stitches is NOT enough!
Oh, and I also learnt that I should not (no, never again) try to take a picture of myself in teh bathroom. I should also not wear my pyjama pants thinking it will not matter when modelling my brand new handknit jacket!
Aside from all that, I think I did rather well. If I stick to my 'healthy diet' and lose another 5 kilos, I'll fit very well into the jacket. It's a little on teh small side right now. A size bigger would have been too big. Heck, maybe one day I will lose enough weight to be slim like the model who so tempted me to knit this..
Project spectrumIt's May and it's green month. I have knitted nothing green.. yet.. I think..
I did finish Chris' bedsocks, but they were started in April. They are green. Do they count?
No, they don't match. They were experimental - like "which ribbing do you prefer, dear?" kind of experimental.. I have worked out the right length (which is actually harder than you'd think) as Chris has large flat feet. I don't know how the 'flat' bit alters things but he seems to need more length than usual (usual meaning socks for people whose feet have arches). Maybe the 'flat' bit stretches the sock sideways and it does not have as much room lengthwise. Who knows.
2x2 ribbing works well, 1x1 ribbing sucks.
Ribbing at the foot and at the ankle help to keep the socks on.. yes it really works!
I also spun this up for the second draw that
Cynthia is going to run for the Warming Grace project. I don't know when it will be, but I guess he now has to run a second draw since she has at least one prize!
It's green (yes, I am stating the obvious...)
and a little more detail...
It was dyed ages ago, and it's 22 micron merino top. It spun like a dream.. none of it felted during the dyeing - woohoo! and after washing and hanging up to dry, most of the kinks straightened out under the weight of a coat hanger.. There should be enough there to trim a scarf (or for the main part of the scarf with a different trim) or for a hat.
