hums scarecrows song from The Wizard of Oz.

Scratches head, senses the echos from an empty space.

In a few years, when I have more knitting experience I will, (hopefully) look back on this adventure and laugh. At the moment I’m viewing it as a learning curve and I will hopefully move on sooner rather than later or, as may be the case, (because I can be a stubborn old fox or should I say vixen) stay with it for longer than I should.

Yesterday I had a plan, to find a pattern, Oh how I love Ravelry, in my size, which is no mean feat, that I love, ’cause you do have to love what you want to knit, for a 4ply cardigan in RYC cashcotton, which I had acquired, otherwise known as got my grubby mitts on in a sale for a ridiculous price.

I searched and searched, I just didn’t find anything I loved,,, but then… Tussie Mussie appeared before my very eyes. I looked at it, admired other peoples work, noticed One person, did I say One, had knitted it in a 4ply, printed off the pattern, looked at it again, saw the problems, added length in my minds eye, etc etc..

And started to swatch, did I know it was meant to be knit up in a DK, it didn’t even register.

Actually I got gauge on 3.75 AND 4.00 mm, depending on which way the swatch was pulled!

Looked at my swatch again this morning, pondered about it, PM’d a lovely knitting friend from Tuesday night knitters, (D) without waiting for an answer. Later, we popped over to my LYS only to find D ensconced, how we laughed. She had read my PM and came up with some lovely ideas, mostly too small, but lovely.

During this time D told me my pattern was for a DK not a 4ply. “Oh B….” I thought, quickly followed by another thought of “Oh no, I’ve done it again!” Which is why ladies and gentlemen I am very lucky to be part of a knitting group, otherwise known as The Tuesday Night Knitters (TNK)

(A) asked me what I thought about the fabric, thats the killer question for me, because I just don’t know what a good fabric is and what a bad fabric is and what to look for etc, how dense things should be, how loose things should be, how things would wear and hang, I really am still trying to understand things such as negative and positive ease. Perhaps I should stick to socks!

Anyways, A said I should knit the bobble section of the pattern, repeating three times, which as a good student that always did her homework I have almost finished. A said, this would give me a true idea of what is going to happen. And it has… But because I’ve never knitted bobbles before.. I don’t know if their good bobbles or bad bobbles, and if they are a little bit droopy, will they not match their owner! And is that a bad thing! And.. will the bobbles droop even more when they are washed..

This was meant to be a relaxing hobby, I do so love it really.

I shall continue to swatch and present the TNK, with my swatches, it will be absolutely fine to say, Don’t Do It. I shall respect all of you for that, I may need chocolate though, I shall bring some…

Onto other news,

I’m teaching son no.1’s girlfriend now known on my blog and this is her idea.. Juicy Lucy, to knit socks! Much to the embarrassment of son no.1 Juicy Lucy is as excited as I am, she is excited about being able to knit such wonderful socks, me, well, did you notice I had boys… its so nice to be able to share my new found knitting skills. I gave her a sock kit, showed her how to cast on, then knitted the rib as she had never knitted purl, then we had a little session earlier today, she did exceptionally well knitting in the round, considering she is left handed, and I don’t know how to teach someone left handed knitting so taught her what I know. I have a sock on standby to go through all the different parts of sock knitting with her.

and yet more news..

Son no.1 came home in his first car yesterday. New to him, it really is quite nice for a first car, he took me out, was I nervous? abso bleeding lootly, we went to see his gran and granddad (mum and dad) who because of a wedding today, had two aunties and two uncles enjoying tea. Did they, as proud grandparents, aunties and uncles come out and admire his car.. They did 🙂
My Dad, as did Uncle W, each hobbled out on two sturdy sticks apiece, stood and admired his car whilst cracking jokes, it was lovely.