I made a hat for K for his birthday in November last year. As I was knitting it, I was fairly sure it was a bit too small, but I pressed on. It went pretty quickly, and I thought I might only need to rip back part of it and change where the decreases started.
In the end we decided it really was too small (the fabric was very dense - worsted weight on 4mm needles). But then Christmas happened, and a couple of other projects took priority. There has been one big project I've been working on all of this year, and I recently thought I had finished it, only to find that I had totally misjudged the border. What I naively hoped blocking would fix, was way too far off. Why do I always think knit stitches are longer than they are wide, when it is generally the other way around?
But that is not what we are talking about tonight. More on that failure later, once I have turned it into a success! (Don't worry, I took some 'failure' photos. It will be fun, eventually.)
I finally, *finally* redid the hat and it took almost no time at all. It is based on Stephen West's 'Westward' pattern, though I've dropped perhaps the most distinctive element of that pattern, the band in Latvian braid. I actually like the pattern mixing vibe of this hat but it wasn't what I was looking for this time. I do want to try the Latvian braid though, and I'm toying with using the band form Westward as the starting point for a more slouchy hat for me.
The cable is worked over 120 stitches. After some trial and error, I found 96 stitches was about right for the ribbed band, after which I did a round with sufficient increases to start the cable pattern.
K hasn't tried it on yet. But I can report that when I try it on, it doesn't look as conehead shaped as it does here.
I'll find someone with a smaller head to wear the first one. Possibly a nephew.
Oh, and I really am a dollar short this week - I found out I have been underpaid for the past few weeks - they've made me more part-time than I actually am. I am sure it is just a minor clerical error which will be sorted out soon. I'd be just as happy to have the extra days at home though! Not feasible right now.
1 comment:
I always think I'd like to work part time but I want to get paid the same full time salary. Not likely.
I've done a Latvian Braid. It feels like a small miracle when the sideways braid appears as you knit along. I have not been doing much knitting. It's too hot to think of touching the wool!
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