Sunday, 8 June 2014

What do you get if you cross a sheep and a kangeroo?

So, I'm sitting here, new tablet on my lap, the sun is shining, birds singing, glass of elderflower cordial on the table, and upstairs I have parts of a cardigan blocking in the spare room.
Ignore the hats, they're not part of this.

Why do I have a jumper on the go in June? Because I'm an idiot, I'm easily distracted or disheartened, and I just haven't pulled my finger out. I remember about this time last week saying "oh, I've got the three main parts done, I could be finished by next weekend". The plan was to block Monday or Tuesday, then take it in the car with me when I went out with a friend because she wanted to drive. I could have knitted the hood or something. Except I didn't do the blocking. But at least its done now. The problems I've had with this jumper have been there from the start.

Its my own fault, I needed a weird jumper. I get hot very easily, so even in winter I'll be running around in little tops, making old women feel cold and getting told I must be freezing. But sometimes its just nice to have something to throw on that won't be stifling, and a few years ago I found a great, short sleeved cardigan. The only problem is that it only does up at the top, and it flares out at the bottom and my belly gets cold. So I found a short sleeved cardigan that does up all the way down. I bought wool, great, its chunky so should knit up quickly. And then the problems really started. Following the instructions for casting on, the ribbing around the bottom, I had the set up for the cabeling. It just wouldn't add up. I thought I'd miscounted, maybe my maths were wrong, but no, I just couldn't get it to come out right.

So I went back to Ravelry and someone had mentioned the errata. Ta da, turns out it wasn't me, the pattern was incorrect. So since I got the corrections I have been plodding along, losing track of which line I'm on in the chart because it's been too long between picking up sticks, but finally I'm on the home straight.

But then I thought that last weekend. I've still got to check the sizing is ok (I'm worried I've made a size too small and I'm going to have to knit some sort of infill for under the arms to let it go around me, I know, rookie mistake), and then it's the hood, the arms, and the ribbed strip that goes from one bottom front, up around the hood and then down the other side. Nothing much then I guess. But thats the problem with big projects, and this is my first really big project, there's no win. I had to make this little guy the other weekend just to feel the satisfaction of completing something.

A one inch Godzilla. With wings.

And the weather has changed, I no longer need my jumper, I want to make some socks, try new techniques. I want to start a giant snood (although I want that for Autumn) and to start making baby things for a friend due in December. And theres other hobbies I want to do, like my wine making, and soon it'll be good for making jam. I guess I can't do everything, although by writing this I feel motivated to get it done, so (and I'm sure I'm jinxing myself) by next weekend it might be finished.

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