A project that was supposed to be only a month or two project turned out to be a 10 month project. So lets just call it what it was, my year project.
It would not be a knit project without having to pull out my sweat, blood and tear producing, hard work at least once. In this case it was more than once. You want to know? I lost count at the 4th time.
In February 2017 in the heat of the moment, while shopping with my mother in law for wool, I decided to take on a jersey as my first project after not knitting for years. I was so excited and bought my knitting needles, the wool and a pattern. I was living in the moment with my mother in law.
What was I thinking?
I started off very chuffed that I actually understand what needs to be done and with the help from my, let’s abbreviate it, M-I-L, I started knitting. I did it in sections. Oh man, I needed a lot of help.
After my first section, I showed my work to M-I-L and, it was pulled out. Krises. The stitches was not all the same, and I just decided after doing the first two rows, well that should be it. Never mind reading the pattern. It was supposed to be repeated for a long time until the advised measurement.
Okay, it is not that bad. I am learning. So, casting on stitches again and reading the pattern and understanding the pattern, off I go to conquer this project.
I took leave in June/July and this was the perfect time to finish the one arm and start the other for when I return I can just stitch it together.
Got back home after spending hours knitting and so excited and it is almost done. I went to my M-I-L and showed her my hard work. Then, no shocker here, it was half way pulled out again. Because Elré did (again) not read the pattern properly. Okay, it was funny as hell. Luckily when it was pulled out I only had to knit a few rows and voila the first arm was done. This only took me 6 months….
The second arm went much faster and it was completed in no time. Now to put this thing together. My M-I-L and I just stared at this thinking, what on earth.
Now, the only thing I had to do was go to the sweet ladies at the shop to explain the pattern to me but that is a mission on its own as the shop is not around the corner.
I turned to Facebook.
I posted a picture of the two arms, advised that it is basically done and I just need help understanding what needs to be done to have it look like a jersey. Not that hard hey.
A very sweet lady contacted me and very quickly we met up and she helped me. A lot. She even dropped it off at my place after she picked up the total stitches needed, but of course some of it was torn apart because hey Elré again just did her own thing. What do I know! Okay it was not that bad. I just did not line up the pattern and she had a bit of a struggle to pick up the correct number. It ended well though, we had coffee, we laughed and I could go on and finish this project.
I started adding the ribbing as the pattern said, but hey have you ever knitted with a circle pen? It brakes your brain!
I thought I was doing well, until I saw the ribbing was not looking as it was supposed to be looking. Of to M-I-L.
We almost torn if apart again, but then we decided nobody will know unless we tell them, so now you all will know. I did not knit the ribbing the correct way. Instead of turning the circle pen around and starting from the other side again and doing the exact same thing, my brain had a fart and I just kept on ribbing as per normal. So it looked like a waffle crossed by ribbing pattern. We did not tore it apart. Instead I just started the ribbing from the beginning..again. At the end it was beautiful ribbing.
On the 24th of December 2018 my needle gave birth to my first ever, hand knitted, shrug. Yes, that is what my jersey is called. I am mighty proud. It only took me 10 months. It might not be perfect, but it is mine and I made it on my own (well I had a LOT of help).
I learned some valuable lessons.
- Read the pattern
- Ask for help
- Read the pattern
- Ask for help again
- Read the pattern
Needless to say, my projects have gotten much smaller, I even learned how to properly use a circular needle and man that is better than sliced bread, especially for beanies.
Do you have a hobbie or do you perhaps knit? Tell me!
E xx
The Travellingmind 