Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Finished! And about time too…

After 18 months on the needles (a goodly proportion of which was spent languishing at the bottom of my knitting bag) the hoody is done. I don’t know if it is because it took so long to finish it and in the end it seemed like a bit of a chore, but I am not as pleased with it as I expected to be. On the whole I like it - it is warm and comfy to wear, but when I look at it I keep seeing all the little things that are not quite right.

So here it is, being modelled (properly, just for Kai and my apologies to the rest of you, but don't worry it won't happen again in a hurry) by me.



Pattern: Debbie Bliss Cable Jacket with Hood, Debbie Bliss Number 4.
Yarn: Welsh Aran Wool (Sweetpea) from Trefriw Woollen Mill, North Wales
Needles: 4mm and 4.5mm to get gauge

Changes to pattern: Increased length of arms and made a shorter hood in stocking stitch with additional shaping. I picked up the stitches as per the pattern and knitted in st/st for about 8” then split into two halves, working on each side separately. The shaping was done by decreasing at the centre edge as follows (keeping to stocking stitch with the garter stitch border):
decrease 1 stitch on 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd rows
decrease 2 stitch on next 4 rows
decrease 4 stitches on next row
decrease 2 stitches on next row
decrease 4 stitches on next row
cast off
Repeat on other side to create a V shape in the centre of the hood, which when sewed up makes a rounded hood shape.



So I currently have NO WIPS! This feels a little strange and I shall be casting on for some Zebra socks this very night.

10 comments:

Linda said...

Your hoodie is just lovely and well done for getting it finished! It is nice to see it modelled. At this moment I'd like to have nothing on the needles too ... it's cables I'm doing too!!

belaybunny said...

yay, that looks fantastic. It's a lovely colour and pattern. And you got it from Trefriw, that's not so far from me and I've never been there!! Zebra socks are great too.

Seahorse said...

It's gorgeous!

Kai said...

:D

Yay!! Thank you for modelling it for us!!

It really does look fab... I love that colour and it certainly suits you.

Artis-Anne said...

I love your hoodie and the colour is one of my favs. Trefriw is great isn't it ? Did you go there in the summer time when there is a resident spinner there?

Piglottie said...

I really like it Helen and think its suits you really well. And how exciting to have nothing on the pins and all those patterns to choose from :)

Modelwidow said...

That is really nice, and such a lovely colour too.

acrylik said...

Your hoodie looks amazing and it's so great to see you modelling it. Well worth all the hard work you have put in to it.

It's your birthday week this week? Hope you have a wonderful day!

Auntie Noo said...

It's lovely to "see" you!!! - The hoodie looks great, and really suits you. I often find that I prefer stuff I've knitted the season/year after I've made it - I think I too need time to get "over" having seen it for months on the needles!

Badger said...

Nice one! It really does suit you and looks like a great fit.