Blue Moon Hood

I really wish knitting was a quicker craft, then I'd be able to update this blog more often than once in a blue moon. I started it a little over a year ago (my first post was a few days after my 21st birthday) and this is going to be my twelfth post. Which averages out at a little less than once a month. I suppose that's not an awful figure, given that I'm usually a fairly busy person. That said, my new blog (which continues the Malice in Wonderland theme) is probably going to have twelve posts in a matter of months. It's just over two weeks old, two posts, I have a third that needs writing and two more planned for relatively soon (in which time I'll probably have finished the next book I'm reading and we'll be up to six).

Pre-assembly.

I guess I just read quicker than I knit. Psh. I used to have a bit of a problem when it came to books (don't worry, this is relevant to my crafting); I couldn't leave a bookshop without something in hand. Then I realised I had too many books and not enough time to read, so I gave up. Now, only one in five visits ends up with me purchasing something. Normally I'd be really proud of this (most people think I'll break my book resolve but it's been going for a year now; I will not buy... Outside of my set rules, anyway. Non-fiction, graphic novels and absolute bargains are totally allowed.) but I realised yesterday... I've just substituted books for yarn. Seriously. I cannot walk into a craft shop with quality yarns without leaving with something. I now have loads of 50g balls of super pretty yarn and... Nothing to make with them. I think I really need to get a knitting pattern book that focuses on 'one skein' (although even then, 50g is a minuscule amount). Eeeh, I'm sure I'll find something to do with them. This happened yesterday. I only went in for a button! One. Button. And I left with yarn.

I think I have issues. But then, I think that's endemic to crafters. You should see my mum's fabric hoard! (At least I realised that as gorgeous as the KnitPro Symphonie needles and crochet hooks were, like hell can I afford over £10 for a single pair, especially when I already have a pretty comprehensive set thanks to my Gran, and any that I don't I purchase for 20p a go from the local charity shops.)

Anyway, I digress. Last night I finished my latest (well, no, not really) knitting project and I was hit by a revelation (okay, okay, so I remembered this revelation); two and a half years since I learnt to knit, this is the first thing I've ever selfishly knitted for myself. I don't know if you recall but in my last post I explained my need to stop focusing on gifts for others and start focusing on gifts for myself? Yeah, this one is it. Which is pretty damned cool, if I say so myself. I just hope my gift receivers are even half as I am to get something handmade; 'cause it's such a great feeling to be able to say yep, I made this.

Okay, okay. So my need to knit selfishly started after Christmas, after I'd made three sets of knitted gifts for my family. My boyfriend had bought me a pattern (that I'm still working on) and the necessary wool, so it shouldn't have been difficult. However, it was just post Christmas and I felt like treating myself to something. I realised I no longer had a scarf (no idea where it toddled off to) and, hey, I knit, scarves are knit, why should I pay for something I can make myself? On to the Ravelry database and a search or two later and I find a pattern that I think will suit my needs. It's a hooded scarflet; I chose this over (several other) more 'regular' looking scarves because I wanted a hood (it always seems to rain when I'm not wearing my hoodie) and also because, at the time, I had the necessary yarn. It was just post-Christmas, like anywhere was going to be open, or that anyone actually wanted to leave the house.

I distinctively remember being sat trying to work out how to do long tail cast-on while watching The Gruffalo's Child on BBC. I don't know where my dad was as it was just mum and I, but it was a very Christmassy feeling, curled up on an armchair, knitting and watching fuzzy TV.

Chequered edging that is impossible to see.

Long tail cast-on is a pain, by the way. People say it gives a nice, stretchy edge rather than the firm one from regular cast-on, making it perfect for garments. Maybe it was because I was using chunky wool and big knit needles, but I don't really see the need for it. Perhaps it's the design/shape of the project; it doesn't need to fit over anything per se (like a cuff would over a wrist, for example) so it doesn't really need to be stretchy or firm. I don't know. I have used this method on a project since, and it was significantly less frustrating; probably because I a) knew what I was doing and b) didn't need to cast on 166 stitches. That is a lot of stitches. The way that long tail works, is rather than starting at the end of the yarn you start further in and make the stitches from the tail rather than the working yarn. It isn't a very difficult method of casting on, but when you have to guess how much yarn you need and get to 130 stitches before realising you didn't pull out enough? It's enough to make you want to sacrifice a small animal at an alter to the knitting Gods (I didn't, for the record. I like my pets far too much). If I remember correctly it took three tries to get the yarn at the right length for 166 stitches. Oosh.

Post-assembly.

The casting on was probably the most problematic part of the pattern, though. Well, unless you include the fact it was knitted on circulars. Knitted flat, mind you, but still knitted on circulars. I can see why the pattern said to knit on circulars rather than straights; straight needles tend to be about 10"/25cm. You can get them longer (I have some insanely long ones somewhere, that just look a little bit unwieldy) but that's the sort of length you're looking at. So anything that is going to be longer than that isn't going to fit on the needles.

To recap; have you ever seen how long 166 stitches in chunky wool is? The pattern recommends using circulars with a 47"/120cm length and, yes, you need it. The finished scarf is 47"/120cm in length. So although knitted flat, that length is needed just to keep all of the project on! this was pretty much the first time I'd ever knitted on circulars (and, by extension, the first time I've knitted flat on circulars). I really cannot fathom how people prefer circulars to straights. yes, I understand that a pair of straights in such a length would just be unusable, so the time and place for circulars, this is it, but when there's a choice? How? I know full well I'm the minority here, as most people I speak to at the very least find circulars easier than DPNs but... Yeah, no.

That said, the circulars I bought are bamboo. I don't have very many bamboo needles (fairly certain anything less than 4mm I'd snap) as I mostly use metal, but, ah! I do love knitting on bamboo. it's really smooth and slippy, but in a different way to metal. I don't know. I just like knitting on bamboo needles. They're also no where near as cold as metal needles (obviously), which is a bonus in winter. Maybe I should invest in some more bamboo needles. Hmm. Then again, I do give my needles a beating at times, which metal needles survive much easier.

As an aside, I'm writing this blog while listening to the likes of Powerwolf and Sabaton. Knitting never felt so metal...

Button battle!

The hood has a sort of chequered trim, which wasn't a difficult pattern. it was just 'k5, p5' for the length, mostly. Throw in a few decreases. After the edging was done, it was just moss stitch. Moss stitch is dead easy, but it's one of my favourite stitches. It just looks all bobbly. The pattern refers to it as seed stitch, but they're the same. It's just 'row one; k1, p1, k1, p1, row two; k1, p1, k1, p1'. Easy stuff. To be honest, I used a variegated yarn (the same for my mum's slippers); the edging at the very least would have been more distinct had I used a solid colour. I think, if I were to repeat this pattern, it would either be in a solid colour (like the pattern suggests) or I'd do the edging in a solid colour then switch for the main hood (either to variegated or just a complimentary solid). Ah, well. It still looks pretty! And it used up some of my stash, rather than leaving me with extra yarn.

Fastening

The pattern is knitted in an equilateral trapezium shape; you start at the outer edge and work your way to the back, decreasing along the way. There's a little assembly required, but it really is absolute minimum. Which brings us to how one, simple project took me nearly a year to complete. I started the knitting in the winter, as established earlier. I did, however, get distracted by other projects, such Major Clanger, but over all the kitting didn't take that long. I mean, it's a (physically) large project so it was a bit time consuming, but it wasn't time consuming in the same way as smaller, more complex pieces are. It was great for sitting in front of the TV to do as I didn't have to think. My hands just did. So, yes. By the time I'd finished all the knitting it was no longer winter. It was spring. The cold weather had let up and I kind of no longer needed a scarf. I mean, I know it's England, but, no. It was too warm for a scarf by that point. Besides, I didn't have a toggle/button to finish it. So the scarf was left with one stitch left to cast off and a fastening to sew on.

Pixie hood Malice.

Which brings us full circle. Remember I said I needed to buy a button yesterday? I wanted that button so I could finally finish my scarf. You know, seeing as the weather is actually getting pretty cool again (although the temperatures of the labs are like a morgue; at this rate I'll be needing gloves, scarves and hats for inside). I was originally just going to get a wooden toggle, but then I saw a couple of buttons I preferred; bought both, used one. As you do. Actually, one of the buttons I bought is sort of brass and green; I forgot that I'd used the blue wool, not the purple/green. Good job I did buy both in the end, as the little wooden button I did get looks really effective.

Last night I finally cast off the last stitch, sewed the back hem and added a button and fastening. Okay, so I placed the fastening in the wrong place to begin with, but no worries. Not too much of an issue to change. Given that I keep making toys at the moment, having something with simple assembly threw me a bit. Only took a couple of hours, if that. and I was being lazy and not putting my all in to it.

So now I have a scarf! Finally! And I also have a knitted item for myself. Overall? Yeah, I'm happy with this. I can't wait to wear it out.

Showing off indoors.

Facts and figures. I used James C. Brett Marble chunky, in the blue. The pattern says I need about 300g, but I think I used less. It was a 500g ball and I swear I'd used more than 200g in a previous project. The needles were 8mm (UK 0) bamboo, 47"/120cm circulars. the fastening was made out of plaited yarn, the button was just a small 1"/2.5cm wooden piece. The pattern was Sage Woodland Hood by Rena Varsakis. Pattern is meant to have a tassel at the hood apex, but I chose not to include this. Original post was written in April, before Blogger decided to delete it...