WIP Wednesday – First of The Heids

Happy New Year to all!

As it’s been for some years now, I didn’t make specific New Year resolutions for this year, except to be a better person and a positive influence on all around me. Likewise on the knitting front, I have no set goals except to make garments that I’d be happy to pay for if it was made by someone else. I’m not looking for perfection but I want to pay more attention to my finishing this year.  In my opinion, a good finish is the icing on the cake of a handmade garment; and with that in view, I have a few Craftsy classes in mind for the year.

On the knitting front, more colour-work garments are definitely in my plans, and I just might get more involved in more crochet projects. Anyway, time will tell.

Now onto the subject matter of today, a few weeks ago, I bought Kate Davies’ latest book called Milarrochy Heids (Heid is simply the Scots word for head). Although I hardly wear hats, I couldn’t resist it because of the colour-work tams/beanies featured. There are fifteen of them from thirteen contributors, and the collection include different styles of hat, and involves a wide range of techniques. She teased us (me certainly) on Instagram with projects in the book over a number of days before it was eventually released, and as soon as I saw Tettegouche, I wanted to cast it on. So here it is, my first cast on from the book.

For this, I knitted a swatch albeit a small one before I started (as I should) and got gauge on 3.25mm needles. The yarns I’m using are J & S 2-ply jumper weight (202,  9113 and 38 mix) and J of S Spindrift (231 Bracken, 423 Burnt Ochre) from stash. Red is not a colour I gravitate towards, but I quite like colour 9113, which is described as cranberry red by a yarn supplier.

From left clockwise, 423 Burnt Ochre, J & S 2 38 mix, 231 Bracken, J&S 9113 and 202

I’d almost finished the corrugated rib when I noticed it curling outwards such that it didn’t lay flat and the wrong side was threatening to showing on the outside (the curling was along the white purl bumps in the picture below). I tried it on my head, but it still wouldn’t lay flat, then I remembered I’d read on Feral Knitter’s blog that corrugated ribbing has the tendency to curl as it’s not a true ribbing. She explained it’s so because different yarns are knitted and purled unlike normal ribbing where one yarn is both knitted and purled. So I ripped it out and started all over with a modified version of the one I used for my first tam; more information on my Ravelry page for how I remedied that.

Arrows showing the points of curling

As for my Orkney cardigan, the sleeves are now done, and the body panels are blocking in readiness for the neck ribbing. It shouldn’t take much longer now.

 

Till next time, happy crafting.

☮️