I Totally Messed Up, But, Here's a Hat

Oh, woe is me. I completed the back of the Bridget Cardigan. Then I measured it to be sure it was still on target. To say that it was not is an understatement. The width at the chest should have been 19" and it was 17". The bottom edge was right, but my gauge was 23 stitches per 4" not 20. I had rather completely departed from my gauge. Craptastic. I knew the yarn was a borderline DK weight in the first place, so I guess I need a larger needle. Luckily I have a lot of yarn, so I'll just start again with a larger needle. I think this time I may go ahead and make the body all in one piece, too. I'll know if it's going to fit much sooner that way. I'll then make the sleeves seamless, as well. Bummer. I just sat there yesterday afternoon and stared at the knitting for a long time. I know everyone has stuff like this happen, but, sigh. I wish I had figured it out sooner. Oh well, another fine Learning Experience for me to learn from!

Remember this--even pretty good knitters, including ones who make gauge swatches, end up with a wrong size and have to start again. it's not the end of the world. Just a tad tedious.

To make myself feel better I decided to make a cute hat, using a very simple pattern and yarn I am familiar with, so I couldn't mess up. It turns out that a student had asked me to help her get started on a hat yesterday and picked a pattern out of the booklet "Noro Revisited," by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton, which had been lounging in the LYS for quite a while. I showed her how to do it in one piece and use mattress stitch to finish it, and since I still had gift certificate money, I decided to get yarn to make myself one, and I also bought the booklet. Once I got home and saw the disaster that was Bridget (and today is her feast day, too, poor dear saint), I decided I needed to cheer myself up and make the hat. I used this very bright Kureyon colorway along with Blossom in a color that perfectly coordinates. Blososm is an odd little yarn. There's a very solid core and all sorts of fluffy surroundings. It is only used in the middle of the hat. But, it looks really nice. I got a kick out of the top of the hat, a little tube that gets bigger and looks like something a character in a Dr. Seuss book would wear. I think there should be a little flower growing out of it.

It's a nice, warm hat that fits perfectly, so I am sure I'll wear it. I have another really cute hat I want to make, too. I do not in any way need this many winter hats. I do wear them on cold days, especially if I have to de-ice the car. But, I could probably do with one hat per coat. That's about where I am now. But they cheer me up. Nothing wrong with that!

I'll re-start Bridget this week. First I think I'll finish my poor socks. I am at the toe now. I am ready to do another pair, for sure. I think I'll make something simple in a happy colorway. That seems to be the theme of the moment in my knitting!