one size too small - or maybe two

It has only taken a year (minus three weeks) to knit the mustard yellow Polaris jumper. Some projects just take a while. I started knitting this jumper when we went to Switzerland last summer. There, I spent every minute possible knitting. I nearly finished the bodice by the time the children were back at school in August. By Christmas, I had knitted maybe ten more rounds. Sometimes in January, I finally finished the bodice. The jumper then sat in a bag until April, when decided to knit a sleeve. I started the second sleeve a month ago, determined the jumper would be finished before the summer holiday.

The good news is that I did it. The bad news is that I made the wrong size. I kinda knew but I had some hope that blocking and gentle stretching would do. Unfortunately not quite. I could wear it but it is not an attractive sight. I did all the measuring and I knitted a small sample square based on which I went down a needle size. That was probably a mistake. Looking at the original pattern, the model is far less busty than I am and maybe the jumper would fit with a bit more bust shaping.

Annie grudgingly agreed to model the jumper for me. I didn't dare using too much of her time and only took a few pictures. She deemed it inappropriately low cut and granny-like. There I thought she might like to be the owner....

Anyway, the knitting was fun - on the whole. The Polaris jumper is knitted from the top down in the round. The instructions are very clear, round by round. When I first started, I thought I'd never be able to get the gathered front done but one round at the time I did. I hadn't read this part of the instructions before I started because sometimes it is best not to know how difficult something might get. I find that one step at the time works best. I do that not just with knitting patters, but in life in general. The gathers are very cleverly done actually. I did wonder how the yarn is wrapped around the growing jumper and it is impossible to explain but trust me, you can do it if you want to.

The yarn I used is a favourite of mine, Drops Alpaca. It is soft and squishy and smells nice, too. The one thing that I don't like is that the stitches are not as neat as with other yarns. It is a mystery actually, I am probably the neatest knitter in a 20 mile radius but not with Drops Alpaca. I have made a few things with this yarn and it is always the same. A few washes in, the stitches fall into place.

I am not sure what I am going to do with this jumper. Maybe I'll go on a diet, maybe I'll give it to charity. Or maybe, one of you lovely readers would like to have it? Just let me know. I am guessing it is a UK size 14 or thereabouts. In the meantime, I'll fold it neatly and put in the back of a drawer.

My next knit will be another Lady Grey shrug. I made one before but lost it. It is such a versatile shrug, good for cool summer evenings and just as good as a scarf during the winter. It is knitted from the middle out, some of it flat some in the round. In other words, a fun knit. Are you knitting anything just now? Do tell! Have a great day. xx

P.S. I am still in Cornwall and this is a scheduled post. I'll visit a few blogs when I have time to search out a 3G signal. I always miss my blog reading routine when I am on holiday!