Recently, I found a great design by KDD to knit on a jumper and they were….Owls! In fact, the jumper design is of the same name.
I bought the pattern and with highlighter in hand, scrutinised the pattern to see if it was something that I could knit. I would say that I’m an intermediate knitter but during lockdown, I have been taking more challenges with my knitting so that my skill level can increase slightly. I’ve noticed that my love of knitting has increased because of it and it’s become addictive because I’m creating pieces that I’m learning a new skill and of course which I love to wear.
After downloading the pattern, I also visited a local yarn store (this was just before Lockdown 4.0) and bought the wool. I decided to go with Peppin by Fiddlesticks which is 14ply 100% Australian fine merino wool and so deliciously soft and smooth. At about $17.50 per 100g it is expensive but it is a joy to knit.
There was a point in lockdown where I realised I needed ONE more ball of yarn and had to order it online to be delivered and which was $25. Now THAT was expensive but I HAD to finish it.
The pattern called for some new elements that I hadn’t done before namely:
- Bottom up seamless knit (ai always knit top down)
- Limited pattern yoke (I’ve done colourwork never anything else)
- Knitting with 14 ply yarn (I usually knit with 4 or 8 ply)
- German short rows (I have done short rows but never these type but these are FAR better than the ones I’ve been doing as they don’t leave tiny holes)
- Inverse increases
However, thanks to YouTube, luckily stopping to check a YouTube video now and again, I managed to finish the jumper and I’m SO happy with it. I didn’t find anything particular difficult with this jumper EXCEPT joining the sleeves and the fact that I had to knit the sleeves flat (and not in the round) simply because there were less stitches that couldn’t fully stretch around a 40cm knitting needle. Of course I could have used the magic loop method (using a longer circular needle and folding the work in half and then knitting around each half but it was simply too fiddly for me. I knitted it flat and then simply sewed up the sleeves).
Once the jumper was finished, I put it in a tub of tepid water with a drop of hair conditioner and then I should have set an alarm. Instead, I completely forgot about it overnight and then at 3:00 am the next morning, I JUMPED out of bed startled that I FORGOT the jumper sitting in the water. I stressed out and my husband, who I had woken up, asked me what was wrong as I was stumbling about in the dark for my slippers.
So here was me at 3 in the morning wringing out the water and lying it flat on a thick towel. I hoped I hadn’t stretched it too much!
Over the next few days, I kept checking it and the jumper dried and it was ready to wear.
On the first day coming out of lockdown, the sun was shining. We hadn’t seen sun for a while as the last week was a horror week weather wise for Melbourne with the worst winds, rains and floods seen. After four lockdowns, let’s just say we were feeling a bit vulnerable and beaten.
As if you’ve been in a long slumber and it’s the first time you go outside and you feel a bit “out of it” but happy to be out with the start of a new day.
The weather that we had in the last week was the “cherry on the cake” after covid lockdown. Thousands of people had lost power to their homes and in the regions, trees had fallen on many houses. It’s fair to say that Melbourne people are feeling vulnerable, tired and worn down.
After going through lockdown then having this happen, it was all negative news. My husband suggested for us to go and have a nice breakfast out at a local cafe just to get out of the house. We needed a different scene and a break from our routine.
Little things like going out of the house to enjoy a meal or a coffee at local cafe is huge for us and we appreciate it even more so now. It’s actions like these that were so small and possibly insignificant before covid, now are things I don’t take for granted anymore. I realise that my friends and family interstate don’t understand what we Melbournites, have been through. It’s fair to say that 2020 and 2021 has changed us. Well, certainly me. I’m not the same person. I’ve changed my perspective in a whole heap of things.
So, Going out for breakfast was a chance to curl my hair a bit, put some make up on and then wear my jumper which put a huge smile on my face.
2020 and 2021 two years which make me appreciate more and more the little moments in life that truly matter.
If I get an absurd amount of pleasure wearing a jumper I made at a difficult time for many, then so be it. I don’t have to explain it to anyone. It is what it is.
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