Damn Alpaca! Damn! Damn! Damn!

OK so I was drawn in by its beauty - that damn blush coloured blue sky alpacas alpaca. Not the company or the wools fault really that it just feels like butter in your hands when you knit it or that its sheer beauty draws you in and makes you want to knit non stop, but I have had a series of unfortunate events occur non-stop since I started knitting with her.

If you remember some time ago (back in April at the DKC Knitters Frolic)I bought eight skeins of the most beautiful blush coloured baby alpaca/silk wool and also purchased a lovely ribbon shell pattern. Now I have been quite excited that a) I would be knitting my very first article of body clothing (not including hats, scarves, socks and the such)and b) that I would be knitting with such a beautiful luxury fibre - how was I to know what I was getting myself into.

I have been happily knitting, albeit slowly, but knitting away this beautiful shell, and even after a small miscount with the front not quite being ample enough to fit my bosom and frogging it back and refinishing it again, I finally finished both back and front and got to start the exciting process of finishing the construction. I really do mean exciting as for me I knew that another few hours meant I would be ready to block, dry and then actually wear something I knit. How wrong I was....

The knitting G-dess seeing me in a state of sheer and utter joy at the thought of finishing an actual garment, decided that now was a good time to smite me (for a knitting lesson). I have finished the border on the collar and then started to work on the border on the cap part of the shoulders. Once I had finished one side I couldn't resist. I had to try it on at least over my head just to see how my beautiful shell was going to look....and then I realized that there was a problem....a big problem....

I am a curvy lady - always have been and anticipate that I always will be. For once I had given enough room for my bosom, however what I noticed was that the beautiful border I just completed on shoulder one - did not allow enough space for my arm to fit and also allow me space to close the side seam. This was something I did not anticipate...my arm was to .....dare I say too big... for my shell. I tried and tried to figure it out and then could only assume that I'd cast off much too tightly and that if I re-cast off the end of my border then all would be good. rather than focus on that negativity I started to knit shoulder two's border thinking I would test my theory rather than manage all that frogging negativity only to find that even with a generous (loose) cast off - it still didn't fit. I am just gobsmacked!!! I've had to set the shell aside again until next Monday's Stitch n' Bitch (where I can seek help from other knitterly guru type folks) as otherwise I am unsure I could trust myself not to turn in a moderately angry and bitter knitter - and really who wants to deal with that. **SIGH**



On a slightly happier note, I am back knitting one of my TTC Knit-a-Long purchases - a shell in Rowan damask in Zircone. I have been trying to knit this since the Knit-A-Long, but have had to frog it a few times. Maybe this fresh new start a couple of weeks later and some perspective will help.



Also super excited that Dishrag tag is starting to pick up steam. Fabulous Dorothy -has just started a team blog . I anticipate good things will come of this. Hope everyone has been enjoying the great weather.