Thursday, August 2, 2018

Oliver's Hat from A Shetland Story

Despite the heat cranking up to almost unbearable temperatures (I'm really not much of a fan of anything over 20 degrees), all I really want to do is knit. Maybe it's because it reminds me of cooler days, but mostly I think it's because I find it easier to concentrate on knitting than reading when it's like this.

 It's also distracting me from the sad fact that every local supermarket has sold out of Rowntrees Fruit pastille lollies - less local shops might have them but they'd be melted by the time I got home. They're     clearly not just my favourite, and I'm feeling their absence today.

What I've knitted is the Oliver's Hat pattern from 'A Shetland Story'. It was the crown of this hat that made me want to buy the book - I really liked it. The hat itself was mostly fun to knit - quick and simple. It also made finally learn how to do a long tail cast on - which is useful.

The tricky bit (for me) was the last 9 rows. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but I had to rip it back 3 times and then improvise to make the pattern line up properly. I'm still not entirely happy - I can't work out what I was misreading which is bothersome. Overall I'm pleased with the hat though, which I suppose is what matters.

14 comments:

  1. I think the hat is beautiful. Well done.

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    1. Thank you. I’m really happy with how the colours came out, and the whole thing generally - I like knittIng hats because they’re quick to do and the patterns are fun.

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  2. The hat looks great! I looked at it on Ravelry, though, and there is an errata for this pattern. Maybe it would fix your hat issue? https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/olivers-hat

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    1. They’re for the first decrease row, my copy of A Shetland Story had the slip and I even remembered to check it. I’m glad it’s on ravelry as well though, the errata for the Marie Wallin book I bought vanished somewhere between Shetland and here so I need try and replace that.

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  3. I often have trouble just where you did, which is why I've not made many stranded colorwork hats, though really the cleverness of the crown that really does it for me. You have to be clever to work in the decreases with the colorwork. You did a wonderful job, and I love those colors.

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    1. Thank you - it’s the crown I really liked about this pattern. It went fine until the purple bits started about half way up. The decreases start mid way into the pattern sequence, but after row 9 they look like they should be at the start of it, and 8n the background colour. When I did that the purple rows got out of synch. In the end I decreased at the end not the beginning of the sequence. With more experience whatever I should have done will probably be obvious. The stitch count stayed correct all the way through which made it much harder for me to guess where I went wrong. Never mind, it came out alright in the end.

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  4. Beautiful! I love the colors. And I hate it when patterns don't work -- have you checked online for errata?

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    1. The errata online are the same as the ones I have a note of. What’s bugging me is that I can’t work out if I was misreading what I should do or not. So now I need to knit more hat crowns until I know how they should work...

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    2. Before going too much further, have any of you looked for videos (YouTube?) of the crown or similar pattern? I often can work out things from videos when charts make me wonder how I can walk and talk at the same time! Beth Brown-Reinsel does videos. There are others and if I think of them I'll try to remember to post. The heat and virtually 100 % humidity here (and NO it is not raining!) have fried my brain into and my whole thinking process is a stand still. Beautiful pattern and beautiful choice of colors!

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    3. Thank you - I think the colours came out okay - that's still something I need to practice/better understand when it comes to Fair Isle. Regarding videos, I don't find them the easiest way yo learn. I need to do a thing myself to understand it, and find written instructions, or pictures, easier to follow than a video (I can't remember what sort of learner that makes me. I'll knit this hat again sometime and see if I can make better sense of the bit that confused me.

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  5. In this weather I find it too hot to knit. Which is why I have been reading more. I do need to go back to the knitting as I have a cardigan waiting to be sewn together, but it is just too hot to have on my lap when I do it.

    I love the hat, I need to try some fair isle when the weather cools I think.

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    1. I really enjoy watching the patterns grow in Fair Isle, and also being able to spot just where I am in a pattern. This was small, so didn't sit on my lap, a cardigan would be a no for sure in this heat.

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  6. And I can't even get on with my sock - you have done very well!

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    1. I keep looking at socks and then getting scared off of them. It's the idea of turning the heel and sorting out the toe that puts me off. Will have a go one day though.

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