2 Jan 10 - At last I’ve started this project! I bought the yarn nearly three years ago, and I wanted to knit it long before that.

I’m loving how it’s knitting up, the cables are fascinating, and so is the pocket construction. The pattern is very well written and detailed, the charts use a different notation to the one I’m used to, but I think I’ve got the hang of them. I’m doing the cables without a cable needle to make life easier.

This is hopefully going to be the first of my 12 jumpers/cardigans/tops in 2010, I know I started it two days early but I’ve only just thought of it!

18 Jan 10 - I’ve just finished the hood. The grafting went fine, and it looks great, but then I tried it on. The hood sticks out at the back and won’t lie flat no matter what I do to it, with my hair at its current past the shoulder length it looks very odd. I’ll try and sort it out with blocking, I’m certainly not trying to undo all that grafting. If that doesn’t work I may have to cut my hair….

24 Jan 10 - I’ve finished the first sleeve. This would be going so much faster if I wasn’t knitting another jumper at the same time!

6Feb 10 - all finished! It’s lovely and cosy, and the body fits beautifully, but I’m still not happy about the hood, it’s still sticking out behind in a very strange fashion.

14 Feb 10 - I love this jumper! I’ve worn it loads already, and the hood is calming down with lots of squashing. It’s beautifully warm, and the shaping is flattering :)

Mods - Step 13 - instead of working the cables from the wrong side, I joined the yarn at the neck edge and worked them from the right side to row 34, when I left the yarn at the neck edge for the hood, and joined a new ball at the sleeve edge to finish the right front. Then I picked up the original ball to start the hood.

I did short row shaping and a three needle bind off for the shoulders.