What to do when you’ve just finished a cardigan, cleansed your palate with a pair of wrist warmers, and decided that your next project will either be a tank top or a hat? Well, then you get an email advising that a KAL is starting and you have an excuse to use that red and green yarn that you were given ages ago. Looks like there’s a festive jumper on the horizon! #SpleodarKAL

09.11.23
Cast on size 3.

12.11.23
Finished increases and now ready to start the chart.

I’m going to try the green as the yoke background and the cream as the “baubles” as I don’t want the colour band to be too loud. The first ball of cream has 44g.

16.11.23
The green yoke looked like I was wearing a wreath, so I swapped to cream. Also added a wine colour to tone down the brashness of the red, and I’m loving the vintage look it’s giving.

19.11.23
Yoke and short rows finished, now separating for sleeves and body.

23.11.23
Got to a couple of inches below the armhole and tried it on - it’s too big. So I frogged back to the yoke to undo the last increase row, and will proceed with 240 stitches for size two.

04.12.23
Had a break to knit a storm hood. Now at the point where I start the sleeve colourwork and cuffs, but the sleeve only measures 32cm for me to allow the 10cm specified for the remaining length (the pattern states 42cm).

07.12.23
Sleeves finished and back to body. I always struggle to work out exactly the right length - body currently measures 18cm from armhole, another 10cm as per pattern would make this too long compared to a similar jumper I made, so I’ll aim for 7/8cm, and I’m going to do the rib in a larger needle than the sleeve cuffs as I don’t want it to pull in so much.

08.12.23
It’s not often I finish a knitting project, try it on and think yes, I’ll make another one of these! I always find that top down jumpers blouse at the back on me, so next time I’d move some of the stitches from the back to the sleeves, and maybe separate for the sleeves an inch or so sooner. Otherwise, I love it!