30.04.20 really enjoying this pattern, so far the chart is simple and easy to follow and coming out nicely.

1.5.20 starting to regret using the drops Delight, or at least not pulling out the darker colour before starting. But, I’m too far in to frog and it’s not ruining it too much for me. Still having fun.

2.5.20 reaching the part where the challenge is set…so many ends to weave in and testing my ability to strand on my purl rows. I’m far more comfortable knitting fair isle in the round, but since starting the arm holes, it is now back and forth. For me, its keeping the tension the same and remembering to adjust correctly for dominant colouring, I’m easily distracted. Making sure the pattern aligns according to the decreases is also a challenge. I love garnstudio patterns and designs, but I do find their instructions sometimes a little confusing. When adjusting arm decreases/bind offs I did have to spend several minutes re-reading the instructions as I got very confused by their terminology. I got there.

3.5.20 so I have completed the body, and my colourwork on the purl rows was certainly tested. I made a colour mistake on the last set of the chart and a whole row of one colour stitch in the wrong place, but it was not bothering me enough to unpick and ho back 10 rows when I noticed. I’m sure I’ll always look at it when my son wears it! But no one else will notice. I hope. I learned a new method of weaving on ends as my method was making the material too rigid and was clearly using an inferior method…on every item I have ever knitted!!! So I’m chuffed with my new skills. I will now sew in all the ends before joining the shoulders together and adding the edges.

It has taken 3.5 hours to weave in the ends. My neck hurts and I’m DONE…

3.5.20 the photos of the neckline is where I picked up 100 stitches on the neckline and once finished discovered it was far too small and tight for my sons head, so i had to unpick and start afresh. Leave it for tomorrow.

4.5.20 so a new day and I removed the old neckline and also decided that the 3cm rib was going to look odd on my small sized vest so reduced it to 1.5cm. There are 130neckline stitches and 102 arm stitches.
Waved in the final threads and now blocking. I’m nervous of the neckline, I increased the needle size on my bind off to keep it stretchy but I think it may still be too tight as my children have big heads (brainy you see ) so I might have to unpick it again. Beyond that, I’m lost. I do not want to gift it…I want this to remain in the family as this us my first finished fair isle garment in fingering weight yarn and feeling very accomplished as this was my most ambitious project since starting fair isle work. I’m very proud of myself I must admit. Can’t wait to see how it looks after drying overnight. Thank you garnstudio for tagging me this pattern on facebook a while back, I never realised I could be so happy with my work. Will I ever stop looking at it?

I want to make one for my husband…but I really was on my attention span limits eith this…I might start during this long ldown period and have it on the go for next years completion. My eldest is way too “cool” to wear an old mans vest…his words.