Monday 13 April 2015

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

It seems like a very long time since I did a post. Things have been hectic and I just haven't had time to post anything or, even worse, to getting reading or commenting on any of your posts. Hopefully things will settle down again soon. In the meantime, here's a very quick post to keep you up-to-date.

Good things are happening in the garden. We had some glorious weather over Easter but it has now turned cold, wet and windy. We even had snow on the mountains over the weekend. It hasn't stopped the flowers though. Have a look and see what you  think.












This little Easter basket was crocheted using string. This was all the chocolate the husband and I had between us! The whole packet of mini eggs that is - not just five.


That's the good covered. Now for the bad. Remember my Aran coat? Started back here, then some progress shown here. It's finished, sewn up and almost all the ends sewn in. It's hard to know why I kept on and on with the sewing up because it was obvious very early on that the coat is way too big for me. Even the smallest size would have been much too big. I checked my tension (guage) again and it is right. Then I checked the pattern again and it gives two tensions for the two different honeycomb patterns. So I checked my tension for the second honeycomb pattern and discovered that this is where I was wrong - very, very wrong. However, in my defence, I don't think it would be possible to achieve the correct tension with the size of needles used. Now if I get the correct tension with the size of needles given for the first honeycomb pattern then I would (obviously wrongly) assume that the same size needles should give the correct tension for the second honeycomb pattern. In order to achieve the correct tension for the second honeycomb pattern I would have needed to use  much smaller needles.

Whatever. It's wrong and I'm not terribly happy about it. I've tried to think of ways to adjust it but it's just so much too big there's really only one option. The dreaded ripping it all out and starting again option. So far, I can't quite bring myself to start the destruction process but I will. There's plenty of time to get it finished again before the winter. I'm going to get another pattern though, as I don't think I could face knitting exactly the same coat over again even if I could make it fit me properly.

And the ugly? Nothing ugly at all to report. Crochet and some tapestry has been progressing nicely and I'll let you see soon. Even some new plants for the garden plus some "garden art".

All the best for now and I hope it won't be anywhere near so long before I'm back.

19 comments:

  1. Oh no! Such a shame about your coat. It looked to be going so well too. I hope you manage to do something with it, it would be such a shame to just leave it. Perhaps have a bit of a break before going back to it, I find that helps.

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  2. So sorry about your coat, I don't know much about tension (in that sense!) but I would have made the same assumption as you. I hope you can work something out. I hope too that you can have some time to yourself soon. Hugs. xx

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  3. Your garden is beautiful! Here in Michigan, USA, it will be into May before we have flowers like that. I am so sorry about the coat. I know that sinking feeling when you realize that it has gone way wrong. Give it a little time out and then start again. I think a new pattern is a good idea unless you can figure out the tension issues.

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  4. That's too bad Gillian, after all your hard work! Do you know the story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus, who would weave by day and unravel by night? Well, for her the point was never to finish the project so I'm not sure it's relevant. I just really like her story :-)
    Amalia
    xo

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  5. Your garden looks a bit like mine, very spring like and full of colour.......xx

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  6. Hello Gillian,
    Wonderful shots of these flowers. So beautiful.
    I really like the purple crocuses.
    And what a delicious eggs of chocolate..hmmm...!!

    Many greetings,
    Marco

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  7. Good to hear, that there is nothing ugly to report! :D

    The flowers are soo cheerful! I quite enjoy that springs makes more and more flowers pop out!

    Take care
    Anne (Crochet Between Worlds)

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  8. What a shame about your coat. I would put it away for awhile , I often can work things out once I stop thinking about it.
    Your garden looks so full of life.
    Have a lovely day

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  9. Love your garden, we got snow today, so we are far away from spring and summer in Norway

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  10. I'm sorry to hear about your coat. Maybe take a break and try again in a few weeks! I know how hard it can be. Your flowers are beautiful, it's looking very spring-like around you. I'm glad there's nothing ugly to report, very good news. :)

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  11. Your garden looks lovely. We were really lucky that the weather was good for us over Easter in NI - seems to have turned nasty there now.

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  12. Your weather sounds like ours. We had one of the oldest winters on record, and now suddenly it's gotten quite cold and there is snow on the mountain tops. You must be feeling so disappointed about your sweater. Is there any way you could felt it and have it fit? But perhaps that wouldn't work with the cables.

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    1. I knit a square and washed it at 40C. It shrunk a little bit. So then I washed it again at 60C. It shrunk a bit more but still not enough. Also the resulting felted square wasn't very nice. A good idea but won't work this time. Thanks.

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  13. My, such awful news, I'm so sorry! That coat was turning out lovely, it must be so frustrating, I can't even think about it...
    Lovely pics from the garden though, I hope those flowers will make you smile... : )

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  14. What a shame about your coat. Once it is frogged you'll be happier. If you can't bear it, you could maybe try to sell it to someone bigger? Your garden looks lovely. Enjoy your week, Gillian. xx

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  15. That happened with a Noro coat I made and washed, it multiplied and would have fit a giant. I had to just take the whole thing apart before I could think to much about it. I put it away for a summer and started again. I now wear it when it is really cold out.
    Good luck,
    Meredith

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  16. Hi Gillian! I always enjoy seeing photos of your garden, it is amazing! Lovely to see that spring is finally here!
    It's a pity that the coat is too big... it seems like you explored all the options and frogging seems to be the way forward! Just think, now you know the pattern, the second time will go much quicker!!!
    Your crochet basket is really cute!
    Have a nice week!
    Ingrid xx
    http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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  17. You may have this comment twice I don't know where the other went to anyway as I was saying how annoying to make something and it doesn't turn out right, so frustrating! but I have been there several times, in fact I haven't made a single thing that I would be happy to wear. Your garden pictures are lovely, have a great weekend. :) xx

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  18. Olá, Gillian!
    Fico imaginando se você tivesse mais tempo para seu blog!
    Obrigado pelas magníficas fotos!
    Abraços!

    VitorNani & Hang Gliding Paradise

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