Hi Everyone!!
Well as January is dwindling down and we prepare for February to make an entrance I somehow managed to knit a whole project. As I stated in my introduction post to this year long blog series, I’m challenging myself every month to start and finish a knitting project that I’ll poll in my Instagram stories and the most votes wins. I want to enhance my knitting skills and with this blog series and social media, it’ll keep me accountable and will help me with my goal.
I didn’t poll my make for January because I honestly didn’t come up with the idea until after I had already started knitting this project. Thinking back on how I decided to knit this poncho, it was on a complete whim. I was browsing through my Raverly patterns that I had purchased and it just jumped out at me. I had bought 2 bonus bundles of Lion Brand Yarn Thick and Quick yarn and I realized after reading through the pattern that I had plenty of yarn to make this poncho cape. However, I didn’t have all of the necessary knitting tools to start the project. I needed to obtain a specific size circular needle in order to create the turtle neck because I have yet to grasp the concept of the magic loop method with knitting needles. So I did what most people do now a days and went straight to Amazon…lol
When it arrived in the mail I literally ripped the packaging open so I could start on it right away. I had my pattern printed out and had thoroughly read it so that I knew how to proceed. As I proceeded to make my way through the pattern there were many hiccups along the way. The first hiccup I made was it came to knitting the turtle neck together. Let’s just say don’t look too close at the neckline in the back…lol The second hiccup was when I got a little too confident and missed a stitch increase and had to YouTube how to tink back in knitting to that I could correct my mistake. I’m happy I caught that mistake because the whole project would’ve been way off. After fixing that mistake, it was smooth sailing from there and I was so pleased how everything was turning out.
When I had finished the set amount of rows that the pattern said to knit I had the daunting task of the cabled edging. I’m not new to cables but I had never heard of an applied knitted edge. So I went back to YouTube to see what it was fist off and then to get a better understanding of what I was about to do. I so didn’t want to mess this up so I was determined to to get this right the first time.
Things were going swimmingly until I put the project down and forgot to write down which repeat row I had left off on. If you look closely at the picture below you’ll see where it’s a little “too braided” in the front. After realizing that mistake which the count it up to 3 now, I just decided to keep it in there. It gives the piece some character and charm and no one will notice…right?
All in all I had a wonderful time knitting my first garment. This pattern states that an advanced beginner should be able to complete the project with the working knowledge they have of knitting and I agree with this. It’s very well written and if you pay attention to the instructions you’ll succeed with hopefully no hiccups but with them it all good as well.
So to wrap things up, this was an awesome experience and I’m definitely making another one of these in either black or navy blue I can’t decide, but whichever one I chose I’ll definitely be sharing it here on my blog. Oh and before I forget, the next time I knit this I’ll be adding more rows to make it longer and possibly make the larger size. This one here on the mannequin will be given as a Christmas gift this year to my aunt who taught me how to crochet when I was little. Score for me getting ahead in the Christmas gift making this year.
Until next time…
HAPPY MAKING,
Tacia (Maker and Founder behind Joanna’s Crochet)
P.S.- Here’s a sneak peek of what was voted as my February Knitting Challenge down below.
joannascrochet.wordpress.com 