Size Matters

Well, I finally managed to pick up the sticks and string again yesterday after a whole week of D.I.Y. It was a blessed relief I can tell you. I have done enough filling, sanding, priming and painting to last me, oh, several weeks at least. As if the world knew how much I needed the respite, the sun came out as well. I spent the afternoon sitting on the back deck listening to David Reidy on my iPod and working on a sample Kid's Keyhole Scarf that I started a couple of months ago.

I also managed to finish the African Hope Hat that has been wandering around with me for months hidden in my purse. (There hereby follows a major lesson!) Now I really must insist that you NEVER, repeat NEVER leave a purse project in your handbag for months at a time. It would seem that it is absolutely imperative to gauge that your work sees the light of day on a regular basis.

You see, after I'd excitedly sewn in the ends of my project and stepped back to admire it, it just didn't look quite right. For one thing, I hadn't been measuring properly (couldn't always find the tape measure) and as I'd only managed the odd round here and there inbetween picking up a kid from an activity, there was just no continuity. The pattern looked continuous (and is indeed correct)..........but the gauge is totally off!

The hat is child-sized.

I can only surmise that my tension (in every sense of the word) was so 'up-the-swany' that the hat turned out smaller than I'd intended. I guess that's what you get when you have way too many W.I.P's. Still, it won't be wasted. As the hat was originally designed as a charity project, I shall just put it away until such a time as a charity needs it.

Still, I'd really better get a handle on this 'creating some more F.O's thing.' If hibernation always leads to gauge issues, there are a variety of items that I could end up having trouble with, a sweater for P.A. for one. I don't think he'd be too happy if I claimed "expansion of his girth" rather than "reduction in my gauge" as the reason for problems with fit!