So good...

My Mum was an excellent cook  but one thing she never did was follow a recipe,  although she collected hundred of them.  She would look at them to check the main ingredients,  then she would follow "her instinct" and add or withdraw something here or there. 

I am the same with knitting patterns.  I can't remember one that I followed to the letter.  It is not always a wise move and I can count a few disasters,  but I can't help it.  Like my Mum with her cooking,  I add or withdraw things according to my mood...  I can't even knit in the order prescribed...  As I never make a swatch   (yes,  I am one of those who can't be bothered...),  I very often start with a sleeve to check roughly the measurements.  This has the advantage to have one sleeve less to knit at the end,   and  psychologically,  it is a booster.

An exception to the rule is Aelf.  I haven't changed a thing and I am even knitting in the right order! 

I have completed the back, the fronts and one sleeve.  I am so good because I want to leave the best for the last  :  the lace border and the pointed collar  (knitted in several pieces)  which attracted me to the pattern in the first place.

And because I am so pleased with myself with this achievement,  I have started another project which  is an interpretation of a Phildar pattern for a short sleeves bolero...   But mine will be with long sleeves,  with a completely different yarn and knitted in the wrong order!...

Comments

[dawn]

wonderful, that's another thing very nearly completed, I'm jealous!

[CAro]

En cuisine je suis obligée de suivre les recettes mot pour mot car je suis nulle et je ne sais pas faire autrement. Par contre, en tricot, en couture, en broderie, je fini toujours par changer quelque chose...

[jacqueline]

it is looking just gorgeous...and how quickly have you knitted it! that is amazing.

[erin]

For a moment, I was a bit confused - I thot it was your earlier ksh Valenciennes cardi on the table. Ahh, now I see it is the new red cardi. That was uper speedy indeed!

[Dorothée]

J'arrive en retard pour te féliciter de ton Valenciennes aui est à tomber.
Pour la cuisine...j'ai un excellent traiteur en bas de la maison !

[littlejennywren]

Your mum sounds like mine. Mum never follows the recipe but when she gives me a recipe she forgets to tell me which parts she has changed until after I have made a disaster. Does that make sense?

[mumintroll]

The new red cardi looks beautiful.You have knitted it so quickly.that is wonderful

[Christine]

J'aime beaucoup ta façon de tricoter, je fgais exactement pareil. Jamais d'échantillon, et démarrage par la manche, ce qui permet d'ajuster rapidement la pente dès 7/8 cm de haut -si nécessaire. Et puis c'est mieux d'avoir son tricot bien à soi et de ne pas le recontrer à tous les coins de rue, non ? J'aime aussi beaucoup ta logique féminine : "pour une fois, j'ai tout suivi à la lettre, je suis très contente de moi, DONC le tricot suivant est dans le désordre, avec une autre laine et je modifie le patron". Ouf !

[le chat qui coud]

beautiful............

[Sue]

Oh pretty color, I cant wait to see the end result.

[Becky]

I'm looking forward to seeing Aelf. That is a gorgeous design!

[Marie]

There's something so satisfying about manipulating a pattern and having come out exactly how you wanted it. :) i love how knitting works that way! I can't wait to see the pointed collar worked up. The sweater pieces are certainly looking pretty!

[Carol]

I wish I could be like you knitting wise - I follow everything to letter. I don't really have enough confidence not to. I am looking forward to seeing Aelf. It is lovely design.

[Krawuggl]

I really wish I would be a cooker like your mother and a knitter like you, I always need the help of my books.If I try to create something special on my own it tastes sometimes a bit peculiar. The same with my knitting - before I had discovered the Rowan books and their excellent instructions (and the beautiful fit of their designs), my sweaters where too big, too small, no shape, no style. So now I am better trusting the advice of Jamie Oliver and Kim Hargreaves, but it´s always tempting and fun and even thrilling to try to make it a bit better/personalized/'rounder'.
I like the jug with your knitting needles - are you always using straight ones? And I am so much looking forward to seeing Aelf, especially the pointy collar.