Handwork

I set aside my quilting for a few days while I obsessively knit this hat. It is the Ullared cap from Charlene Schurch's book Hats On! Oh, it was so fun to knit this hat. 

I knit this pattern once before but it was too small and I made a mess of the crown decreases. This time around I knit a larger size. I don't like the tight skull cap look. My hat is knit from Plymouth Galway wool from Attic Heirlooms in Damariscotta. Such a lovely yarn and the hat is warm and cozy. I bought more yarn to make a pair of mittens.

My poor wrist is quite sore from all this intense knitting. I gave up knitting while I was working because my job required me to be on the computer all day, so I needed to take care of my hands. Now that I'm retired I took up knitting again, but this project was too much.

I have always knit "English style" but taught myself how to knit "Continental" to save my wrists. Unfortunately, I thought I could do both with this hat, white in my left hand and blue in my right hand, but that was still to much for my right hand and wrist. Once I am fully recovered, I will hold the two colors in my left hand and also limit my knitting time every day. 

My daughter showed me hand stretches and that has been a big help, too. 

I'm working on the borders for my Jan Patek BOM from 2018. I am enjoying the hand applique and choosing all the fabrics. I will be going on a quilt retreat in a few weeks and may take this along with me. If I bring my little bendy lamp, I think I will have enough light for this kind of work. 

I have not used my sewing machine for a bit as I want to concentrate on finishing up this UFO. I do feel the siren call of a new project but am trying to resist. 

Happy Stitching!