Snow! and the summer tweed

OK, I'm not the first to post, but it snowed last night. DH took some photos of the snow before I was up, in case it melted before I had a chance. I particularly like this one, which is looking across some of our neighbours' gardens.



Now for the knitting.

Several years ago, I came across a pattern in Knitting magazine for a gorgeous tunic, with crossed cables which echoed the lines of the v-neck opening. It was utterly lovely, but as the pattern required 9 skein of Rowan summer tweed for the smallest size, it seemed somewhat extravagant. Then last year I came across a half-price sale, and now I felt I could get the necessary yarn. And some extra balls in other colours, as one does, to get the free postage.

I swatched and very quickly discovered that the designers guage for the tunic bore no resemblance to the manufacturers guage. When I had another look at the pictures, it became clear the tunic didn't actually fit the model particularly well, and the guage given by the pattern was ... well, not the same guage as the tunic was knitted in.

I still wanted to make it so I had a go at recharting the pattern. Then I started knitting, and I can't remember why, but it didn't work. So I had another go at charting the pattern and it still didn't work. So I put the whole lot in the naughty corner, and went onto other things.



A week or so ago, I decided to have another go at using the yarn. Looking at other patterns, nine skeins of summer tweed was plenty for a sweater, and there were two possibilities: Delve, from Rowan 43, or Judith from Magknits. I decided I liked Judith more, but it needed 5.5mm circular needles and I didn't have any. So that was a delay, and in the end I bought two from different places.

On Friday, I started knitting, without a guage swatch. First time of casting on, I was on my third row of stocking stitch before I realised the first row should have been purled, not knitted. So I started again, and I was on my third row before I decided my cast-on was much too tight and I ought to use a different one. I started for a third time, and got to the increase row. The pattern said it needed to have a tension of 14 stitches to 10cm after aggressive blocking. I was getting it before blocking.



I was getting very frustrated, because this feels lovely to handle, and I really want to use it.

Then I had a brainwave: introducing the Delve Satch Scarf. The ends will use the lace pattern for Delve, and the middle will be plain stocking stitch. When finished, I'll have a new scarf (which I wanted) and a tension rectangle for both Delve and stocking stitch.