#misswinkle

[martib8]

Ok. This is happening now. Using size 6 needles. #strickmich #misswinkle #missbabsyarn #yowza #coffeebreakcolorway (at 313 Knits)

[atrulyenormousjourney]

Miss Winkle / Christmas in July

204 days ago I made a promise. It was Christmas 2013 and my moms wish was that I would knit her a shawl. And because I don't like knitting without knowing that the presentee will really, REALLY love what I make I gave my mom a gift certificate for a present of my own.

Right after Christmas my mom chose a lovely pattern on ravelry - Miss Winkle by Martina Behm / Strickmich! - and we went to my favorite yarn store in my hometown in Germany. The owner was so kind to teach me how to knit a sweater when I was 13... I have to show you pictures of that sweater one day... Anyhow, we went there and one of the employees helped us pick a yarn. A lace yarn. My mom liked the color and the employee reassured me that even if the pattern recommends a fingering weight yarn it's totally fine to use this lace yarn. 

And so the knitting journey began.

While I was trying to figure out how the pattern works the lace yarn gave me a hard time. Everything was tiny and looked messy. I started over three or for times but it didn't get any prettier... What was supposed to be loops looked like holes made by accident. Lace yarn was obviously the wrong choice. I was disappointed and gave up. You can see my first attempt in the bottom image on the left side.

Then I decided to give the pattern another chance and knitted it with some leftover sock yarn. And - tadaaa - it looked good! The loops still gave me a hard time, I had problems to attach them with the right twist. But anyway you could actually identify the loops. In knew that I would only have to order the right yarn. To avoid further yarn choice mistakes I decided to buy the same yarn that Martina Behm used in her pattern: Deep Sea Jellyfish by Miss Babs. Good choice!

You think that at that point my mom finally got her Christmas gift? I have to disappoint you... Because Santa Claus refused to work in June I had to send it to Germany myself. And for whatever reason German customs had decided that my package was suspicious... So my mom had to wait a little bit longer.

As you can see in my pictures the knitting journey came to an end after weeks (months) of trying, frustration, trying again, ordering yarn, knitting, blocking, shipping and boarder control. I'm really happy with the result and my mom is happy too. All's well that ends well!