Rams & Yowes

You know how sometimes when you put something a away for a while, you're surprised when you pull it out again? I surprised myself this morning. 

A couple of years ago this pattern, Rams & Yowes by Kate Davies, a lovely Scottish lass, was published. 

It's a lap blanket, knit using the many natural, undyed Shetland sheep colours. It's knit in the round (a tube shape), steeked (cut open so it's a flat square), then finished with an ambitious border that will test me beyond my skill. In fact, I first bought it because just looking at it made me want to master stranded colourwork. 

At one point, I had begun knitting with some success. 

However, this morning, when I pulled it out of hibernation, I found something that I didn't really recall doing. 

There it is. All 12 balls of it. Safely tucked away into a zippered plastic bag. 

It seems I even packed away the pattern and needles with it, too. How thoughtful of me. What isn't there is the knitted tube of yowes (ewes) that I had started. So off to Ravelry I went and I dug around in my projects until I found my notes. 

Project Notes:

Jan 20/12 - Pattern & Yarn ordered. I bought nothing…my husband, however, is very generous!

Jan 30/12 - after a quick email, I’ve determined that J&S has ‘dispatched’ my order either on the 27th or the 30th.

Feb 3/12 - Yarn arrived bright and early this morning. Only about a week from door to door! I found a nice basket for it to live in while I scrape up the courage to start this project.

Jul 24/12 - I’m still waiting to start this project. Since I did not plunge in directly, I’ve had too much time to think about it. After reading many notes, I understand I will need the recommended needles. Mr. A and I have planned an anniversary date which will include the opportunity to pop by the yarn shop and pick up the required needles.

Jan 22/13 - holy Hannah this is taking a long time to start. Acquiring needles was delayed , but I finally ordered them at the KP Cyber Monday sale. They arrived and there were problems with two of the three needles. Replacements have now arrived and I am ready to start. I have some reservations about beginning. I’m afraid that my colourwork will improve throughout the duration of the knit ad there will be a noticeable difference between the beginning and end of the blanket. As soon as I get a few hours to myself I will sit down with my supplies and a couple of refresher videos and get going on this beast.

Feb 10/13 - hold background colour in my right hand. Hold foreground colour in my left hand. SWITCH HANDS FOR FACES!!!

Feb 23/13 - I’ve knit one repeat of the Yowes and stopped. I needed to take my beginnings to knit night to get the ladies’ opinions on whether my stranding was too tight. Consensus is that I’m doing fine! Very encouraging as I was prepared to rip the first (and only!) bit out and begin again. I do hope that there’s not too much noticeable difference in my knitting between starting and stopping. This is quite the ambitious project to be learning stranded colourwork and two handed knitting on. Hopefully as I go on, I’ll get less anxious about this project!

Feb 27/13 - finished row 27 of chart B1. Rams &Yowes travelled with me this week to Ktown where we accomplished one row at the dentist. 2 rows tonight.

Mar 9/13 - Finished chart B1. Had to drop down down two stitches 3rows to fix a Yowe’s ear. Used a float. Not sure how that’s going to end up. Tried my first spit splice with a length of grey when starting chart A after the Yowes. That worked like a charm! Finished up with row 5/6 chart A.

Dec 10/13 - I’ve decided to frog and start over. Frogged and spit spliced yarns back together. Will begin again soon.

Jul 14/14 - pulled out the bag this morning. Had forgotten I’d frogged it. Project installed in the living room and, if I can keep it safe from wool-loving dogs, should be available to knit on daily.

Sure enough, I had frogged the part I had started in December. Then in January Mr. A and I decided to hunt for a house. In February we bought a home. Packed in March, moved in April and have been settling in since then. I'm very much looking forward to starting over again and actually finishing this time. I think it will be an excellent project to knit as a bit of a housewarming present to myself. 

♥Mrs. A