Tuesday 23rd February, here we go, Owl jumper number 2.
Had very successful first attempt with a wool acrylic mix, so am going in with a 100% natural fibres version. I have already bought the yarn, so will be using Rico Essentials Soft Merino Aran colourway 017 (dye lot 23). i guess you would descibe the colour as dark purple, or ‘eggplant’/ aubergine.

Yes again i am going with purple, as i just love purples!

I want to make this knit longer that the first one i made where i stuck to pattern. I am going to play with a bit of graph paper and work out how many more i need to cast on, taking into account that i will do more decreases to get the same size midriff. This version will be a bit more hourglassy as i have a longer trunk. watch this space!

OK……
started the project with the specified needle size and yarn that calls itself ‘aran’ and it is a disaster!!!!!! much to loose, and gauge is completely off, so am starting again. I love the yarn i bought especially for this project so i refuse to be defeated. Have decided to start again but using size 3.75mm needles instead. have gone for the biggest size and am going to see if i can fudge it along by sticking to the pattern for stitch width, but adding extra rows (repeat rows) to get the desired body length. ok here goes……

OK, SO AMMENDMENTS SO FAR -

1. have added stitches to cast on so that there will be 2 extra sets of back waist decreases in addition to the 4 sets already specified.
2. I have added extra rows for body length so instead of sets of 4 rows, i am doing sets of 6 rows instead.
3. extra 7 rows of stst after the back waist decreases and the back waist increases.
4. Back waist increases sets of 6 row instead of 4.
5. side increases as written for size 8 = 160 stitches around.
6. knit to the desired body length up until armpits.
7. sleeves. undecided but may do short sleeves, casting on with provisional yarn. UPDATE SOON FOLKS!

OK - well it is now June 2nd 2016, so i guess i didnt get back to it that quickly. The delay was due to lots of knitting items that had to be ready for a deadline in May. so here we are, i am going back in and in fact i am very glad i put the notes on here because i have not stuck obsessively to the pattern!

i am going to start again this evening once the kids are in bed as i think i am really gonna have to concentrate….

wish me luck folks, ‘cos i am going back in………

ok folks, had a bit of an obsessive knitting few days so i have finished the knitting and sewn up the arm lengths (i knit the sleeves flat)
my edits are as follows - increase the width of the sleeves for 3 more sets (minus one row at end) and then complete 30 more rows to finishs sleeve to armpit.
you will find that you have an extra 12 stitches once you add sleeves to working needles, so i placed markers for reducing at 12 stitches then knit 2 together (place markers equally from centre back 3 times and also mirror image from right in placing markers.

sorry if that is a complicated explanation!

so, just to sort out the buttons for eyes, and put up photos for you to see!
then finish as printed in pattern as for size 8.
Must say that with all the jiggery pokery with the sizing, needles and changing things, once blocked i believe it will be a good size 10/12 in uk ladies fashion sizing.

photos for you to see the owls. just to let you know it is yet to be blocked and the armpits grafted (and i may add a gusset for better movement) then it will be officially 100% completed, but other than that, here you are, my owls!!!