Finished Project: Shedir Hat

Shedir is done! This is probably the most enjoyable pattern I have knit in a while. It makes me think that I should try cables more often.





Pattern: Shedir from Knitty
Yarn: Rowan Calmer, color #463 (interestingly named Calmer as well), just slightly less than 1 ball. (I had about 5 yards left)
Needles: size 3 16" circulars and dpns

Towards the end I was very concerned that I was going to run out of yarn. I was even plotting how I could beg, borrow, or steal a few more yards without having to buy another ball or ripping out and knitting at a tighter gauge. But the decreases came quickly at the end and I was very relieved to have much more yarn left then I could have imagined. The only other time things got a little sticky (literally) was when I had to switch to dpn's, as I only had a set of birch needles in the correct size. The cotton on wood was a little difficult to manage but I didn't want to wait until I could but another pair to finish!

I think one reason I had so much fun knitting this, rather than frustration at all of the cable crossings, is that I didn't use a cable needle as the pattern calls for. I actually can't imagine using one for all of those two stitch twists; it would very rapidly take the fun out of the whole thing. There are good instructions on how to cable without a cable needle at Wendy's site, Grumperina's, and Bagatell ("Techniques with Theresa" from Knitty). It is not as difficult as it might first appear and totally worth the time to learn in my opinion.