Knitting Happens

I was doing really well.  I have done the back, left front, right front and both sleeves of the jacket.  Now it came to sewing up the shoulders and picking up 302 stitches.  I can't bend over.  I need to be careful.  Laying out the dratted thing and finding the wool needles and picking up the bit I've dropped are all a challenge.  Any attempt to bend over has not felt good.  I gave up and started something else until at least the stitches are out.

I had 600g of yarn that I had changed my mind about, so I had been looking around for a different pattern for a sweater that would fit me and would also use minimal yarn.  I found this.

Image from Deramores who have awesome customer service

According to the pattern it only needs around 250g.  Mind you, that's Rico Creative (currently @ £2.99 for 50g at Amazon, so @ £15 to knit).  Apparently Rico Creative knits as DK.  I have 600g of DK waiting to be used, in 100g balls, at £1.50 per pall, so @ £4.50 to knit.  It's Marriners Metro, like this

Image from Marriner's Yarns who also have awesome customer service and who's yarn is actually lovely to knit

So far it's okay.  I'm around 8 inches up the back and haven't finished half a ball yet.  It's knitted on 6.5mm needles (US 10.5, I think, and DK is worsted weight) which makes the yarn go further, it's plain stocking stitch, no ribbing at the bottom or anything, and there is minimal shaping.  I'm waiting to see how it goes, as Rico Creative looks awesome but fine and fluffy.  I've had some 'fine and fluffy' moments when the dratted yarn slipped off the dratted needles but it's easy enough to rattle off while watching TV.  What is more, the cowl neck is sewn on without picking up stitches which sounds like heaven.  

If this works out then it could be the first sweater in ages that I've found that is actually less expensive to knit than buy.  However time will tell.  

I get the stitches out on Thursday.  I am hopeful that I will then go back to the jacket and finish it off.