Selbu Modern……

….in a slouchy way.

This is my first attempt at colourwork after seeing so many pretty Selbu’s on ravelry, I just had to have one for myself. It was really daunting at first, how do you knit with two different coloured yarns? I tried using the english knitting method, working with one colour, dropping it and picking up the other but I got into all sorts of bother with it. Geesh…..this is going to take me forever! So with a little bit of research, put one colour on the left side and the other on the right. Using both continental and english style knitting I began my Selbu.

I tried to match two colours together, so they wouldn’t clash too much but still show the beauty of the pattern. I do love the colour combination. It worked out really well. It was really tricky using both knitting styles, my forefinger on my left hand which was holding one colour, well……was all over the place! But after a little practice, it began to do as it was told.

I first cast on with 2mm needles for the ribbing and 2.75mm for the body of the hat. After reaching half way, I was kidding myself that it IS going to fit me with a little blocking, it will stretch and fit over my huge head. Who am I kidding? It was very tight and more like a beanie and I really struggled to even get it on!

So……what did I do? Frogged it and cast on again using 2.5mm and 3.0mm for the body, adding an extra pattern repeat. Now…after blocking the rib is slightly too big! I just can’t get it right!! Maybe a 2.5mm for the rib would have been better but I still love the slouchyness of the Selbu.

I used : Baby Cashmerino Chocolate approx 75gms and Posh Yarn Lucia (can’t recall the colourway) approx 25gms.

Does it look too big? I’d love to do another one but not quite just yet! My next one, I’ll use 2.5mm for the ribbing, 3.25mm for the main pattern but without the extra repeat.

A really well written pattern, very clear and the design is beautiful and I would say a perfect pattern to start colourwork knitting.

~ by Yarn Snob on 26/02/2009.