Vikkel hat in Alpaca Polwarth blend by Adagio Mills

I recently ordered some Alpaca yarn from Adagio Mills, originally set up by Nadine and Andrew Hulme in Orange NSW, now in Hawkesbury NSW with Donna and Mark. I bought several kits from Adagio in 2020-21, knitting two myself and giving others as gifts.  When I had an email to say they had stock in hard-to-get black and browns I bought some while I could.          

                     

I intended to make some shawls from Knitting Wraps in the Round to practice my steeking skills. When it came I ordered more yarn, while it was still available. 

When the second parcel arrived it included an extra ball with a note inviting me to try their yet-to-be-released Alpaca-Polwarth blend. Wow! I was busy knitting the St Brigid jumper, but began exploring what I could make to try out this generous gift. Last week I had indulged in a book by Aleks Byrd,   who is coming to Adelaide in August and running some workshops for The Yarn Trader.

One technique the book demonstrates is Vikkel - a method of twisting stitches to resemble cable without the use of cable needles. I think it is similar to a technique taught at the Guild in 2018 by Kathryn Gunn. In any case, I used the book's Maru pattern with the gift yarn.

The yarn was lovely to work with. Like all alpaca, it is soft on the hands. This blend has a good twist to it which only unravelled when I got into the narrowest part of the crown where tightly handling was required. Even then, it wasn't a problem.

The pattern was interesting to knit.  I wouldn't say it was easy, but neither was it overly difficult. It helped that the pattern is only worked over a section to the hat. At the crown reduction I used a small circular needle from the ChiaoGoo Twist Shorties collection, not an entirely comfortable tool to use, but DPNs would not have done much better.

The pattern continues to the very top with all tapering being managed on the non-pattern stitches. Awkward, but possible.

It was a perfect project for the gift wool, given the amount left over!

One of my teenage granddaughters says it is 'not bad for an old person's hat'. That's high praise.  

It's a cap, which has limited use - but use nonetheless.

I am about to knit some of the pure alpaca into a shawl or two, so will be able to compare the wool-alpaca blend with the pure alpaca. For a hat, or something likely to get mostly outdoor wear, I suspect the blend is just the thing.

Many thanks to Adagio Mills for the test ball - 

and for great yarns. I'm looking forward to working with my recent acquisitions, and have cast on for the shawl.

St Brigid Finish (This post may have more knitting detail than some readers want.)

Quite a bit has happened in the almost 2 months since I posted the last update on the St Brigid jumper, but I am pleased to report it is finished!  

The lapel pin which can't be  read in the lead photo is one I bought back in April for just this purpose. It reflects my philosophy.  The knitting is pretty good, but it isn't perfect. The jumper, however is finished, warm, attractive and fit for purpose.

When I last posted I had begun the sleeve, which is designed as the back/front without the wide middle panel. It is knit from the cuff up, widening as you go. The increases eventually form another cable and then a moss stitch panel either side. When you reach the shoulder only the central cable continues to form a 'saddle' over the shoulder to the neck. It's clever and faster to knit than the front and back, mainly due to the absence of the complex central panel. 

I joined the sleeve to the back as soon as I finished it to make sure it fitted and to see how it worked before embarking on the front.

In my eagerness to finish the front, I miscounted the number of pattern repeats in the front, and stupidly began the neck decrease without measuring against the back. I got to the shoulder on one side before sensing something was wrong and measuring it. Nothing for it but to undo back to the neck division and add another pattern repeat.

A minor setback in the scheme of things, and soon rectified. 

Somehow the complexity of the cables made it really interesting to see each stage advance. I don't usually feel so excited by progress.

Once I had finishing the second sleeve, inserted it and began to knit the neck roll, I had an entirely preventable accident. 

I cut my right thumb quite badly on a mandolin. I hadn't used the mandolin for a number of years and stupidly got it out to use when a recipe suggested it, without remembering the food holder-cum-hand guard. The cut was painful and messy. I dressed it myself but had it checked out by my doctor which resulted in this bandage. After several days I could knit with the thumb upright and the needle between my thumb and forefinger. It was slow going, but not difficult.

I decided not to block the jumper unless the fit was not good enough. I really like the texture of the cables as they are and didn't want to interfere with that unless I needed to.

Brigid agreed - and it fits!  I don't usually put photos of family online, but I've managed to create one I'm happy to share. 

This has been such a satisfying project, and finished in time for the worst of our winter.

After all my early agonising about whether I'd have enough wool, I have two and a half balls left over! Maybe a hat or bag in the future?