Woolercoaster: Algiers #2: Try and Try Again

It's so interesting how some patterns just seem to flow off the needles, every stitch falling into place easily. Japan Sleeves by Joji Locatelli is a pattern that is doing that for me. I am having so much fun knitting this pattern that I resent being tired and having to put the needles down to go to bed. I just want to keep knitting. I can't wait to see what's next.

Japan Sleeves in progress

Then there are those patterns, that for whatever reason, create a challenge from start to finish. This was the case for me when knitting a shawl for my lovely sister-in-law's birthday. I had planned to knit the shawl pattern, Algiers by Kirsten Kapur, a pattern that I had knit before. I chose to knit it in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in a beautiful colourway called Coquette. To me it was the perfect combination of pattern, colour and yarn. As I tried to knit this pattern during a very busy work month I ended up ripping it out three times. This was due mainly to losing focus on the lace pattern and making silly mistakes. I gave up and tried a simpler pattern and still I was making errors. I ripped that attempt out and once things started calming down on the work front I retried Algiers and this time was able to do it. Lesson learned...stay away from knitting complicated patterns when you are busy elsewhere.

Despite all the frustration I am glad I persisted because I am very happy with how it turned out.

Coquette is a beautiful shade of pink with a very slight variegation which was hard to pick up on camera. Luckily I had bought a couple skeins of this yarn because Tosh Merino Light does not like to be ripped out three times. It became quite fuzzy and fortunately I had enough yarn that I did not have to reuse the yarn that been ripped out. However, going forward, if I am going to do a complicated pattern again I think I would use another yarn.

As always I found blocking to be a miraculous thing, as the two pictures below show you before and after shots. Tosh Merino Light really grows and blocks beautifully. Despite my difficulties this is a well written pattern that creates a wonderful result. There are both charts and written directions. Don't let my adventures with this pattern prevent you from checking it out.