It is time to confess that my main motivation for using short rows on the front necklines was the difficulty I had seaming the stepped cast off on the hood, it was just impossible to make it look as nice as I wanted. So I guess it was about wanting it to look better that motivated me - as in look better after sewing on the hood. I had read everything that all the books I own had to say about short rows. Everyone was full of praise for short rowing and gave fairly clear instructions as to the execution of short rows. If only one of them had thought to explain how to substitute short rows for the cast offs called for in a pattern. Lucky for me, I know how to google and I found this explanation which confirmed that my guess was correct (it’s about halfway down the thread, posted by “of troy”). Other ideas from this thread that were of particular use were the tips to start the short rowing the row before the cast offs start and the reminder to use markers for each wrap so you can find them again to pick up later.

So with two knitting books propped up on my cook book stand, (placed oh so conveniently on the handy little coffee table that came with our new sofa - did I mention my joy over the new sofa?), I curled up on afore mentioned sofa and made my short rows.

I worked one side at a time and it all went without a hitch. I even started getting comfortable knitting with a fist full of markers on my needles, something that has so far eluded me. The only real problem I encountered along the way was what to do on the extra pair of rows called for between the last two cast offs. I couldn’t figure out how to do a wrap for this row (was I supposed to wrap around the same stitch as the previous row?) so I left it unwrapped and then on the long row where I was picking up the wraps I picked up a stitch at the start of this row to prevent a hole and it seems to have worked nicely.

I found that I needed an extra couple of rows on the shoulders after finishing the neck shaping in order to reach the required hieght and I wasn’t sure how to keep going with multiple rows of the same length (see above) so I did my long row as soon as the neckline shaping was done, cast off the neckline stitches on the way back and then kept going with only the shoulder stitches left on the needles. I was so happy with the result I couldn’t wait to do the other side and give you last nights picture. Unfortunately I was so tired when I took the pictures I didn’t think to take a wide shot too, so here it is:

Once both sides were done I did find that I have a small problem - the cast offs don’t match. As you can see in the close up from yesterday the left side (as you are looking at the photo) has the cast off rolled towards the front while the right side has it rolled to the back. This also means that the left side cast off chain seems very close up to the body of the knitting where as the right side has a ditch between the body of the knitting and the visible edge of the cast off chains. I don’t like that they don’t match and I am not sure which one is considered “correct” either. Any advice here would be extremely welcome.

And finally a small revelation about the hood. I feel very foolish for not realising sooner but here goes anyway. Until last night I thought that the hood was to be attached with the seam running from crown to forehead and I was feeling quite puzzled as to how the hood shown in the pattern had such a perfectly invisible seam. My belief that the seam was going to be sitting there, center front, for all the world to see really did add to my dissatisfaction with my seaming. I am not sure what prompted my little revelation, but something did and whatever it was I am grateful. The seam is intended to go from crown to the back of the neck, the cast on edge is intended to frame the face. I am so happy I realised this before sewing the thing on!