Look but to learn.

I was a bustin' of the stash, when I came across these two half-balls of yarn.

That's Jo-Ann's Bellezza Collection Dolcetto (wool/nylon/cotton, color #2 (yellow)) on the left, and #6 (green) on the right.

Or wait. Perhaps that's #6 (green) on the left, and #2 (yellow) on the right.

You see the problem. Now, let me ask you this: do these two closely related colors strike you as great tools for learning your very colorwork pattern?

No? Well, for some reason, I thought it was a great idea. Here's what happened:


What's that? You can't make out those clearly defined concentric squares? Okay. Let's try it in the (fading) natural light of day:

Still no good? All right. Perhaps in context:


Poor kid! How about a different (but still infantile) model?

You're right. That helps nothing.

You know what they say: Some worthless things are destined for charity. Others find their way to the White House.

I'll mail the hat to Washington first thing Monday.

Just kidding. I wouldn't want the FBI on my case. Okay, here are the valuable lessons learned:

(1) This yarn isn't that great. It doesn't feel very durable. It didn't take the slip-stitch pattern well.

(2) I ought to have used size 9 dpns instead of size 10. I was thwarted by not owning size 9.

(3) Mosaic knitting pulls both vertically and horizontally. (No kidding, Einstein.) So that picot edging I attempted? It just looks like some oddly placed holes around the bottom edge. Don't hold it against the excellent mosaic knitting instructions found in Amy Singer's wonderful book No Sheep for You. I just bungled the job.

(4) Use contrasting colors, dummy.

The worst of it is, I still have these two half-balls left! I'm beginning to think I could have made an adult sweater from the three I originally started with. Turtleneck sweater. With sleeves! Won't it ever be used up?

Lessons learned. Now, unless anyone out there wants an ugly baby hat to give away (leave a comment! I'll pay shipping), then this one's to Goodwill.