What The Fade? It's a Brioche!

A few weeks ago I signed up for a knit a long. #What The Fade designed by Drea Knits.

Those of you who kindly follow my instagram account, may be aware of my Battle of the Brioche. There is brioche, as I knew it only two weeks ago. French, comforting, rich and yummy.




 And this week there is b***** brioche. Enough to make a grown man cry to paraphrase the Rolling Stones.

At yarnfolk, blogged about here, I bought my wool for the #whatthefade, it looked fun. A mystery knit a long resulting in a big shawl/scarf. This sounds fun.

And here's my wool again.  A really nice fade from the Skein Queen.


 This in fact could have been a "squirrel moment". You  know, one of those moments were you rush off to do something.


 The knit a long started, we were in Malaga, soon catch up I thought. When the decorators were here, I thought a little gentle knitting would be just the thing. I would be Miss Marple, sit and knit in the background. Oh, my, did I turn into a Jekkyl and Hyde character. "Don't speak to me I am concentrating. Don't look at me I am concentrating. Leave my food at the door, I am concentrating. Please give me a hug and mop my tears, this takes concentration."

I can honestly say I have never done anything so difficult for a long time. These little grey cells have become a little rusty. Brioche knitting gives them a work out. It took me a whole week to get beyond row 8. Seriously. A whole week. Pride would not let me give up. I was advised by a knitter much better than me to stick with it and use my lifelines. I am so glad I did. Now I am really enjoying it.

 I have cracked brioche knitting and it is ok. Honestly. Nothing to cry about. It is rather like riding a bike - incredibly difficult until you master it. Then it is as easy as .... well ..... as easy as riding a bike.

Brioche knitting gives a reversible effect. There is a right side and a wrong side, but to me I like both sides, always the liberal and the devil's advocate.



So, am I mistake free from now on? Nooooooo. Last Friday night I dared to watch tv whilst brioching. (another new word for the lexicographer). Last night I realised I had left out the whole first section of clue no 2. I mistakenly thought the whole first section was just a recap of clue no 1. Oooops.,  and no I am not ripping it out. It will be ok. The section I had done I had muddled up my E and my F yarn. One mistake will only compound or play off the other. I think the lesson learned here is to print off the instructions rather than read onscreen.

Is there meant to be a button hole in it? No of course there isn't. I feel a little bit of swiss darning at the end, I will have loads of ends to sew in too. The designer, Andrea Mowry suggests we carry the wool at the row ends along the I cord. Nope. With 6 shades, most of which are similar, I am not carrying them all up the sides. Too much room for starting the wrong colour again. It is hard enough keeping track of the I cord and the rows. You see, every row is knitted twice before starting the next row. My knitting skills have improved no end. My vocabulary has improved no end. brioche, lifelines, I cord, What The F..... The list gets longer, as does my swearing. At least I have stopped crying. And my husband says it looks good. That's good enough for me. Big girl pants are on, we will get through this. I am catching up on the missed out bit on clue 2, then off to start clue 3. Clue 5 was released on Thursday.

Helen x
linking up with Dreami! and Sandra and all her squirrels!

Comments

  1. I feel your pain, and shall stick to the bready brioche myself, lovely though your knitting now looks.

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  2. I'm glad you had lifelines to help you. After reading this I now know why I don't knit.

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  3. I have started this pattern, and I have yarn that I love, but have ripped it out twice and then put it aside. I like to knit to relax and this one was driving me crazy. Yours looks beautiful. Keep going with it!

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  4. It does take a while and even then you have to watch it like a hawk...it is certainly the most complicated knitting I have ever done! I am nearing the end of clue 2, it has taken a while although of course I'm doing 50 other things as well as it, I'll never learn to stick to just one.
    It's all a big learning curve...even if it's just swear words!! ;)

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  5. Sounds like you are winning the Battle of the Brioche. I've never tried this technique and I don't think I will ever. ..seems ever so complicated!!

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  6. Oh, Helen, this post had me laughing! I'm sorry your knitting made you cry, but it sounds like you finally got to laughing thru your tears. It sounds so complicated and fiddly, I think I'll stick to quilting :)

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  7. Oh my GOODNESS I feel your pain and you are a much more persevering soul than I...I took the blasted scarf with me to Dayna's on the weekend you know, to knit while sort of watching (and usually not comprehending) football. I knew it was there...but I ignored it. I think I may do as you suggested and just use the wool and find a different pattern. Knitting DOES increase one's vocabulary, both in good and bad ways HA! I do absolutely ADORE your yarns, WOW! (I don't believe I've shouted this much in a comment every ha!)

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