When knitting goes bad

So then, can you remember that lovely red Bailey cardigan I made up in a crappy wool yet grew to love (this is starting to sound like the plot to a Disney film)? And can you remember the sorry little photo I took of same said cardigan all shrunken and felted on my clothes horse (ok ok, enough with the Disney film storyline, in which the cardigan is befriended by some odd neglected socks and learns that it had the power to become un-felted and beautiful inside of it all along).

Well, here it is in all of its full horror.

MAKE IT STOP!!

Yes people, this is what happens when you accidentally put a hand knit in a regular wash (not even with delicates, the shame) with a poxy pair of jeans. Yes, I am still angry with myself for doing this. Well this particular little nightmare is now in the UFO box ready to be recycled into probably a hot water bottle cover... Or slippers, I've not decided yet... But they will be wonderful.

In the meantime, because I really loved the Bailey pattern, I raided my stash and made me another one! Woo Hoo!!

This version is in a lovely charcoal grey Aran yarn (Stylecraft special), which means some pattern tweaking was required. So I swatched like a good girl and it turns out the only thing I needed to do was to go down a size... Bonus! Because the pattern uses the 'knit until n inches long'formula not much was needed to adjust the length.

Asides from that absolutely no changes were made. And the cardigan came out nice and loose and smooshy... Which is of course a technical term for its level of comfort.

So let the photos commence!

I'm really happy to have another of these cardigans again. Now I'd better get back to finishing that Campside cardigan which got a bit sidelined for this one... Oops

Oh and on a side note... I have solved the washing problem... I have invested in a bottle of Soak wash! And by gum is it good, just a tablespoon of this stuff in a sink with warm water and no need to even rinse! Ha ha! I defy you shrunken felted demon of the washing machine!! From now on all my handknits are to be treated to luxury baths!!