FO: StEEK the First

Yesterday I had to leave work with a headache so excruciating, it was making me nauseous.  Early in the day I was sure I just needed more caffeine, so I drank some coffee (fun fact: liquids with caffeine can dehydrate you!).  When coffee didn't help, it occurred to me that the cause may be dehydration -- the dumbest of all ailments -- so I took some pain reliever, ate something, and drank some diet ginger ale to fight the growing tummy wobbles... it was too late.  Full blown awful erupted in my brain, and I got home in time to collapse in my bed and sleep it off for a few hours.  My evening was filled with glasses of water and a general malaise. All this to recover from a series of tiny bad decisions, AKA a couple weeks of insomnia + only drinking coffee and soda to counteract subsequent fatigue in order to function:   thanks, self-sabotage!

Why did I tell this story?  Because it's like steeking. Steeking was going to be the one thing I would never do in my knitting life... so I approached it with caution, careful to do everything methodically and in the most correct manner.

Start on something small?  Check!
Find a practical project I will actually use?  Check!
Use "sticky" feltable yarn, even though I'm allergic to it?  Check!

Sneezing aside, the actual knitting was fine.  I found a coffee cozy pattern and used an alternate colorwork chart gleaned from a cool pair of mitts I saw... hurray for modifications!

Reinforcement is considered best practice, so out came some contrasting yarn for crocheting -- ding dong, the charcoal alpaca from the Doom Socks is finally dead -- and then it was time to precision-cut with my tiny tiny scissors.

...

Is this right?  No, seriously.  Does this look right??  Because it looks like a dog's lunch and---    WHATEVER I'M OVER IT MOVING ON

Quick, add the buttonbands on either side, before I'm compelled to chuck it all in the bin!  Achoo!

Seriously, though, is this right?

It looks too big already.  Hmm.
Block it, but don't stretch it or felt it or GOSH this is stressful.

colorwork chart adapted from Perri [Rav] mitts by Charlotte Walford

Buttons always make me question my judgement.  This cozy is definitely way, way too big... too big for any glass or mug in the house.  I'll have to use that gigantic water bottle for photos--
Whatevs, just finish it, FINISH IT!

Done.

 Steek This Coffee Cozy [Rav] by Rachel Henry; knit with 40yds of Noro Silk Garden in colorway 08 Royal and 11yds of Crystal Palace Fjord Solid [discontinued] in colorway 4105 Mandarin Orange

 

Never again.  Steeking's the worst.  I need a drink.
Of water.

Mot-less Monday: Dark Jewel