Funnel Neck

Firstly, thank you all for your kind comments on Forecast - and my tights! I've been wearing wacky tights ever since I had my own money to spend on them (around twenty-three years-ugh). The very best red tights I have ever worn are the ones by Charnos. You can't get softer, stretchier, smoother, anywhere else. And the waistband isn't too narrow or tight. Charnos. Brilliant.

The next project is under way: Funnel Neck , another top-down knit. I did the neck bit and then started on the increases for the yoke, but after about seven rows of the yoke I realised that the increases looked awful, really messy. I knew the method I was using would leave little holes (picking up the bar between stitches, with the left needle, front to back, and then knitting) but I thought they'd make a nice, ordered pattern, like on Forecast, and the Glamour Cape. But no. I think it had something to do with fitting in the increases with the K1P1 ribbing. Anyway, I ripped back and started the yoke again, this time picking up the bar between stitches with the left needle, from front to back, and then knitting into the back of that stitch. The difference is unbelievable. No holes at all! The only way you know something's been happening in the increase areas, is the fact that the ribbing diverges and seems to make rivulets. Great. The method is the M1F on this site.

Now the only thing remaining is to make it fit - for me, not an easy task. Already I'm using smaller needles and knitting the next size up, without so much as a nod to the correct tension. Luckily the yarn (Debbie Bliss Aran Tweed, picked up for a song, from Jannette) is wonderful to easily rip back and then pick up all the stitches again. The yarn seems as though it's already felted - is that possible? It's the least splitty yarn I've ever known. I love it.