Finally.... Ella

Wow, look! Cobwebs! Dust! Yeah, yeah, I know. Lets just carry on, shall we?

I finished knitting Ella. I actually finished knitting Ella way back around April 12. So, a little over six weeks ago. And I was so glad to see the back of those bloody ruffles. They just went on. And on. Aaannnnnd on. If you were following me on twitter at the time, you were probably just as sick of hearing about the ruffles as I was sick of knitting them. But finish them I did, then I folded Ella up and put her aside until I had some time to block her.

And there she sat, folded, waiting.

Then, earlier this week another Raveller sent me a message saying they'd like to see pictures of me wearing it. And I figured it was time to do something, so I threw her in the bath.

And finally, she's done. Excellent timing, really, seeing as it's starting to get quite wintery in old Sydney town!

Am I happy with it? Um, maybe. I'm hoping it will grow on me. I think that going for the super ruffly ruffles was a mistake. They're a little *too* ruffly. And that's aside from the fact that they took forever. Have I made that clear yet?

Specs:
Pattern: The Ella coat by Nora Bellows
Yarn: Shepherds Wool Worsted by Stonehedge Fiber Mills in Granite and Raspberry, with a little Tilli Tomas bling thrown in for good measure.
Needles: 5mm Addi Turbo clicks
Mods: None.

Thoughts: I was really honoured when Melissa contacted me and asked me to be a part of this knitalong. I got to choose the colours, and they sent me the yarn and off we went. The yarn is divine. I've heard it pills, and only time will tell, but it's gorgeous to knit with. Soft and squishy, and knits up into a lush fabric. When you block it, it blooms beautifully.

The pattern? Fabulous. Especially when you check in with the Noni blog to get all the tips that Nora imparted each week. All the tweaks and tips she gave helped tremendously to get the perfect coat for you. There were lots of options on the blog that weren't mentioned in the pattern. Having said that, if you just followed the pattern you'd still get a fabulous coat. But the tips offered some excellent alternatives.

It was great fun to see what colours and styles every one else in the knitalong had chosen, I don't think there were any to coats the same.

For closures, I went with big hooks and eyes that I found on eBay. I only got three, and four or five probably would've been better. The only thing I'd change, apart from the ruffles? (And there is zero chance I'm ripping them back and starting again!) I'd like pockets. But maybe I'll just knit a pair of matching gloves!

Thanks so much to Melissa and Nora for asking me to join in the fun!

PS. Guess who's knitting a hat for her Beau?