Woolly Wreath from The Village Yarn Shop - Done!

Wreathed in glory...

I’m soooooo pleased.  Perhaps my long streak of botched crafts is finally over!

Yes, I was a bit unnerved by this final step.  While it’s relatively straightforward, it does require a bit of artistic panache.  The same way putting flowers in a vase is relatively straightforward, but not everyone gets the same results.  I was worried the loops wouldn’t look lush enough, wouldn't turn out full and fluffy like the pattern photograph.  Knowing me, I end up with something that looked like a poodle just out of the bathtub.

Nope, it worked.  Sure, I had to tweak things a bit—I had a long enough strip to wind my loopy fabric a round the frame the same way as the muslin rather than a simple cover, but it worked out exactly right.  Really, how often does that happen??  That’s the sign of a good kit—sets you up for success.

I smile every time I walk by it.  I love that everyone in my home can see it.  I love that instead of just any old wreath, it’s a knitted wreath.  

Joy.  And given the winter we’ve had in Chicago, it’s a welcome boost of joy.  Thank you,  Village Yarn Shop, for a truly satisfying home decor knitting experience.

Next up, you find out just how wrong my tired little brain can go as we return to Kansas City so I can make up for past crimes…

Wolly Wreath from The Village Yarn Shop - Day 1

Kit can do...

I like kits.  They feed the control freak in me—I’m certain to have all the materials I need in the color and fiber combinations that guarantee success.  There’s a time and place for assembling elements just the way I like them, and then there are times when I want one-stop shopping.  True or not, I’m always convinced that with a kit, there’s a reasonable chance I’ll end up with something that looks close to the picture on the cover.

Of course, there’s a whole Pinterest fail site ready to prove just how misleading visuals instructions can be.  Still, I persist in my misplaced optimism.

I suppose you could use any fiber and get a pretty wreath, but we are fiber people after all.  Not just any yarn will do.  I like that Churchmouse has included a particularly nice fiber here, something pleasing to look at and nice to touch.  I know I’m in for a good experience when I get inspired just unwinding the hanks into balls.

I’ve read the instructions twice, and I’m still not sure quite how the stitching goes.  Stick with me until the next episode and we’ll see if I can master this loopy stitch.