I have a penchant for Kim Hargreaves designs and when I was looking for a little cotton jacket I came across Carrie in the Misty book and thought this is the one – then the roller coaster ride began!!

The jacket was made in Rowan’s Fine Milk Cotton which was of course by that time discontinued!!

Aha I thought, I will look for a substitute yarn but no I could not find a yarn and there wasn’t one on the yarn comparison sites so I used my trusty Google search and found some at English Yarns – www.englishyarns.co.uk/‎. I ordered 11 balls  in this lovely Dark Teal shade and put it in my stash.

During the Xmas break I decided to start it . It was straightforward with enough pattern to keep it interesting, the stitch definition was good and as I worked on it in my knitting groups the comments were all positive.

The back and fronts progressed well and I used short row shaping for the shoulders and a three needle bind off – 2 less seams to sew up (I hate the sewing up part)

Of course I got involved in several other projects and this was on the back burner but I did get the sleeves finished.

Until now the ride had been fairly smooth but with the end in sight only the collar and drawstring to go the ride became rough and very hairy!!! Here are the ups and downs –

Down – I cast on the collar and horrors of horrors I realised I was using the last ball!!! And no way was there going to be enough!!!

Up –  I contacted English Yarns and they had one ball in their inventory they would cll me back once they had got it from the stockroom

Down – they rang back and couldn’t find it!

Up – I contacted a lady on Ravelry who agreed to send it (from Billings Montana) I paid for it

Double Dip Down – it didn’t arrive and suddenly I was reimbursed the payment – the friend who was posting it for her lost it!!

Ok, now I was going to have to get serious – so hanging on tight I :

contacted several people on Ravelry who had it in their stash – Up

Down – they didn’t reply

I went on the Rowan site  and rang about 20 stockists – Up

Down – no-one had any

I emailed Webs in the USA – Up

Down –  they had none – try Ravelry they said

By now I was getting worried and beginning to feel sick, but I couldn’t stop I had to source a ball otherwise it would forever be in a project bag!

Up – Janice at John Lewis Bluewater contacted all the stores in the hope that a branch would have some

What to do so at the Sunday Knitting Group we talked about it and Susan said what about some forums and later that day she sent me the links for 3 forums – In search of and Rowan Love both on Ravelry and Phoenix Knitting Forum.

Up – I posted on all three

Down – waiting for a response was terrible – people looked at them but no replies

Up – I had a reply and YES she was willing to let me have a ball and it was the same dye lot!!

Up – buttons were bought

UP – the yarn arrived!

Double UP – the collar and drawstring were finished!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only the sewing up to go – and the roller coaster ride was over!!! I am really pleased with it and the positive comments make the roller coaster ride worthwhile.