THE Recorder Case

THE recorder case

Earlier this year I was interviewed a couple of times (here and here) and I talked a little about my first memorable knitting project. 

I was about 10 when I knitted this earthy creation and since then it's lived on top of my parents piano. Recently, my mum sent it to me from New Zealand so that I could show you and here it is: THE recorder case.

THE recorder case

I must have had free reign of Mum's scraps of yarn - wool actually. In those days there wasn't much in the way of variety. Yarn came in wool, sometimes maybe angora or mohair, or acrylic. Knowing my mum, this lot is pure wool, likely the old-fashioned scratchy kind.

I remember that the yellow-ginger yarn was left over from a jersey that she knitted for me. It had a round neck and little brass-coloured smiley face buttons on one shoulder.

THE recorder case
THE recorder case THE recorder case

I didn't have a pattern, just a recorder to cover and it looks as if I knitted it in two parts and then assembled it. I imagine what happened is that I knitted the bottom half first and then realised it was too short, so had to knit the top part to make it long enough. It ended up turning out a bit long and I wonder if I got carried away, enjoying myself so much I forgot to stop.

It looks as if the top part has been picked up and knit straight on to the side of the bottom part. I don't remember if I knew how to pick up stitches, may be my mum helped me with that bit? On the other hand, I think I was a bit gung-ho, so it's also likely I had a go myself, using some method that I made up. (Update from my mum: it was all my own work - apparently she didn't see it until it was finished!)

It was all knitted flat on straight needles and then sewn together. I didn't know about circular needles and knitting in the round until only a few years ago.

I distinctly remember knitting the orange/yellow columns of stitches and feeling very pleased with myself. I knew knit and purl but not yarn overs or cable stitches or anything fancy. All of these wee stitches were from my head, the result of fiddling about and playing with different colours of yarn.

THE recorder case

Clearly I didn't think it important to weave in my ends. Inside, it's a mess of ends.

THE recorder case

And seaming didn't appear to be high on my list of priorities either!

I'm sure you'll forgive me for being a little irrationally proud of my funny recorder case. It seems like yesterday since it was on my needles and I remember feeling a lot of pleasure knitting it. Those are the best projects aren't they?

Now I've showed you mine, what was the first knitting project that made you feel proud?