Introducing the Jolly Green Giant

.
The Jolly Green Giant (JGG) is (or will be) a large, green aran sweater for my Dad. When I say it's green, I mean that it's really really really green. The greeniest green there is. And nothing subtle about it. Kermit the Frog is a tasteful green alongside it.

Put it this way, when I showed it to Lovely Lisa in TIK last week she actually took a step backwards. She said nothing, (so polite) but a strange look passed over her face.

See, it's like this...

Some time ago I promised to make my Dad an aran jumper (that's a sweater for you non-Europeans). Make no mistake, as a lifelong knitter he's more than capable of making his own jumper, and indeed he often has. And wonderful colourful creations they are too. I'll show you sometime.

This, however, is a labour of love for me and a small payback for the years of great knitting and Dad-ship he has given to me. As such, the yarn is entirely his own choice and I will knit it without dark glasses complaint*. Tho' I might stitch a message in the back 'My daughter knit me this sweater, but I chose the colour myself'.

Top left of picture is the scramble of yarn - it's a EuroBuster yarn, green of course.

Bottom left of picture is 8 inches or so of ribbing. After the ribbing I'm using a basic raglan pattern in a kind of waffle stitch/mistake rib with some cables and other do-dads to keep it interesting. Oh yes, and a Secret Surprise on the front. Not going to show that until it's finished.

Right of picture is a strip of sample rib stitches, starting with:

- Fisherman's Rib in 8mm (way too open),

- the same in 6mm (still not firm enough) and then

- a variation of a 3 stitch Mistake Rib, (think that's what it's called)

- followed by a 2 stitch Mistake Rib.

As you can see, the 3 stitch Mistake Rib was the winner. There's a heart there because there just is.

[Hah! Edited to add...looks like I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve! Ha hah hah! Sorry, I'm a bit sleep deprived. Everything is either terribly sad or hilarious.]

I've done about 8 more inches of the back, including some cables - more pics to come. It's pretty heavy already (especially since I've been knitting delicate little mittens for months) so I got some 6mm circulars (I love Addis) to replace the cumbersome No 6's in the photo. .

Big improvement.

.

It's still green tho'.

.

Editor: Not another word about the colour. From now on, it's all about the knitting, right?

.