I joined a test-knit. I have done a handful of test-knits in my knitty journey but the stress of precision and a deadline have steered me to shy away over the past few years. But where I once said nevermore, along came this amazing raven-inspired colourwork yoke that I couldn’t resist (did you see what I did there?). So away I flew.

And fly I did. This was the quickest test-knit I have ever completed and, for the most part, I stayed on track with the designer’s choice in yarn weight and blend. I even did a [errr, tiny] swatch! It was started and complete in 3 weeks, albeit in a much smaller size than I usually knit for myself (cutting down the number of actual stitches in the final product by at least 30% of what I would have to knit for a sweater in my size). You might recognize all this as telltale behavior of setting this project up for success.

But success is relative. In fact, today is the true test of this finished object’s success. Why, you might ask? Because it was knit for a teenager who rarely asks for any handknits, and today is the first day that she is wearing it to school. So as I wait to hear the verdict I cannot help but wonder if I will continue to knit for others, or perhaps nevermore? It’s always nail-biting to hear if a knit hits the mark, or if it will be tossed aside as a novelty. But that’s the way with gifted handknits in these modern times.

If you are looking to give this knit a try, it will be available in the near future by the Quebec designer Maxim Syr, also known as Max the Knitter, and while you wait you can check out his other playful fair-isle style garments featuring bears and foxes. My needles have been know to create finished objects of some of his other designs as well and the result has always been a win. So fingers crossed that perhaps my teen will both like and follow my handknit adventures evermore.