Knitting for Robin Hood

I've had an UDO (undocumented object) on the needles for a week or so. Though it looks like a really bizarre and poorly planned hat, it's actually going to be a quiver. For Robin Hood.

This is the only knitted object that Mr. D. (age 4) is interested in. Though we've purchased yarn for a sweater, he really really really wanted me to knit him a quiver. So after a bit of internet searching, we found Cat Bordhi's free quiver pattern (scroll down a bit). Though the pattern is intended to be for knitting needles, I figured I could make it for "real"--that is, made of construction paper and drinking straws--arrows for my little Robin Hood.

Side note: Last August, I DVRd an episode of Knitty Gritty where Cat taught her Moebius cast on (basically, as far as I can figure after six more months of knitting experience, a provisional cast-on where you end up knitting both sides in one twisted loop). I 've made the scarf from that episode twice--two more undocumented objects--and think it's a really interesting shape to work with. I also bought Cat's Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles when I wanted to learn how to make socks. And, after perusing her website, I found out that she lives on one of the San Juan islands, just across the bay (sort of) from my home, Bellingham. So I found it very strange and sort of appropriate that when I Googled "quiver knit pattern" that Cat's was the only one I could find.I used some really old yarn that was an inheritance of sorts from my great aunt Iva. I decided to modify the pattern a bit--I had a size 10 47-inch circular from the moebius scarves, and even though the pattern called for a size 13 i decided not to invest in a new expensive needle just to make a quiver. (Sorry, honey.) Boy, did I wish I had gotten the KnitPicks options set for Christmas!

I used two strands of worsted-weight wool held together. Started with the moebius rim and one strand of brown, one strand of baby-poop yellow. Finished the rim, then picked up stitches as per the pattern for the body, switching to a 24" size 10 needle. When I ran out of brown, I switched to olive green held with the yellow; when I ran out of baby poop yellow I switched to a second strand of green. As I decreased, I switched to two circulars; yay for never needing to use DPNs!

I forgot to take "official" measurements pre-felting, but I think it was around 12" in diameter and 15-16" tall. It was big enough for me to fit OVER my head, down to my shoulders, with room to spare on top of my head. Entertaining for a four-year-old...and, let's face it, me, too. Mr. D is modeling it above, but he wouldn't pull it over his head, "Because then I can't smile, Mama!"

Finally came the day of reckoning: time to felt it. I have never felted anything before. I was worried it wouldn't come out well because I knit it at a pretty tight gauge: two strands of worsted on 6mm needles...But I followed general felting directions from the KnitPicks catalog and Ms. SpeedQueen (our washer) did great!

I don't have felted dimensions, because I can't find my measuring tape (geez, what a mess!) but I'm guessing it shrank by about 3-4 inches vertically and maybe 1-2 horizontally. It's nice and thick and fuzzy and filled with newsprint to dry.

When it's dry we're going to fashion a strap out of fabric; I figured that way I could make the strap adjustable rather than the one-size Moebius strap that is called for in the pattern. More fun ahead!