The story of the mahaila knitted shorts: a labour of love..... and tears

After months of knitting, unravelling, constructing, elation and tears I have completed the mahaila designed shorts. They are now on a journey, travelling from Berlin to Perth. Kaye, consider Challenge number 3 complete!

THE STORY OF THE SHORTS

Making these shorts was a complete challenge for me. OK so I can knit, but to design the garment was quite tricky for the amateur knitter. I ended up making 3 pairs of shorts (2 were unravelled) 

In late June, Kaye suggested that I knit some shorts for a challenge. Starry eyed mahaila accepted the challenge with enthusiasm.

In July 2010 I went to my favourite yarn store in Berlin, Loops. I bought a few balls of GGH Java black yarn and was very excited to start the challenge. I struggled to find a pattern, but eventually found a 'rainbow shorts pattern'.  

 After completing 1/4 of the rainbow shorts, I came to the conclusion that perhaps they weren't going to work out as well as I had wanted. So I searched and found another pattern by the knit designer Craig Hunter, Gam shorts. 

After realising that I needed more yarn, I discovered that the GGH Java yarn had been discontinued. So I searched a number of stores in Berlin with little luck. At this point I was desperate to find the right yarn. Luckily a lady at loops searched and searched for black Java yarn, where she found the last 3 balls. YAY!

As you can see from the photo above, I had nearly completed these shorts when I came to the conclusion that perhaps these shorts were too big. The shorts had taken me weeks to make and I learnt the hard way that you have to keep trying the shorts on every so often. But I did learn a lot with this pattern. E.g. shortening rows and working in the round. With much regret, I unravelled these shorts.   

I then searched and found the studio shorts pattern on ravelry by Elisha Laubacher. After reading articles by knit designers I decided to have a go at making something based on the pattern I wanted, to ensure that it would work. So I ended up making a coral neck brace thing (which you will be able to see in a later post).I then utilised the studio shorts stitch count when creating the ribbing at the bottom of the legs. I added 10 stitches on each leg and started on my cabling/moss pattern. I was concerned that they would not fit because I did not know how the cabling would effort the fit of the shorts. I frequently placed the stitches on salvage wool, so that I could try them on. Luckily everything seemed to go along smoothly. 
 In January 2011, the shorts were completed in Berlin! YAY!. 
Today I they were sent via registered post to Kaye in Perth. Fingers crossed they get there!

Wrapped up and ready to go

PLEASE get there in one piece mahaila shorts!

I definitely had a love hate relationship with these shorts. I feel that I have learnt a lot from them and I am currently working on a 1930's knitted swim suit. Fingers crossed these will work out as well as the shorts!

Watch this space: Soon we will both be posting our photos with the shorts.