Check, Check, Doublecheck!!

I should have seen it coming...
Something should've clicked when I had to use two needle sizes bigger than the suggested ones. But I got tracked sideways when I knit and re-knit, knit and re-knit and knit and re-knit the first decrease round.
I took it to my Stitch 'n Bitch group and let 'the wise ones' take a look. After letting me rattle on for a while, one of the wise ones asked me questions as if I just explained her that apples come from a tree, as if I wasn't just throwing the k2tog's and the purl stitches and markers around in an incoherent and totally chaotic way... I swear, this lady must have some sort of genius gene, like a photographic memory, but then something to do with translating one dimensional ramblings into three dimensional pictures of the problem.
Eventually, after knitting a round to show them what the problem was, there was a frown, a sigh and eventually the words: 'did you check the errata?' shut me right up. I didn't...
Luckily I'm stubborn and creative at times and I was able to make it work, insecurely checking if I made the right decision every row or two.

I knitted on and then the fact that it took me two skeins instead of one should have tipped me, right? Well, I wondered about it checked the stitches and the gauge (verhouding) and it was fine, so I ignored the signs, knitted on and cast off....

with this as a result:

You know, slouched hats are all the fashion. Wendy @ Knit & Tonic had designed a version and I'd actually love to make/ have one. But this one was intended for my grandmother and it's no where near just slouching...

IT'S A MONSTER! And it's eating me!!

this is how big my headband is compared to the beret...

I have this to say for myself:

The gauge was right, and the stitches too..... I swear!
Well, I'm off...maybe I should check those errata right?!

I do seem have a way with stitches though. The way my ribbed stitches go into the stockinette stitches is apparently an elegant one where my stitches don't lie 'on top of' the knitting... Gosh, who knew...

ps I have site feed now. The wise one also let me in on this piece of magic. Except for wise, she's also nice, look what she made the S'nB group:

I swear, if we were in Lord of the Rings she would be freackin' Gandalf!