The Tiny Tea Cozy

While I've been stuck inside, I've been knitting (well, just Sunday afternoon really). I used to knit a bit (mainly (well, only) hats - I'm not sure why I like hats. I look stupid in them). Prompted by Hilary's idea of a little knitting club (Amy and Hilary both knit too), I found the wool shop (it's next to the Brew Pub) and spent my half hour break (though most of it was taken up by walking there - damn snow) choosing this chunky acrylic with 20% mohair. It's called Narvin, which isn't really very inspiring.
I decided I was going to stick to a pattern (something I've always been unable to do previously), and came upon the Unoriginal Hat. I did a swatch in the cable pattern as stated, and realized that because I am a (very) tight knitter, I was going to need bigger needles.
Well, I didn't have bigger needles, so I did some maths, and cast on 84 stitches, rather than the 56 the pattern called for, for 6 repeats rather than 4. I knitted 8 rounds, pulled out the needles, and put it on my head. It was too big. So I ripped it out and went down to 70 stitches.
I finished the hat at about 1 am Monday morning. It looked so cool. It was my first time at cables and they looked perfect. (The following picture is closer to the actual colour - the other photos are slightly over exposed. I suppose I should re-do them, but it's late and I can't be bothered.)
There was one time where I missed a cable and didn't realize until 2 rounds later, but was able to undo just 7 stitches on the row below and 5 on the row before that, and managed to put the cable in - I couldn't even find the mistake in the finished hat - not even a twisted stitch.

Then I tried it on. I guess I should have stuck with 84.

Don't laugh! It's a good job Mum doesn't read this, as you would be able to hear her cackling right now if she did.
And Dad would say, "Why is she wearing a tea cozy on her head?"

It's quite frustrating when you finish something and it's crap though. I don't want to knit the same thing again - I want to do something different, but if I do, I won't get it right, because I won't do what the pattern says. I just won't. And I'll have to redo it to get it right.