My Goodness that was close.

 I spent the better half of a week agreeing with Freyalyn.  (The whole, I must have been out of my head to even try this particular colour combo, it will never work, it all looks the same colour, I must be mad!) that sort of thing. And then I plucked up the courage and blocked it.  Like what it said on the pattern.  Wow!  It worked.  (OK, not particularly well blocked, granted.  The little twist in the star in the middle will haunt me for a while yet).  But it Worked!  the colours suddenly separated and lo and behold it worked.  The person I knitted it for was thrilled too so all round a qualified success.  Yay!