Big sigh

I've been beavering away on young mans Zipped Cardigan. I'm making good progress, nearly finished the first sleeve and the fronts and back are completed. Its all done by rows and side decreasing, its all stocking stitch. So what could go wrong?

ooh, about 10 rows worth of wrong!! I've no idea where I've gone wrong or which side is wrong.... does this mean I have to rip back both sides to the armhole shaping? I hope not. I will go through row by row on each side counting the decreases and the rows in-beween and see if I cant work it out that way. Time to start another 'simple' pattern!!

Meanwhile, I'm back at college beginning another course:

Are you feeling Autumn?

Sometimes simple is best

There's nothing better than a nice simple pattern to raise your spirits. This is one of my knit along projects. I knit it along side the more challenging projects to give my brain a rest.

Moss stitch denim jacket

Pattern details:

Pattern source: The Celtic collection by Debbie Bliss

Yarn: Elle Denim, 5 balls

Needles: 3.25 mm and 4mm needles

Started: May 2007

Finished: August 2007

Amendments: I did not knit the pockets.

Comments: I used Elle denim yarn instead of the stated Rowan because it was in stash. The Elle yarn is noticeably softer than Rowan, but does not shrink as much. The finished product is much softer but not as sturdy feeling as the Rowan - having said that it's a difficult call to make as to which would be more suitable for a baby or young child. You want the softness because their skin is delicate, but you also want the sturdiness because the garment is likely to see much washing during its lifetime!! Pattern wise, very straight forward and easy to follow and no errors.

A finished object

Wavey

There are strands of yarn at the sides seams. (They are not stray ends!!)

As you can see here

My colours
Contrast sleeve
Detail of lace pattern on sleeves

Details

Pattern: My own

Yarn: Louisa Harding 'Sari Ribbon Pure'

Louisa Harding 'Thalia'

Sirdar Organza

Needle size: 12mm, 8mm, 7mm

Started: 6/9/07

Finished: 10/9/07

Comments: This garment was a college project requiring man made fibres. The finished garment looks lovely and is very wavy and floaty hence the strands of yarn at the sides to add to the floaty feel. All of the yarns were ribbon in type and varied in thickness. They all tended to get stuck on the tips of the knitting needles no matter how many times I changed to more round ended needles! The The Organza and the Sari ribbon stripped my hands of moisture and skin.

Julia is almost finished. I hope the good weather stays long enough for me to get a decent photo. I've started this for my young man.

If it's clear enough you can also see a sleeve for Julia

It's the Zipped Jacket from the Debbie Bliss Special Family Knits book . It's a lovely book. As is her Rialto book - where the pattern for Julia comes from. I want to knit all of the patterns from it!! I liked it so much I sent a copy to my sister in Ireland. I think she is doing better than me and is on her second garment.

Young man, formerly known as number one son, has settled down into new school routine and is in honeymoon period at school. He's up and out bright and early and not one bit of moaning along the way. He's now my young man because he looks so different in a school blazer - all suited and booted as it were - and a rucksack that is bigger then he is!! I wanted to knit Nevis for him but he said it's too girly. I bought some Tapestry early this year for a college project that didn't work. I think it was the kilt that put him off.......

Stripey

I'm just a sucker for a cute baby!!

Did I mention it has a hood?

And the cutest buttons?

Pattern: Hooded Stripe Top (middle size)

Book: Baby Cashmerino Book One

Designer: Debbie Bliss

Yarn: Baby Cashmerino 2 balls each in Pink and white

Started: July 2007

Finished: August 2007

Comments: Lovely pattern easy to follow and I love the yarn!!

Hanging in there

I can totally empathise with Amelia. I'm in a bit of a knitting funk. Definitely pointless trying to take photos at the moment. Juliet is coming along but I can't show you because the project is in black and I still have not replaced the camera. I've completed all that endless mindless garter stitch. I've divided for the fronts and backs and completed one side of the front. The cell phone camera is doing the job, but alas not to my satisfaction. I feel as though I'm plodding along out of duty at the moment. I can't seem to find the enthusiasm to pick up any of the other projects too. I think I may know part of the cause:

Number one son does not want mum to knit his school jumper. I'm devastated!! This is when you know your child is on the slippery road to growing up (Am I being too much of a drama queen???)

I've been sewing in name tags to his new uniform (in the most inconspicuous of places of course) and I won't start on the craziness of uniform hunting - and it almost feels like I've regressed to his very first day at school. He's not around at the moment - I've had 2 weeks of my own space - you would think I'd be knitting away, but no - it's probably a good thing, he'd be huffing and puffing telling me it's no biggy, he's only changing schools. I feel quite stupid. For me he's at a life changing moment in his life and I want to scream and shout this to him. I want to tell him that in years to come he will be looking back to this time. I want to tell him to make the most of it , to revel in his youth and innocence, to hop skip and jump (and stay off the twiddly games) because this time will go in a blink. I want to give him tons and tons of hugs and kisses and beg him to stay small and not grow up. Instead I'll carry on sewing in name tags and get ready to rant at him on his return at the state of his bedroom.

Definitely need to work off this energy at the allotment!!

Rewind

In my last post I boldly declared my joy at reaching sleeve level on 2 of the projects I'm working on, Faye and my own design - well I'm still there! Both use 4 ply cotton and I'm suddenly finding both yarns hard going, in other words my sleeves are not growing - period. What better justification to start a new project. Not any new project, but a project in the colour (or not) black. And if memory serves me right, I did declare on this blog, never again to work in black after completing 3 of 4 projects working in black. The project is gorgeous however, and the hard work slogging away in a pattern I can barely see will be worthwhile. Its Juliet from the Debbie Bliss Rialto book. The fronts and the back are worked as one piece - endless garter stitch (nearly 250 stitches worth of the stuff!). I'm still using the camera on my cell phone so I'm not even going to attempt to take a photo of a sea of pitch black - not in our glorious grey summer weather. I'm not complaining for once about the weather, the heaviness is keeping my allergies in check and affording me some greatly needed relief.......

The summer holidays are ploughing ahead. Our days have been filled taking measurements and fittings for a new school uniform. As the day fast approaches, I see the growing apprehension and excitement in number one son as he prepares himself for his new school. I see the emotions changing in him on a daily basis as he looks forward to his first day. My heart goes out to him because he has left a very small school and will be starting (in my humble opinion) a huge school. It does feel like the very first day of school all over again. As I write this, I wonder whose apprehension I am writing about - mine or his....... He does look handsome though!!

Congratulations to Nicki and Andy on the birth of their son Peter Tybalt Walker last week!!

Congratulations to Mike and Gerry on their third wedding anniversary today.