discodoris

I recently got my eyes tested and the optician confirmed what I had definitely suspected - that the dreaded middle-aged deterioration of my eyesight had been fast over the last couple of years.  To the extent that she's booked me for another check next year instead of the two years that's normal.  Anyhow, I got a new prescription for my varifocals and a new pair of close-work glasses (I was already long-sighted, and I'd been really struggling with the little stuff).  To my delight, this meant being able to pick up my embroidery again!  I had a design which was really only waiting for finishing off, and over the last three days, I've done exactly that!



I'm considering doing some small cross-stitch patterns for cards and decorations too.  However, I have a watercolour of the Arizona desert by a Native Indian and this embroidery to get framed too, so I might take a trip to Hobbycraft soon.

I've made a couple of jumpers recently - one as a present and one for me to keep.  The Wonder Woman sweater was received well, although I wasn't terribly pleased with the yarn I chose (good colour, but not really the chunky weight it was sold as) and it knitted up much more sloppily than I intended, despite having done a gauge square.




On the other hand, I'm absolutely delighted with the sweater I made for myself.  The pattern doesn't have a name, only a number, but I got it as a freebie from Deramores with a yarn that was on offer.  It knits up quickly, and would have been even quicker had I not failed miserably to change needles at an appropriate point when knitting the front and done 100 rows of pattern at the wrong gauge (DOH!).  Frogging that back and restarting probably added 20 hours of knitting.  Still, it's all been worth it and considering that I was using a variegated yarn, I'm particularly proud of having got the sleeves to match beautifully.

With the news that another set of friends are expecting their first baby, I've knitted another baby cardigan for their little one.  For the first time, I got button bands and collar just right, which delights me.  Since they live in North Carolina and the baby is expected in August, it's knitted in a 4ply cotton from Sirdar, which will hopefully provide some comfort.

I have knitted another garment for myself. I didn't use a direct pattern for this one, but took the dimensioning from another pattern, and decided to do it in full cabling.  The yarn was a bamboo viscose/cotton mix and I knitted it mainly on 3.25mm needles.  I'm pleased with all but the transition from button bands to collar - but more practice and I'll get there.

I've actually done quite a lot of knitting since my last post, but haven't photographed many of them and have already been given to their recipients.  But just for a change, I've been knitting for myself!  I've used Fiesta DK, manufactured by Hayfield, although the pattern was from Rowan and originally specified a fluffy yarn.  I'm not keen on fluffy, as even when I'm not as chubby as currently, I have a lot of boob, which is not really suitable to be emphasised by looking like a furball.  Anyhow, it was done on relatively fine needles - 3.25mm for the body and 2.25mm for the neck and armhole finishing.I'm moderately pleased with it, although I'm considering putting some ribbon in to gather a waistline into it.

So, the cardigan went down very well with the colleague whose daughter is to receive it.  And yet another colleague is expecting their first born some time next week, so I did a couple of little bits.  A sweet little hat and bootees set, again knitted in the Women's Institute Soft and Silky Blue Mix (I still have another 200g of it).

Using up some Women's Institute Soft and Silky 4 ply to make socks to match the baby cardigans that I've done for my colleague.  They've come out nicely I think - knitted on 2.5mm dpn.

This one was knitted and complete quite a while ago, but needed sewing up and a button afixed. However, I misread the instructions and ended up making it in the 12 month size.  I suppose I should hang on to it for a while!  (Although I'm almost getting to the stage of considering an Etsy store - fortunately baby clothes are VAT free, so there's no problem with the cross Europe obligations.)

Yarn is Sirdar Snuggly Crofter Baby Fair Isle effect DK.  Pattern is from 60 Quick Baby Knits and was knitted on 4.5mm needles.

And here is the for reals cake, after some fiddling with edible shimmer spray, sweets and black fondant icing...

Well, I haven't been entirely idle, despite there having been a little while since my last post - that's mainly because I needed some buttons to sew on.  I've been learning to make cardigans - one was knitted from the top down and the other from the bottom upwards.  Both have delighted me in terms of learning how to shape with stitches, although there's quite a significant area for improvement.

The first was using yet more of the Women's Institute Soft and Silky Blue Mix - I realise now that I bought rather too much of this in my enthusiasm for a new baby arriving.  The second was using some old season colour and therefore cheap cotton/acrylic mix - Rowan all seasons cotton in Cardboard.  The first was a very old pattern from Patons and has come out beautifully.  The second was from the book "What to knit when you're expecting" which was given to me by thisispoki's pregnant daughter, marked with the patterns she wanted.  It was a less easy to follow pattern in terms of how it was written, so I had to go backwards and forwards a few times to work it out correctly and it has come up huge, certainly much bigger than I was expecting for a supposedly 3-6 month size.  It'll be fine, as baby can grow into it, but might not be an appropriate gift just yet.

Anywho, photos of completed...