FO Friday 100: My Precioussssss

Oh yeah, baybee ! 

Two FOs today, and they are both MINE ! As in, I have made them for ME, and myself and I ! Which are the first things I have made for myself since I took up knitting again in 2008 - a mere 2 items out of (runs to check Ravelry projects page) 108 projects. So as you can tell, I am dead chuffed with both them and myself.

                             

The first one was completed a couple of weeks ago; the 70% lambswool/30% silk aran chenille yarn, at 200m/100g was a great Ebay find, produced by Kingcraig Fabrics, and gifted to me as a late birthday present by my Good and Eviller Twins; a lovely shade of crimson-ruby:

 

And over the space of 17 days, I turned 4 balls of it into this: 

The Sienna cardigan from the Dolce Handknits book; I wished I had made the body a bit longer, as I do like an oversize woollie, but it is lovely. DH kindly took the photos for me, without regard for the background ....

And look ! I have 4 balls (approx. 800m) to make something else as well !

And then last night I finished Fitzroy, from the same book, in navy and white Rico Cotton Aran:

 

detail of Fitzroy pattern

There was no-one to model it, and no-one to take a photo of me in it if I modelled it, so here it doesn't show at it's best, hanging flat from a hanger; but I shall also wash and block it today, which will be the finishing touch. The Rico Cotton Aran was a lovely soft yarn to knit with, too.

There are quite a few more knittable and wearable patterns in the book; the yarns are clearly detailed so substitution in not a problem, and the patterns are very clear, with full instructions - I'll definitely buy it at some point, as I can't just keep renewing it from the library forever ...

So go and share the joy over at Tami's Amis - I can't be the only one who is this happy today.

WIP Wednesday 106: Lady Sings the Blues

Fenestra Tarot

Although I love this pattern, and the Rico Cotton Aran is a great yarn, unfortunately there has been a short hiatus in my progress with Fitzroy (from the Dolce Handknits book):

It's called, forgetting you'd modified the body to be longer because you are past the age of way too classy to be displaying your stomach in public and so now, you fool, you have run out of yarn when halfway up the sleeves. A quick call to Knitworking meant I could snabble a couple more balls of the same dyelot in the navy colorway - this is the plus side of buying yarn and using it for a project immediately, rather than letting it gaze at you accusingly from your stash.

And thus we arrive at today:

  

All there is to do now is sew it up, add the neck border, and 6 buttons. Perhaps you might see a picture on Friday, but don't hold your breath.

While I was waiting for the top-up yarn to be delivered, I thought I'd better crack on with Destructo Boy's sweater for school, and managed to whizz through the back:

 

 The pattern is Sirdar 1912, using that great workhorse yarn, Stylecraft Special DK. I have made this pattern a couple of times now, both as tank tops and sweaters. He has promised - on pain of death - that not only will he wear it when it is cold at Christmas time, he will not lose this one. I am ever the optimist, so I maintain an open mind about it.

Don't forget to pop over to Tami's Amis for lots more project updates .....