Getting Back To It.

I’m back. Maybe you didn’t notice I was gone. That’s ok ;)

Without wanting to sound overly dramatic, I’ve been pretty ill over the last couple of weeks. It all started with what seems to have been an allergic reaction and spiralled into something nasty that knocked me for six and left me feeling totally wiped out. I didn’t knit for days. That says it all really doesn’t it?

Today, I’m feeling much more me. Still a bit slow and jittery, but much better. So I thought I’d pop in and show you my cardy.

It was basically finished before the craziness happened. I just had to knit the last bit of one sleeve, block it and sew on the buttons.

Remember I was making up the pattern myself? It’s a top down raglan with 3/4 length sleeves and a shortish body in Rowan wool/cotton 4ply yarn. I’m digging the sand/ pistachio combination for summer, but am already wanting it in other combinations too.

I can’t wait to show it to you on me, because I’m pleased with the fit. I designed it with a fair bit of negative ease (which means that its measurements at the bust, waist and hips are smaller than my measurements, so it’s fitted) and it sits open beautifully which is just what I was after. Although I can do it up, I intend to wear it open and this way it doesn’t flap about at the front.

I’ve included lots of little design features, so the waist shaping is cute, the raglan increases mean the stripes aren’t lost and the ribbing flows neatly from the body, without any jogging of colour. I also fiddled and fiddled with the sleeves to get as little jog in the stripes as possible, and neat decreases. Although it means a bunch of knitting, ripping, knitting, ripping and so on, it’s working out the special extra details that makes designing hand-knits so exciting for me.

Finally, I’ve used the same neck finish as I used on my modern tank. They are meant to go together after all. And, because I’m not a fan of totally matchy-matchy, while they work together, they’re not inseparable.

See my skirt fabric? No skirt yet. Unfortunately I have zero motivation to sew right now. Hopefully it will return soon… sometimes just saying it makes it so.

In light of my bothersome health stuff and my motivation issues, I’ve decided to forgo deadlines for the time being. So, Outfit 5 will get done when it’s done. Ditto Outfits 6 and so on. Clearly I’ve already missed the deadline of the end of May!

That’s not to say I’m doing nothing, I’ve actually picked up a crochet hook and started something for my next outfit already. But everything is going very very slowly. Partly because I know absolutely nothing about following a crochet pattern or indeed, many crochet stitches, and partly because I’m not feeling the ability nor desire to speed up right now.

My current plan, although of course nothing is set in stone, is to plod along, make stuff, eventually finish an outfit, show it to you, have a lovely couple of giveaways and interviews that I’ve already scheduled, and get back to normal just as soon as I can. Things might be a bit sporadic and muddled for a bit, but I’m sure you lovely people won’t mind.