Sunday, May 07, 2006

Things are bad. Send chocolate.

Still coughing. Had a week off the antibiotics and then had to admit defeat and go back onto a new set. Vague rumblings are being made about my going into hospital, which I am strenuously resisting - I have enough problems without that :)

OK, well, now that Blogger has condescended to work, and my computer has stopped sulking and working at half speed, let's see what kind of a post I can cobble together for you. I can't believe it's nearly a month since my last effort....

Two new patterns published: a baby poncho called 'Angel Delight' in the current 'Simply Knitting', and a top in the new issue of 'Knitting'. (No info yet on the reprinting of the correct chart for the Magic hat, by the way.)

I'm sure Debora, who edits SK, won't mind me saying here that I wasn't totally happy with the photo for the poncho - we have discussed it at length ;) You get a better idea of the whole garment on the following page, where it is laid out flat. The baby model was a bit large for it - but VERY cute!

That reminds me - talking of cute babies in SK, my sister has just returned to knitting to make the doggy babygro from a previous issue. She's making it for her granddaughter, in the same colours as the family dog..... although, as my niece is a vet, I have no worries about her confusing the two!

Anyway, as I was saying - the poncho is made in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, which is one of my very favourite yarns as it's so soft and pliable. The gorgeous buttons are from a huge and lovely selection at Laughing Hens, and I've used several different designs from there in the past.

The Honeybee top is one of my most enjoyable past projects. It's made by working random stripes of four different yarns, along with a length of Lurex, and it creates almost a brocade-like fabric. The stripes are more pronounced in the final item than they were in the swatch, as I had to replace a Rowan yarn, which was being discontinued. This seems to happen with monotonous regularity :(

It was a fun project to do, as you can swap a colour as soon as you get bored of it. The best thing of all is that it's worked top-down, in the round - no sewing up!!

Two other bits of news - sadly, Alice Weir (Flossie Knits) didn't win Knitter of the Year, but stll needs sponsors for th Race for Life. Please visit her site if you can.

Secondly, as well as luring my sister back to knitting by showing her the doggy babygro, I have persuaded Richard's grandmothers to start knitting again. My ex-mother-in-law is knitting for charity, and my mother is about to start knitting my baby poncho. I am beginning to feel like Patient Zero for a knitting virus :)

3 comments:

Mary Anne said...

Heather,
I'm so sorry to hear you are feeling unwell. I do hope you can keep out of hospital too.

Congrats on the two new patterns being published! You are soooo talented, kiddo.

Take care and rest well.
hugs,
mary anne

Anonymous said...

I have the current copy of Knitting, and the 'honeybee' top is very, very nice indeed - I love the colours and textures. I think it could look good in other colourways as well.

Do they send the garment back to you when they have finished photographing it?

Hope you feel better soon.

Anonymous said...

Heather, So sorry you've been having a bad time - worse than usual I mean. The baby pic was a disgrace frankly. I couldn't believe they'd use something so awful, but I have noticed before that some of the models are just not properly arranged for the photos. I've seen curled up button bands and sleeves not straight - ghastly. Enough of me whinging. Get better at once!!! That's an order.
Love,
Vicki