Filey waistcoat

I have been a bit of a traitor as I had a notion to do a bit of dressmaking ahead of the summer. I have produced three summer tops and a dress so far and have really been enjoying it. Most of the fabric has been sourced from the internet – yet to find the holy grail of fabric shops here in France, but will keep looking. The ones I have found are either very expensive of full of very nasty synthetic fabric.



Of course I cannot be without a knitting project and the next is a waistcoat in Rowan Summer Tweed in Cape which is planned for Gary’s birthday on 17th March. I might make the deadline? It featured in the new spring summer magazine and is called Filey and was designed by Erika Knight. I love Summer Tweed and there is something so organic about having to wind your balls before you start.

Bergere 125.86 - the woolly jigsaw puzzle

I want to rename the three quarter sleeve jacket the jigsaw puzzle jacket. The knitting went like a dream and after blocking it I settled down one afternoon last week for the sewing up. It made no sense at all. The two sleeves were knitted as ‘opposites’ and there was only one tiny bit of raglan to attach to backs or fronts. I had two customers visiting that afternoon and neither of them had any ideas either. So, I put it all away in a bit of a huff a whole afternoon with one side seam to show for my efforts.

The next day I thought I would search the internet to see if anyone else had reported a problem and it did look as though there were some French comments. And lo and behold there was an amendment to the pattern! The sleeves should be both the same and both have the little raglan bits – it made a lot more sense now.

[Link below for amendment – I hope this might save someone else some pain.]


http://www.bergeredefrance.com/uk/amendments/Collection_Book_2008.pdf

Nothing else for it but take them back to the armhole and knit them up again. Hey ho…

Right, start again. All side and sleeve seams joined and then the little raglans. At this point I was a tad nervous about adding the yoke section as it looked a very tricky task. I was also not sure what stitch to use to join the two parts. In the end I did it with mattress stitch, even though one side is knitted vertically and one is horizontal. Just take care not to pull your stitches too tight.

Et voila – the puzzle is finished. And ready in time for Tracy’s birthday on 8th March. It is gorgeous and has been worth the pain. Although, I have to confess in all my years of knitting this is the first mistake I have encountered.

PS My other top tips are to pick up and knit the cuffs rather than sew them on and to finish knitting the rib part of the yoke to the cable section before sewing them together.

Bergere 3/4 sleeve jacket

This has been on Tracy's wish list since the 08/09 Bergere collection came out. It's time has come in the knit list! A very different sort of construction this - as you will see from the pic it looks rather odd. I'm nearly finished the fancy yoke bit and then it is on the picking up and knitting up to the neck... It will make sense in the end, I promise.

Wot no project???

With the completion of these two items I have nothing on the needles, which will not do! I have a few ideas though, so off to have a rummage around the pattern stash..... Watch this space!

In situ

I have folded the throw on the sofa meantime, but I think it will also look lovely in the guest bedroom.

This is a great result!

I have pressed on since my New Year's resolution to finish the throw and today I finished it too. It has been more than 3 years in production (although most of that was waiting to sew up the squares!) This was the starting point for Alba Yarns. Most of the yarn and the beads for it were sourced from the internet and gave me idea for the business, so it is delightful to see it complete. Although I chose the colours for the house here when it was our holiday home and we have different furishings now, the colours still work well.

Completed Cellini

Yesterday I finished sewing up the Rowan Cellini. It looks a bit big, but it is on the lines of OSKA clothes and looks good on. It hangs well and I am looking forward to wearing it. Of course now it's finished , the long cold spell we have had has now come to an end and it may be too warm! it has been the coldest winter in France since 1996/97 according to our Meteo service.

Happy New Year and resolutions...

I'm not normally one for New Year resolutions. But for some reason today I felt drawn to the many bags of knitted squares I finished probably about 3 years ago. They are for a throw from Debbie Abraham's book. The thought of the sewing up has put me off finishing it (it is my pet hate). Half of them needed blocked and pressed too.

I spent this afternoon laying them out; I am just doing my own thing with the design and mixing the colours as I think. I am starting to think this is an omen and it WILL get finished this year. Now, I've put it down in black and white I'm committed!

Another Christmas pressie

I didn't manage too many knitted pressies this year, what with the finishing of Gary's sweater and ongoing work on the Bellini (but on the last sleeve....). But this wee cutie, which featured in the first issue of the Debbie Bliss magazine went in with a parcel of foodie goodies for my friend Margaret.

Close up of cable stitch detail