Bit of Doris Chan - bit of me

As you know from previous posts that I had intended to make a version of Tall Latte from the Everyday Crochet Book but as I wasn't concentrating fully in the run up to the intended operation I omitted to increase for the front V shaping and so finished up with a square neckline. Unwilling to rippp it undone I toyed with the idea of keeping it square and just putting an edging on it but when I tried it on it was far too low and behold for what was supposed to be a winter sweater.

I improvised and filled the gaping square neckline in with crochet as you can see but as the stitches were too similar (and going in different directions) I decided to outline the neckline with a relief trim to distinguish between the 2 pattern stitches. I went into my loft to search in my thousands of buttons but as per usual nothing was suitable either in colour or style so I just made crochet buttons as I can put the sweater on over my head without actually undoing any buttons. I have found over the years that crochet buttons do not stand up to being used as fasteners on a long term basis. They get squashed and out of shape very quickly.
I will take some photos of it with my webcam when I try it on later and will put the photos on here and on my Ravelry projects.

Lisa's daughter has seen the beginning of the Seraphina shawl and loves it. I have done a few more rows on it but of course progress will seem to slow the wider the shawl becomes. I feel that it might have to be blocked but the weight of the chenille may spread out the pattern as the weight around the edge increases. I am reluctant to block as I don't want to spoil the nature of the chenille. It is all too easy to make it look flat and lifeless. I knitted with chenille years ago and if it gets a whiff of an iron or any kind of heat then it is ruined. I will maybe just keep hanging it when I put it down for the evening and let gravity work it's magic. The shawl pattern has no specific length so I will just keep on crocheting until it is either the right length or the cone runs out whichever comes faster.

I have left the best news until the last. My baby is back home! My hoover free days are over but it's good to have him back even though he has shed everywhere. He has slimmed down a lot and I am on strict instructions to slim him down a bit more. He is limping once again but we have decided that it is a touch of old age or arthritis and not an injury. I am going to try him on some supplements to see if that eases his joints. I am not sure if he is overjoyed to be home or not. I think in his heart he can't decide and would ideally like all of us to be with him. My son and daughter in law for the fun and exercise and me for the petting and fussing. Apparently he got a bit cross with Skye licking his face and messing with him all the time but at the same time it did Skye good to get put in her place and she has calmed down whilst he has been there. She is still at the bouncy 7 month old puppy stage but with all the strength of a Rottweiler.