The Debra Jacket Is Finally Finished

I feel like this jacket has been going on for ever. I started it back in September before my knee operation. To be honest thought I have done other things and kept putting this jacket down in favour of crocheting other things so the actual length of time that it has taken me to crochet it isn't that long if I add up the hours. It is quite an intense stitch though as it is all done round the post so I could not work on it for too long or my wrists ached. The pattern is called Debra and is from the Crochet It, Love It, Wear It book by Drew Emborsky.

I am very please with the end result even though the fit is a bit snug at the moment. I am supposed to be losing weight anyway and also my crochet tends to spread a bit in the wash and in wear so no doubt it will give after a couple of wearings. I still have to put some belt loops on the jacket and then I can leave it open without losing the belt. I don't know how many balls it took as I lost count part way through.I will have to weigh the wool that I have left over and subtract it from the total amount that I started with. The wool was one of those label free bargain packs from Bury Market. The stall tells you that it is branded wool but is not allowed to tell you whose it is. This was quite a thick double knit but fine if it was meant to be an aran thickness.

Part of my order came from Purplelinda yesterday. The silver and white metallic thread is what I was waiting for as I will use it to crochet some ornaments for the Kings Arms Christmas Tree when I go to the Islington Mill on Saturday.

The navy Patons cotton is for something for my sister in law but the pattern is yet to be decided upon. The large ball of navy aran is one of two that came from the Yarn Barn in Shaw and I am going to cast on my younger niece's friend's jacket tonight. I also ordered some beige cotton from Purplelinda but that is to follow later.

Today I went to the Hospital for some more physio exercises. The swelling in my knee is going down a bit and so the physio was quite please with my knee bend measurements today. My knee straightening exercises still need a lot of work as I feel like I am walking with my knee slightly bent all of the time.

Reading Material

Amazon didn't send me any more books today but I did get my non crochet reading for when/if I go into hospital. I ordered a couple of books by Stephen Fry as he makes me laugh and I have heard that both of these books are a good read. I must remember to pack my reading glasses!

The long cardigan by Drew Emborsky is progressing quite slowly. It is all the front crochet around the loop twisted cable style crochet and the round the back loop crochet on the wrong side that is slowing me down. It is making quite a close fabric as it is crocheted on a 4mm hook. I have put the marker pin at the half way point from the bottom edge to the armholes so that at least now I can see that I am more than half way to when I can divide for the armholes. I hope that it will move faster then when the rows are shorter. At the moment it seems to be taking me ages to go across a row plus the colour is difficult to see in the electric light. My photo makes it appear much lighter than it actually is. I would call it more of a maroon shade. I might have to start something else in a lighter colour for evening crocheting.

The rather blurry photo is of two charms that Rachael bought me from a shop in Accrington. One is a little sweater on the needles and the other is a ball of wool with needles crossing through it. I am going to try to make them into little lapel pins.

Today I nipped up to the Post Office on Pearl. It is so good to be able to nip here and there so easily. I decided to post the parcel off to Sylvia with the baby cardigans in. The Post Office was it's usual full self with the slowest moving queue in the North. There were 4 members of staff working but the queue was held up with people asking stupid questions, sometimes twice over, and the staff making it worse by asking everyone if they had life insurance and ISA's etc. Surely the time to flog their other things is not when the queue is snaking around the building. I felt like saying to the woman behind the counter - Stop chatting and trying to persuade people to take out things they don't want and just serve the customers. Oh dear I think that I am turning into a grumpy old woman. Why does trying to post a parcel turn into an hour long event?

Thanks to everyone for their kind wishes. I do hope that you can all knit and crochet with your fingers crossed! I am just crossing my legs so that I can still crochet.

Not a bad day today. I managed to get the washing dry outside - even the bathmats and towels so all in all a good day.

Crochet It, Love It, Wear It!

Another book that I really like. Crochet It, Love It, Wear It by Drew Emborsky otherwise known as the Crochet Dude. For once it is not a book filled with shawls, bags and hats. There is one scarf in it but I will allow that. It is a book of wearables.I have not used any patterns by Drew before so I can't as yet testify whether they are easy or hard to follow. I will have to advise you of that at a later date.

The first jacket 'Debra' is definitely on my to do list. It is shown on one photo in the book with a belt but I prefer it as an edge to edge jacket. I love the closed stitch effect for winter and I have a very similar colour of wool sitting in my stash that I feel sure will get made up into this jacket before very long. It is constructed all in one until the armholes so no side seams.

Although I love the Ruffled Cardigan with it's cutaway shape I think that at my age and shape that I would put a less ruffled edging on it. It has a very pretty stitch and once again it is made all in one until it divides for the armholes so no seaming which is always a bonus for me.

The Pencil Skirt has a very nice pattern stitch but is a no no for me. Not because I don't like it but the fact that it would not look nice on a short dumpy figure. On someone tall and slim it would be stunning.

I am so in love with the Budapest Nights red coat and would have had no hesitation making it for myself when I was in my 30's or 40's. I lack the social aplomb to carry it off these days but I do think it is a stunning coat with a nice crossed stitch pattern.

Antebellum is a top that I will be able to get away with wearing as it has a flattering baby doll shape which will cover a multitude of sins. Another one to add to the to do list.

What can I say about the Quintessential little black dress. Wow comes to mind. This would be another one I would have worn when I was younger and slimmer. It has a built in bra and elasticated waistline so I would imagine would make a lovely, easy to wear, addition to the wardrobe of someone younger and slimmer

Laurie is a basic wrap around cardigan that would suit most figures. It is made in lightweight lace and has a lovely shine to the yarn that is used. Drew has used a silk yarn which I think would help it to drape nicely.

I like the pattern stitch of the Angel of Music but for myself I would leave off the pussy cat bow and collar. I have an ample bosom and would not want to draw more attention to it with a big bow at the front. I do like the main part of the jacket though and sorting out the collar and bow would be an easy task. It has a little half belt at the back to pull it in slightly at the waistline.

I do like the ribbed stitch of the Saugatuck sweater and I can imagine that it would be very figure hugging and flattering to someone slimmer. I do like it but once again I think that pattern would cling to me in all the wrong places.

If I was in my 20's again or even my 30's I would make the Hesperas dress for myself. I think that Drew has shaped the bustier part of the dress beautifully. It might work for me as just a bustier top, without the skirt, with a long jacket over the top. I saw this dress on a video from the catwalk of one of the many wool shows that they have in the US.

The long Vashti skirt is pretty but not something that I would find a use for as I don't mix in the kind of social circles to wear something like this. Again it is a ageism thing as I know that I would have worn it when I was young.

Investing is a figure hugging waistcoat and for that reason alone I would never make it for myself but on anyone slimmer it would make a warmer for over a blouse in the office or over a T shirt and jeans. Again not for me but not because I don't like it. It's just the wrong age group for me.

The Keyhole scarf could look very pretty but in one colour. I know that the two colour version shows better in a photograph but I would imagine all one colour would be far more ladylike as the lace and the ruffles speak for themselves without making it duo coloured.

I have not done much of anything. I finished off one of the sleeves of Baby B's aran and so I have only got one more sleeve, bands and neckbands still to do.

I have been cleaning up a bit today. The little black cat from my neighbours did her usual appearance. Meow to be fed and then fell asleep on the rocking chair. I think I should call myself the crocheting Dr Doolittle. My son a and his wife have adopted another dog. This time a 9 week old pup called Ruby. She is a bit of a mixed breed so only time will tell how she will turn out. The other two dogs have taken to her right away which is a good sign as Buster never liked the other dog that they took in. Fortunately they managed to find a good new home for that adopted pup and he is now happily living in Yorkshire where he is the only dog of the household. They have just had all three of the dogs up on the moors for a good run so everything canine is now asleep after having paws, tail and tummy washed. Let's hope that Ruby behaves a lot better than Dillon did. Both Buster and his other dog seem to love her so that's a good sign. Buster hated Dillon and after Dillon bit Buster badly that was when he had to be found a new home. Two male dogs, even though they are neutered, don't always live happily together.