It Has To Be Doris Chan For Me

This is what I have been crocheting whilst Buster has been visiting.  I used the Cinnabar pattern from the Everyday Crochet Book by Doris Chan.

I like the top down construction. Plus the fact that it makes generous armholes which is a boon for a plus sized lady like me. I was jiggling about with a bit less cotton than I should have had for the pattern. My friend Sue had given me almost 13 balls of Patons Washed Haze Aran. It is an acrylic and cotton mix so it doesn't have a good yardage.

As you can see when I wear it the sleeves are bracelet length instead of full length and the body is a little bit shorter than I would have preferred. I just wished that I looked as nice in the Cinnabar as my model does.

This is the back view of the cardigan. It is quite thick so it will be warm enough for our wonderful non existent Summer. As I write this the rain is absolutely hammering down.

As a change from all of my Kemps browsing I now have become an avid Ebay fan. These are 4 that have arrived so far but there are many more to come if I win the bids. There is one pattern that I am bidding on and it has turned into a bit of a silly bidding war between me and another lady. It's like a battle and I want to win it. The money is not the issue any more it's the winning that counts!!!. It's a baby crochet pattern that I have never seen before, not even when I stocked Emu yarns in our wool shops. I want it - it shall be mine!

As the label was covering the lemon jacket on the group photo I took another photo but it has not turned out well. That's the trouble with using a camera in dull rainy lighting. The flash comes on. I don't have a super dooper top of the range camera.

These are 2 patterns that I bought from the Vintagelady web site. I have more but my printer has run out of ink so until new cartridges arrive by post I can't do any more. I bought them as PDF files.

All I need now is some time to complete the abandoned (because of Buster and his hair)matinee jacket and finish all the other things that are minus buttons and ribbons. My friend is calling on Friday to help me set up my Etsy site so hopefully by the weekend I will be up and running. I just need lots of really clear photos and to work out how much to price everything. Too low and I will probably sell everything but make no profit. I know that I won't make my fortune but I do want some remuneration for all the time that I spend doing the crocheting and the cost of the yarns and buttons etc. I just hope that my garments are nice enough to tempt people into buying them at a decent price.

The exterminator came on Monday to spray the wasps nest. Touch wood it seems to have done the trick and I haven't seen any wasps since. He did scare me a bit when he said I might have to ring him again as they might set up in a different part of the tiles instead of flying away somewhere else. So far though I haven't seen any signs of that. Thank goodness.

My son came yesterday and put me a temporary post up for my washing line. In true form as soon as he had finished it the rain came down so I still had to dry my clothes indoors.

I went to the Kings Arms Knit Club on Monday eve and we had a good night. Quite a few people were there so it was a good old natter and I managed to crochet quite a bit on the pink Cinnabar. Yesterday and today I have been doing a bit of cleaning. It takes me such a long time as I keep having to rest my back every 10 mins. In the end I just get fed up and leave it. I keep hoping that the cleaning fairy will come in the night but so far no luck.

Third Time Lucky?

Today I received a phone call from the hospital giving me another date for my operation. October 26th. Shall I write this in my diary or just wait for them to cancel it again. As 3 months will have gone by since my last pre op tests I have to go and have some more done. I have had 3 pre op tests done so far. Let's hope that they don't pick up on anything to give them an excuse to cancel my operation yet again !

I have finished the Cinnabar by Doris Chan from the Everyday Crochet Book. I haven't as yet blocked it but I think that I could have done with making it the next size up. It doesn't feel tight when I wear it but when I look at the photos I think that I would benefit from a larger size. I sewed on a fastener that I had in stash but I think that I will sew it lower down, more towards the waistline, as it seems to cut me in half at a funny angle, Taking photos is a good idea as it lets you see how it really fits.

The cardigan took 4 balls of King Cole Riot DK but I only had a few strands of wool left. I have ordered some more Riot wool from Texere in another colour but have ordered 5 balls this time so that I can make a larger size and a wee bit longer. I will probably use a different pattern next time and that may need more wool than this one did. I have also ordered another ball of the Orange Reflections with the lurex as I want to use it for a shawl and some Mirage DK by King Cole. Texere have an offer on for August where the postage is free so I might as well take advantage of their offer and increase my stash. I am still hoping to go and visit some mills with a friend to stash enhance as it looks as though I will be housebound towards Christmas. I won't be able to do much else besides knit and crochet although I am really glad that I have got the scooter for food shopping.

I have put the rest of the photos from Lucinda Guy Crochet designs for girls and boys on the blog. I think that there are a few designs that I will make from this book once I find children for them to fit. Most of the young ones are only babies and this book starts at 2-3 yrs.

Now then. what shall I start next? Time for another stash and pattern browse.

I Love Parcel Deliveries

I love it when the postman calls with parcels for me. Today I got my clothes order a day early. I have only taken a photo of my new ankle boots. I also bought 2 new bras (which I am not going to model) a couple of plain skirts and trousers. As I mentioned before they are very basic design but black and navy will be a great basic for a lot of the tops and sweaters that I already have. I got so sick of my old trousers being too tight on the legs as well as the waistband. These trousers are made of stretch material so have a lot of give on the knees when I sit down. I love the boots. They fasten with a Velcro touch fastening so are so easy to slip on. I had an introductory offer of 20% off everything for my first order which is why I ordered more than I would have done usually. Fifty Plus is a catalogue so I will be able to pay for my garments bit by bit over the coming months.

The Cinnabar hasn't progressed much since yesterday and I have a feeling that I will have to order another ball to finish it off. NancyLee I am using a pattern from the Everyday Crochet book by Doris Chan. I bought mine a couple of years ago through Amazon books and they have it in stock at the moment at a reduced price. In my opinion it is her best book so far. If you want to try a top down cardigan then Doris Chan has a free pattern on Ravelry called Lacy Top Cardigan in NY Yarns Cotton. Is very similar in design to the Cinnabar that I am making but has a more openwork pattern.

Once again I will express my thanks to my on line friends who leave me comments. Over the last few months they have been a life line to me just knowing that someone out there takes an interest in me and my work. It really has helped me through on my bad days. I tend to do my blog reading in blocks rather than every day so even though I don't always comment I do read your blogs.

My second delivery was Crochet Designs for girls and boys by Lucinda Guy. The patterns are very quirkily presented on cartoon type drawn figures rather than using real life models. It give the book an unusual twist to it. I have chosen some of the garments to put on my blog today. The rest of the patterns I will put on tomorrow. I love all the little accessories that make the pattern that bit more unusual. The sizes vary from age 2 up to age 6 yrs. I was expecting a delivery, a different pre ordered book and my waterproofs, so maybe I will have another nice surprise tomorrow.

I had a good time at the Kings Arms Knit Club last night. It's good to be able to have a chat with like minded people. I can't go next week as the pub doesn't open on Bank Holidays. My niece won't be able to take me down there once she goes back to work after the holidays so I will need to get a taxi when I want to go again. I didn't get a lot of crochet done but it doesn't matter as I go for the social atmosphere as much as anything.

I have finished off the bedrooms and hoovered the stairs and my front room but now I need 40 winks like an old biddie. My recliner is calling to me for a short snooze.

Thank Goodness For Top Down Crochet

The good thing about Doris Chan's patterns ( or any other top down pattern) is that I can try them on whilst I am crocheting. As I mentioned before I am using thinner wool and a smaller hook than the pattern calls for so I am making a much larger size than I would normally have made for myself.

I always crochet the sleeves before I finish off the body. I find it far easier than turning the whole garment around and around as I crochet sleeves once the body is finished altogether. It's fortunate that I do as when I started crocheting the sleeve and then tried it on after a few rows it was far too tight under the arms for me. My arms are quite thick at the top and I always have to watch the size of armholes and sleeves when I am making anything for myself. All was not lost in this case. I didn't have to start all over again and make a larger size. I simply adjusted by taking the sleeve back and adding more chain under each arm so that I have added a couple more pattern repeats to the sleeve and the body. The result is that not only do I have a wider sleeve I now have a bit extra width at the bust line. Once I return to the body I will work the bust shaping on each front.

I am quite enjoying making this jacket.I always crochet faster when I am using variegated wool. It's the thrill of finding out which colour comes next and what colour design it makes. Variegated wool looks quite different crocheted than it does when knitted. Knitted fabric tends to come out more stripey and crochet comes out more in blocks. I can always knit random coloured socks far quicker than any plain ones.

I think this comes from using rainbow balls when I was a child. Does anyone else remember those? They came loose or in knitting baskets with a little pair of plastic needles. There was only a few yards on each ball of wool but I used to love knitting with them. In my day almost every little girl had a knitting or weaving set in their stocking from Father Christmas. I once had a set where I made dolls from the old fashioned wooden clothes pegs. The dolls had pipe cleaners for arms and I had to paint a face on them and dress them from the tiny squares of material and bits of ribbon and lace included in the set. I doubt if any little girls get 'craft sets' at Christmas any more. My Mum used to try and get a different craft for me every year. One year it was blanket stitching around cardboard animal shapes, another year it was the bobbin knitting, another year it was making daisies on a loom.

It's no wonder that I grew up thinking that everyone crafted. All of the female members of my family knitted, crocheted or sewed. The male members made rugs, did jigsaws or in my Dad's case made posters in beautiful lettering for the fetes and jumble sales at our Church. He had a lovely set of pen nibs and could write in any style. He taught me a lot of styles but sadly now I have forgotten. He always wanted to be a shop sign writer instead of a butcher but never managed to find a job in that industry. In the old days the shop signs were always painted by hand.

The day started off quite sunny and we played ball in the garden whilst I tried to crochet but of course as soon as I hung out the washing the rain started. I need to bring my sun umbrella in before it gets too wet. Buster won't be having a walk again today but never mind he will be going home tomorrow and will have Skye to chase him around and exercise him. I am afraid that he gets a lot of attention whilst he is here but I can't keep him as not walking him properly is OK for a week but not on a permanent basis.

Back To A Doris Chan Design Again

After searching through my patterns for a jacket for myself I decided once again on the Cinnabar by Doris Chan from the Everyday Crochet Book. Although I have made this jacket quite a few times none of them were for me. I am using Riot DK by King Cole that I bought from Texere Yarns. It is turning out quite bright so not sure how I will feel about it for myself when it is finished. As the wool is finer than the one suggested for the pattern I am using a smaller hook (5mm) to get a nice tension for the wool but I have had to up the size of jacket that I am crocheting to a 50" chest to compensate for it coming out smaller than it should. I am also adding a couple extra plain rows before I divide for the sleeves as I am quite heavyset in the shoulder area. I am always messing about with patterns, especially the US ones, when I am not sure of the exact thickness of the wool I am supposed to be using. I have certain hook sizes that I like to use for certain thicknesses of wool.My comfort zone so to speak.

I think that is why I am struggling so much with that fine shawl. I want to either drop the hook size by a couple of sizes but then it would be too small or use a thicker wool such as a 4ply but that will make the shawl come out larger. I am really unhappy when I am crocheting ( or knitting for that matter) using hooks and needles that I feel are overly large for the wool that I am using. I know that is the point of the fine shawls. Using a large hook to make a cobweb texture but an overlarge hook slows me down to a crawl and the work is so loopy that I keep crocheting into the wrong stitch or loop and don't see the mistake until have done another couple of rows after. I am so sick of unravelling a couple of rows for every three that I crochet. I want to persevere and make it but every time I look at it I shudder as I know that I have another 2 rows to unpick before I can resume my crochet.

It's funny that I should be having doubts about wearing multi coloured wool. I love crocheting with it as I am looking forward to the next colour change that I crochet a lot faster with coloured wool than I do with plain. Beverooni and I were having a conversation via e mail about this subject. It's funny how much we think alike. Bev always says we were separated at birth by an ocean. We have found out that we have similar tastes in such a lot of things. Thanks for the link in your comment Bev I will take a look as I am determined to master my Tunisian Crochet tension problems.

Bev and I were also discussing how there are hardly any patterns for bags for mobility scooters and wheelchairs. Well there aren't many on Ravelry. I think that we should design our own line in bags that button onto chair arms or hang on the handlebars of a scooter. I saw a knitted felted lap bag on Ravelry that fastens under the knees so that it doesn't slip off as you drive along. I am off my knitting and it breaks my heart to felt anything so I will have to work out a crochet version. I know that wool will get wet if it rains but if the bags buttoned on and off they would easily be dried. I think that we should start a few designs for longer backed jackets or capes that won't ride up at the back whilst we are seated that will keep our knees warm without falling off like a lap blanket would. I shall have to put my thinking cap on. I can feel a few prototypes coming on. It's hard enough concentrating on the steering without having to stop and retrieve a blanket that has slipped off.

Today it hasn't rained so far. It was bright and sunny this morning and Buster and I played ball in the garden until it went dark and rainy. It brightened up again for a while but it's now gone colder than it was this morning and I can hear thunder in the distance so am just waiting for the rain to fall. I never know what to wear. This morning I wore trousers and a fine sweater and I had to change as I was too hot. Now I am too cold in my vest top and cut off pants and have put on one of my shawls. I can't win! I don't think that Buster will be going out this afternoon. Riding on my scooter is like doing a rain dance ;-) Oh no. Here comes the heavy rain now so I am going to make a coffee and to do a bit more crochet. Sorry Buster - no walk today.

Happy Birthday Sylvia

I should have said Happy Birthday Sylvia yesterday but I didn't want to put photos of her birthday cardigan on the blog until I was sure that she had actually received it. I should have met up with her in Bolton yesterday for a Birthday lunch but as most of the buses were on strike I decided against it. I wasn't having a good knee day so long waits at bus stops didn't seem so appealing. Sorry Sylvia. We will have to have a Happy Unbirthday another day.

I met up with Kath, Sylvia's daughter, in Manchester last week to give her the white Cinnabar cardigan by Doris Chan that I had made for her Mum's birthday and to get the Regia 6ply sock wool that Kath had got for me from John Lewis. To add to the problems of the bus strike there was also a postal strike so I didn't want to entrust Sylvia's present and card to Royal Mail. I made this cardigan in the week when I said I wasn't crocheting much. I know that Sylvia sometimes reads this blog so I didn't want to spoil the surprise. I should have consulted with Kath as she has knitted her mum a cardigan so Sylvia now has two new cardigans. I am sure that they will both come in very handy.

The shawl I am making is also from Doris Chan. I was given some part machine cones some time ago and decided to make an adaptation of the All Shawl. I took it to the Kings Arms last night so it has grown a wee bit since this photo was taken yesterday.

I am continuing with the baby cardigans but tomorrow I am going to the Yarn Barn in Shaw to get pattern and wool to start my nieces Christmas presents and as they will be knitted then my projects will slow down considerably.

I must remember to watch How To Look Naked with Gok Wan tonight just in case my calendar photo gets a quick flash. I watch him anyway as he is so inspiring. So much better for a girl's morale than that dreadful Trinny and Susannah who just attack peoples fashion sense. Like they look good enough to give advice anyway. Their fashion sense is dreadful. If I don't catch the programme live I watch it on the PC on Catch Up TV. I don't have a fancy TV package that allows me to record stuff from the TV so the Catch Up online comes in very handy for me. I watched Gok on Loose Women yesterday plugging his new book. I hope that my niece buys it so that I can borrow it! My one peeve with Loose Women is that is isn't on Catch Up TV. When I wrote in to complain they said it was because they hold competitions and that it is sponsored. Well 60 min makeover has competitions and is sponsored but that is on Catch Up TV so come on ITV get Loose Women on Catch Up TV.

My horoscope said I was going to have a romantic surprise today. Well the surprise so far is that there hasn't been one! Perhaps my handsome prince has got delayed with the bus and mail strikes. I think he must have a dodgy Sat Nav and lost his way altogether. I shall live in hope for the rest of the day and die in despair this evening when nothing happens ;)

The joys of knitting black wool in electric light

I had forgotten what a joy it is to knit with black in either dim winter light or electric light. My eyes are definitely not what they once were and black 4ply on 2.75mm needles is not exactly my idea of a fun project. Thankfully they are fingerless gauntlet gloves so hopefully they will soon be finished. Unfortunately I have more small projects planned before Christmas and all in black! I am still choosing which colour to use for the fair isle pattern on the hand. The pattern is from the Boutique Knits book that I bought recently and the wool is Sirdar Country Style 4ply.

The red Cinnabar is progressing and has almost reached the size of the Mei Mei bolero. Thankfully it grows a whole lot faster than the 4ply. It is looking a bit on the small side but I find Doris Chan's patterns do grow a lot once blocked or even in wear.

So it's time to go back to my projects. I think I will stick to the Cinnabar until it's time to put the light on which will probably be in a few minutes despite it not being 3.30pm yet!