The Mohair Sweater

FINALLY I have finished the mohair sweater that I was commissioned to make for a very good friend of mine.

The friend in question has a taste for quality, hence the choice of wool: mohair. She needed a replacement of an old favourite and couldn't find the same one anywhere. I mentioned that I love knitting and she jumped at the opportunity. The pattern I used can be found here, the wool here.

There's Ruby making sure I'm doing a good job.

The most annoying part of any knitting project is blocking and sewing it all up:

Blocking, for those who don't know, is the process of flattening out your work and making it the right shape. The technique I used was to gently hand wash the pieces, and then to pin it out neatly onto a towel, letting it dry properly. I  did the front and back first because I had to stitch the shoulders together and knit the polo-neck straight onto the work.

For the sleeves I had a brain wave left it on the Aga, it dried a LOT quicker than the front and back.

 And then the absolute worst part - for me anyway - is sewing it all up. However, anything is ok if Ruby is keeping me company.

Here it is all wrapped up nicely - despite the fact that it was ripped open immediately, as my my friend was so excited to see it.

I have decided my new 'design name' is "A Fatcat Creation". My nick name (and all my user names) is Hatbat the Fat Cat, so I felt it was fitting. I don't even like cats... I also have a friend who has created a new cocktail, and on my suggestion he is naming it 'The Fat Cat'. Yesssssssss.

I have already moved onto my next project. It is another jumper... but it is in chunky wool this time so will grow a LOT faster.



After the chunky knit sweater I will be moving onto another chunky project. Miffy made a blanket a while ago using chunky, green wool. She has given me the left-overs (of which there is a considerable amount) and I am going to make something out of it...

Any ideas for what I could make.....?

Just Another Miffy Monday #3

It's been over a week since I last posted, I have been reallllly busy finishing at work, going to London with Miffy to assist on her buying trip, saying all of my goodbyes to my true Jersey friends and then packing, traveling, arriving and unpacking in DURHAM. So...! Without further ado I am back on the blog scene and what better way to return than with a Miffy Monday?

Sadly last week we attended the funeral of Miffy's uncle Roger, so for Roger's wife, Aunty Wendy, Miffy made her a blanket. It was the fastest I have ever seen her crochet! She just got straight onto it and spent every free minute for the 7 days she had crocheting. By the end of it she had repetitive strain injury.. well, not quite.

What a beautiful stitch.

I love the border too, she really is a perfectionist.

It's so big! Not bad for a week's work.

Here she is, crazy woman.