Well my crafting mojo anyway :-)
I posted a picture of Heather's new dress over on the other blog but thought I would show a bit more detail here as this is supposed to be a place to record and share my creative journey. So here's a little more about the dress, which I think is rather lovely and would love a big version for over summer trousers.
The pattern itself was pretty easy to come up with. For the back I just cast on a random number of stitches as I wanted a full skirt but as I wanted to incorporate a lace pattern the number of stitches had to be divisible by eight. I then worked a picot hem before beginning the diamond lace pattern.
I worked straight until the skirt was the desired length and then worked a decrease row of k1, k2tog repeating across the whole row. This pulled in the skirt to create a tighter yoke. I then changed to the lovely purple yarn and worked in stocking stitch until the piece reached where I would need to decrease the armholes. The armhole shaping was a classic shape created by casting off 4sts at the beginning of the following 2 rows and then decreasing 1st at each end of the next and 3 following alternate rows so 16sts cast off altogether. I then worked until the yoke was the length I wanted. All that was left then was to shape the neck and create straps which was done simply by working 6sts, casting off the following sts until 5 sts were left on the left needle and then knitting across these 5sts so that I had 6sts altogether. I then worked across these 6 sts in stocking stitch until the straps were the right length and then cast off. The yarn was rejoined to the remaining 6sts and these were worked in the same way as the first strap.
The front was worked in the same way until the yoke was 4 rows shorter than the back yoke where I then created the buttonhole row. This was done by working 3sts, casting off the following 2sts, continuing until 5sts remained, casting off the following 2sts and working to the end of the row. On the next row I worked 3sts, cast on 2sts, worked until 3sts remained, cast on 2sts and then worked to the end. I worked a further 2 rows and then cast off. All that was left to do was sew the sides together and add the buttons. I'm not sure I like the buttons and will probably change then for some wooden ones in the next day or two. I thought the dress would be pretty enough so could carry the plain black buttons but I think maybe they are a bit too bland?
The yarn is Wendy Supreme 100% cotton DK. Worked on 4mm needles throughout.
Next project on the go is a pair of socks for John. Well actually there's lots on the go, some in my head, some eager to get going and some already started but these socks are the ones I've decided to finish next. I started over a year ago and then got bored halfway down the first sock, never even getting to the heel turning, how fickle was that? But I came across it lingering sadly at the back of the drawer a couple of days ago and finding a renewed love for the colours I carried on where I left it. Only two days later and the first sock is complete and the second is begun:
This time I will get to the end ;-)
The pattern itself was pretty easy to come up with. For the back I just cast on a random number of stitches as I wanted a full skirt but as I wanted to incorporate a lace pattern the number of stitches had to be divisible by eight. I then worked a picot hem before beginning the diamond lace pattern.
I worked straight until the skirt was the desired length and then worked a decrease row of k1, k2tog repeating across the whole row. This pulled in the skirt to create a tighter yoke. I then changed to the lovely purple yarn and worked in stocking stitch until the piece reached where I would need to decrease the armholes. The armhole shaping was a classic shape created by casting off 4sts at the beginning of the following 2 rows and then decreasing 1st at each end of the next and 3 following alternate rows so 16sts cast off altogether. I then worked until the yoke was the length I wanted. All that was left then was to shape the neck and create straps which was done simply by working 6sts, casting off the following sts until 5 sts were left on the left needle and then knitting across these 5sts so that I had 6sts altogether. I then worked across these 6 sts in stocking stitch until the straps were the right length and then cast off. The yarn was rejoined to the remaining 6sts and these were worked in the same way as the first strap.
The front was worked in the same way until the yoke was 4 rows shorter than the back yoke where I then created the buttonhole row. This was done by working 3sts, casting off the following 2sts, continuing until 5sts remained, casting off the following 2sts and working to the end of the row. On the next row I worked 3sts, cast on 2sts, worked until 3sts remained, cast on 2sts and then worked to the end. I worked a further 2 rows and then cast off. All that was left to do was sew the sides together and add the buttons. I'm not sure I like the buttons and will probably change then for some wooden ones in the next day or two. I thought the dress would be pretty enough so could carry the plain black buttons but I think maybe they are a bit too bland?
The yarn is Wendy Supreme 100% cotton DK. Worked on 4mm needles throughout.
Next project on the go is a pair of socks for John. Well actually there's lots on the go, some in my head, some eager to get going and some already started but these socks are the ones I've decided to finish next. I started over a year ago and then got bored halfway down the first sock, never even getting to the heel turning, how fickle was that? But I came across it lingering sadly at the back of the drawer a couple of days ago and finding a renewed love for the colours I carried on where I left it. Only two days later and the first sock is complete and the second is begun:
This time I will get to the end ;-)
