Not Much to Show

I feel like I have been gone from my blog for some time, even when I know it's less than a week.  I had got into a nice rhythm of posting regularly and then I fell into a big black pain filled hole.  I have been struggling quite badly with increased pain levels over the last couple of months and I'm not used to them yet.  I have been debating going back to the GP or waiting to see my Consultant in December, or waiting to see if things improve when my quilting course finishes.  Basically I've been wallowing around in my own little bubble trying to stay relatively sane while I get my head around the fact that things are getting worse again.

The my condition tends to go in fits and starts.  It gets worse, then reaches a balance for a time and I get a chance to get used to my new limits and things seem to improve because my coping mechanisms are back in place at the new level.  I'm currently going through trying to reach my balance and I'm not doing too well this time round.  Luckily I have an understanding partner and friends who bring me flowers to cheer me up (pink gladiolus always make me smile!)

During this "adjustment phase" I have been chugging away on my cardigan.  I love this cardigan more and more as it grows.  I didn't enjoy ripping back the 6" button band but they really were wonky due to picking up too many stitches.  I have since finished the button band again and am so glad I ripped it back.  It looks so much better now.

The cardigan definitely needs blocking before the buttons are sewn on and you can see that actually it is a perfect fit.   I've bought some fabulous Italian buttons that probably cost more than the yarn did, at £3.40 a pop (ouch).  But the buttons are great and they will transform my sensible, warm cardigan into sleek and fabulous garment (in my head at least).

I am now working on my first sleeve, which is a set in sleeve worked in the round, using short row shaping.  This technique is the same as I used for my Boccolo Jacket in January, and full details are in that blog entry.  It is a neat and clever way of adding sleeves to a garment.  It is looking very neat at the cap, which as far as I've got, and I just have to decide on the shaping for the sleeve.  I will probably try and keep it fairly slim.

You will be pleased to know that I have picked up my baby blanket again and I am now on my 6th row of 8!

I love this pattern so much, I may even add a couple of extra rows on, to make the blanket slightly bigger than it is looking at the moment.  I shall have to decide if I have enough time to make it larger, what with the Christmas knitting season creeping up on me.  Speaking of which, I had a brainwave and bought Woolly Wormhead's latest book, Twisted Woolly Toppers.  I love her patterns and will be cranking out hats for many people this season.  If you normally get a present from me at Christmas and don't like hats, please let me know, or you might be disappointed!

I will be very surprised indeed if I have anything finished to show you on Friday, but at least I am still making pretty things, even if they are taking a while. In the meantime I recommend you go and have a look at what the other folk on WIP Wednesday are doing.