Tuesday, July 05, 2016

Cast Off, Cast On

I think this is my favourite make EVER. My Devil's Beeftub cardigan. My interpretation, in knitted form, of the drive from my home to my Dad's. Such stunning, inspiring, breathtaking scenery. The cardigan made me gasp when I finished casting it off. The heathery-purple, the tree motifs, the buttons. I love it. 
The tree motifs in detail.
They worked out well, after a lot of fiddling with charts and researching on the internet. (Buttons still to be sew on). 
Coincidentally, I finished my Apple Tree skirt at the same time, It is the same design as the daisy skirt in my last post, i.e. an altered Amy Butler A-line skirt, front and back cut on the fold, invisible zip at the side, and shortened. I think they go well together! Definitely a future combination for an outing.
Every so often I CAN'T STOP KNITTING. And I'm in one of those phases again. I couldn't wait to cast off the purple cardigan, so I could cast on the charcoal cardigan. It is the same pattern but I think this time I will knit it plain and not add any motif. I have red wool ready to knit the same pattern as well, but I thought I'd save the red wool for WINTER.
I actually love dreich, drizzly, cool Scottish days. They remind me of my childhood in Scotland, after living in the south of England for 25 years. London had what felt like its own thing going on, but I never felt comfortable in the Norfolk landscape. It was too flat. There was no relief in the land and it had a psychological impact! Whereas I love the Pentland Hills, and the countryside and weather and light and nature of where I live now. It all feels nutritious! Perhaps everyone has an inclination to their childhood environment (if that environment was healthy). 
Next up on the sewing table will be pyjama bottoms made out of the egg material. I don't think I'll ever buy pyjamas again. Making them is too much fun.
Followed by a Bettine dress made out of the blue and brown Amy Butler material that I got in a sale a couple of years ago.
I'm not a shoe person, but I do love my new Converse trainers.

We have been absurdly busy lately. My work takes a lot of mental energy. And we have been doing lots of drives to visit elderly relatives. And now Hagos's work is upon us as well. There are some days it feels like we go from one thing to the next without any rest in between. So when we do get a day off it feels very luxurious.