It was inevitable that I would get Swine Flu 🙁
The only good thing about regularly being hit with the sniffles is that I am well prepared and know how to make the best of it.
My survival kit consisted of :-
- Ultra balm tissues
- Lemsip
- Scotch, lemons and honey – to make hot toddies
- An attentive, food preparing, fevered brow mopping boyfriend, Ben
- Tamiflu -abandoned after icky side effects
- Dozens of recorded episodes of Stargate
- Comfy sofa- with optional blankie
- 2 Cuddly cats – loving sitting on their unusually warm human
- Huge pile of half completed knitting!
The good news is that during my time in isolation, I made fabulous progress with Iris!
The sleeves were long and boring (aren’t they always) but that was just the kinda knitting I needed. Once done I just had the edging and sewing up to do.
The edging of Iris is quite interesting. Simple but effective. Pick up a gazillion stitches on a small needle and it’s just stocking stitch.
The interesting part is how it curls over itself and makes a firm, stable and pretty edge to the garment. I’m not so sure about the spacing of the buttons though – it’s 2 – space-2-space -2 . It works but kinda looks like there are some buttons missing. LOVE these buttons BTW – 40p each in John Lewis! Bargainous!! Just as well as this is a new colour for me and I was forced, yes FORCED to go and buy and matching necklace, earrings and eye-shadow to go with my new Iris. (That’s the story I’m telling Ben if he asks… 😉
The downer of this for me was my choice of needle. I had used an Addi circular for the main part of Iris but couldn’t find the smaller size Addi to take with me on the plane so I bought this…a “Square Circular” needle (by Kollage Yarns). Yep, that’s right the actual needle has a square profile – Of course there is not technical reason why a needle must be round is there? Apparently kinder to the hands – but I found the corners dug in a bit!
Some friends of mine swear that Kollage yarns’ square dpns are great for socks but I have yet to try them.
I was warned, helpfully, when I bought the Square Circular that some had been returned because the cable had pulled out of the needle so I shouldn’t be too rough with it. This was duly noted. I was careful and this didn’t happen to me.
The cable on the Square Circular was very flexy and worked ok with a few stitches on it for the lower edges. However, when I had 400 stitches on the needle and was trying to do the neck edging it was VERY frustrating! The stitches didn’t want to slide along the cable. The join caught the stitches. The cable was too short so the stitches were scrunched up (OK that’s not the needle’s fault…). I was in quarantine so I couldn’t go out and buy a different needle!
The edging, under these conditions was an exercise in patience!!
You can see what I was working with here…
Fortunately, as I was off with swine flu and had nothing else to do, I persevered.
The sewing up was a pleasure. Even when not feverish – I quite like seeing the garment come together!
With this type of stitch pattern it’s easy to match up as you go along. Just match up the holes.
It also gave Thug an opportunity to demonstrate his camouflage skills 😀
I was even pleased with the strange symmetrical shapes that appeared along the sleeve seams as I drew them together (it might have been the drugs (Tamiflu mixed with the hot toddies at this point!!)
So do you want to see the fabulous finished Iris??
Here she is..
This has been an absolute pleasure to knit and I am immensely proud of Iris. She has draw compliments wherever she has been worn (which of course, I lapped up!)
One of the nicest compliments was that my friend Jane, from the Guilty Knitters, was so taken with Iris she is about to make one for herself 🙂
| Completed Knit Report | ||
| Name: | Mexico’s Iris | |
| Pattern: | Iris from Rowan Magazine 45 | |
| Yarn: | Rowan Cotton Glace | |
| Pattern Problems: | None – beautifully written! | |
| Pattern Modifications: | None | |
| Washing and Wearing: | Pleasure to wear – can be dressed up or down | |
| Knit It Again???: | Quite possibly in a different colour | |
| Difficulty: | Medium | |
| Rating: | 5/5 | |
| Other Postings Relating To This One: | So Fed Up I Went to Mexico | |
Iris is beautiful! The colour really suits you. Glad you’re feeling better. Any news on the flat? Are you still having to keep it all super-tidy?
This is lovely, Susan. I’d been thinking of doing this one myself and it’s great to see such good photos and detail. Mine, however, will not have a cat’s head attached… 🙂
Hope you’re feeling better by now! But it’s an ill wind, eh?
That is such a nice colour, and a very pretty knit. Sorry you had to endure the pig flu in order to produce it though!
That’s gorgeous! What a great pattern. The colour suits you really well. It’s always an extra enjoyable knit when it requires some new matching accessories! 😀
So sorry that you’ve been ill, and glad to see that you’re back on you’re feet, and feeling better. Iris is fab, and you look a million bucks wearing it, you really have a talent for choosing colours that suit you, and the pattern is just plain elegant. Dawn
Sorry to hear you’ve been ill, but well done on Iris it looks fab. I have considered that a week of forced sofa time (assuming I was well enough to knit) wouldn’t be such a bad thing!
Iris looks lovely (and you don’t look too bad either after the piggy flu!)
I have a pair of the square needles and I am not crazy about them either; the points are not pointy enought IMHO.
ps: Beautiful knitting!
Oh god sorry to hear suffered that. I was sent home today by NHS 24 because Ive got the showings of it. Seeing as I live on my own in a bedsit flat you had it better for def with Ben there for you lol. Iris looks amazing! I can’t believe how fast you knit!
I’m worried about you since you have the flu and haven’t posted in awhile. Are you alive and well? Please let us all know as soon as you can.
Hi Ali
I’m alive and kicking – Thanks so much for worrying about me.
I’m over the swine flu but a bit tired and run down so flopping into bed when I get home from work 🙁
I’m also busy with the house move which is coming along 🙂
I’ll try and post this weekend…
Susan
I tried yellow for the first time recently. I think I might be a convert. Your Iris is beautiful, what a lovely lace pattern. I might have to make that next summer. Hope the flu has disapeared and the a packing is going well.
Your Iris is fabulous! Love the color and it looks great on you. It’s been a while since I’ve read my knitting blogs–sorry to hear you had the swine flu, hope you’re back in action with no lingering effects.