Abi's Bolero And A Winter Re-run

Abi's Bolero is finished. Good thing too, as during last night's Sunday phone call, she asked "Grandma, have you finished my little jacket yet? The one for my communion dress?"

Kids have a way of making you feel really guilty, when you have to say " Not yet, sweetie." So it felt good to be able to say it would be sent off today. Abi's response? "YIPPEE!"

Finished -in all it's lacey glory.

With one of Grandson James' Christmas gifts to me, sewn into the neck.

An upside down shot to get perspective on the points,

which blocked out quite nicely. Sirdar Snuggly is a very soft yarn, so these points are as sharp as Snuggly will allow.

Wrapped in pink tissue paper as any gift for a cute little girl should be.

I was sent 4 balls of Sirday Snuggly with three balls of matching fun fur and told to trim out the bolero with a row or two of the fun fur. The bolero took exactly two balls of the Snuggly and I made a risky decision for a Mother-In-Law the executive decision not to put on any fun fur trim. It just seemed too much with all the lace.

The test will be two-fold. Does it fit? Does she (and her Mom) like it?

What's next on the needles. Last night, I began to wonder if I could possibly finish an Easter Topper before Good Friday - the day of our family Easter dinner. With two failed attempts, I might be seen again this year, wearing dark wool to Easter dinner. But given today's weather, dark wool might be just the thing for this winter re-run.

Looks as if we were a bit early on the patio furniture thing.

Thursdays Are For Knit Group And Survivor

And the title goes to -
Megan. She is definitely 'productivity queen' this week.

She made a vest like Nicki's. The one that starts as a blob

and finishes as a work of art.

Megan used lighter-weight yarn than Nicki and cotton versus Nicki's Mohair. And guess what? A totally different look.

This is one of those pieces that looks great on all figure types. Looks great on Megan.

Looks great on Wilma.

Looks great on me too. Although, since I'm the photographer, you will have to take my word for that.

With that vest done, Megan was on a roll. Look how much of this top

she finished this week. Megan's storing up productivity because she knows that for the next few weeks she won't be doing much knitting. Her hubby, the one she hasn't seen in how many months? arrives from Australia soon. He is staying for five weeks,and I suspect that Megan might be too 'otherwise' occupied to come to knit group.

Poetic Pat has finished her baby outfit in Popcorn stitch.

Before leaving today, Pat treated us to a recitation of one of her poems. Next Wednesday, we are heading over to Southampton to visit the knitters that came to Meaford last month. I told Pat to practise her poems as I'm sure the Southampton group will want to hear them.

Gail came with two sweaters for grand kids. One completely done

and one almost done.

She used this yarn. Marble by James Brett.

And Doreen shows off a great ear flap hat.

But her 'pièce de résistance' today was her salute to the Red Hat Ladies. I imagine when the Red Hats see this,

Doreen will have a new career.

And now off to see Survivor. Thank Goodness! New stuff tonight.

Abi's Bolero

Did you think I had forgotten to post about Abi's bolero?

It's one sleeve short of a full bolero at the moment. Hopefully, by tomorrow, it will be done - not blocked, but done - in time to take it to knit group. After all, a girl's got to have some feed back occasionally.

I used this pattern, shortening both the sleeves and the overall length. The lace pattern on the body was easily memorized, but this &%@*&# little, pointy, lace border

almost drove me crazy. I am ashamed to tell you how many times I ripped back the first few points.

I was about to call my DIL in tears to wail " I can't do this". But, that thought made me so angry - not to mention feeling old! - that I dug in. Writing out the pattern on a piece of paper sometimes seems to cement the instructions in my brain, so I tried that. About 4 writings later, I got it! By then I was half way around the edge, so it might have had something to do with the repetition. Now on to the second sleeve and then it's done.

Once blocked, I will re-post about it, showing the rat's nest before and the beautiful, lace bolero after shots. Then off to Hearst it goes in lots of time for the first communion on Mothers' Day. DIL Kim will send modelled shots after the big event.