Good in theory

When I first started knitting, back in February 2023, there was a strong possibility that my blue Wondrella cardigan would be my first and last project. But it was a success, and I got the knitting bug. Even so, I had the best of intentions. I would only knit one project at a time. There would be no UFOs or PHDs. And no yarn stash. Less than 18 months later, how is this going?

Erm. Not entirely as planned!

I am still working away on my Lothian shawl. I wasn't happy with the wonkiness of my first few rows so, on the basis that a special project is worth doing properly, I frogged it and started again.

Much neater

I was far happier with this version, and am now up to 72 rows of the 138 which make up the plain section.

Progress so far

But there is no denying that it's slow going. 4ply feels very thin compared to the DK I have mostly been using, and with the row increases 72 rows is less than a third of the plain section overall. So, I have been tempted away to the dark side of a quicky and bulky project.

Whoops

The culprit is Express Line, another excellent pattern from Tasha Could Make That. Knitted in super chunky yarn, on whopping 10mm needles, I only started it a week ago but already have the body completed.

The image above is a better representation of the colour

I would have even more done if I had picked up the stitches for the buttonhole band correctly. In such a thick yarn it's very obvious that it's wrong, but somehow I only noticed as I was about to start casting off. So again, it was a case of frogging and redoing.

How could I have missed this?

Not only do I have more than one project on the go, but I have had a UFO for ages. Ten months ago I started a third Wondrella cardigan, this time modified to include cable panels up the fronts. I completed the 'full width' section and all of the (plain stocking stitch) back, but put it away in the spring as it is very much a winter cardi. Now that it's autumn, I am thinking of picking it up again once I have the Express Line completed. Unfortunately, I didn't complete writing out the modified pattern, and it's a struggle to remember what I was planning. I will work in out eventually, but it's a useful note to self - don't assume that you will remember what you were doing 10 months ago!

Can I remember what to do next?

Finally, there's the small matter of the stash. A few weeks ago it was the annual Coastal Colours Pop-Up Wool Show in Port Sunlight. This was where I got the wool for my Blue Dahlia shawl last year, and it's almost local to me, so of course I had to go. I was very restrained, and went round all the stalls to see what was available before making any purchases. (Judging from the number of people who were, like me, sitting in the café consulting notes, this approach was being widely used!)

Something which really caught my eye was this beautiful set from Yarn Unique with its glorious rich colours. It was my one 'must buy' from my first look round.

Yummy!

I follow AndKnit on Instagram, and some months ago she posted her version of the Puff shawl (you can see it here). I liked the pattern, and had hoped to find some suitable wool for making my own version at the show. After much deliberation, I settled on these two skeins from Ducky Darlings.

Firepit and Cardomon Spice

The Puff shawl

It will be a while before I get round to making these purchases up, but I don't feel too guilty about making the most of a wool show that's practically on my doorstep. I find that winter is increasingly knitting season for me, so hopefully I will get some projects done before too long.

Fantasy fabric shopping

After last week's unintended addition to the stash, I am going for a far safer method of fabric shopping - virtually, via the pages of my 1950s/60s (?) pattern catalogue. All of the illustrations are in colour, and the artists have created a wide range of different prints in the 'dresses' section.

A few of my favourites

Some are particularly bold.

Even I would think twice about these two

In a lot of cases, a colour theme links the two or three dresses on the page.

But I would happily take a dress length of each of these

Cherry prints are almost a cliché of 1950s dresses now, but these illustrations suggest that such fabrics did exist.

Cherries on a black background

Cherries on a white background

Along with other fruit-related prints.

Oranges and lemons

The entire fruit bowl

In some cases, even the line drawing of another view is patterned.

Showing the effect of material cut crosswise

While bright colours could be acceptable for daywear, evening dresses are mostly black or pastel shades.

Pastels. For evening. Groundbreaking.

Of course, in fantasy fabric shopping land, everything is perfect. The ideal contrast fabric is always available.

The same print in the reverse colourway

Finding buttons which exactly match a colour in the print is a breeze.

No button-matching angst here

And so is finding accessories which tie in with not just one but two colours in your new dress.

Match the green and the pink? Easy

Oh, to visit fantasy fabric shopping land! But if I did, my stash would be even bigger.

Morecambe again

This weekend I went up to Morecambe, to go to the Vintage by the Sea festival. I travelled up on Friday, which among other things meant that I got to see the vintage car display first thing on Saturday morning, before there were people about. The effect was like standing outside the Midland Hotel in the 1950s.

Early morning

The festival was wonderful, and far bigger than when I last went in 2018. Despite this, I bought very little. I tried a few items on, but they were all too small for me. But as I was very happily wearing another of the dresses that I bought from Fantouche Vintage in June, I didn't feel at all deprived!

I really can't take selfies!

What I did buy should come as no surprise to anyone. Most of the vendors were selling clothing or homewares, but I managed to add to my stock of old Style patterns.

From the unprinted patterns era

The same vendor also had knitting patterns, and I found some splendid examples which I think are from the 1930s and 1940s.

Knitting pattern haul

The instructions for all of them are terrifyingly brief, just the inside two sides of the leaflet. The back of the Greenock pattern is all about the brand.

Wool and knitted goods

Lister and Patons meanwhile use the back to show other patterns in the range.

Lister has men's and children's patterns

Patons is all women's

The festival wasn't just shopping, there were lots of displays and workshops as well. When I first started wearing vintage in the 1980s, it was all 1950s and occasional 1940s pieces, i.e. 30 to 40 years old. Obviously, time has moved on from then, but it's still a bit of a shock to see something like this.

The 1980s is now vintage!

Going much further back into the past, an unexpected treat was being able to go into the Winter Gardens, originally opened in 1897. When it was 'modernised' in the 1930s, many of its original features were simply boarded over rather than ripped out. Now a group of dedicated volunteers has saved this stunning building from dereliction, and it is slowly being restored to its former glory. It has always been closed and looking very sad when I have been in Morecambe previously, and it was a joy to see it coming back to life. Sadly, I didn't have time to do the full tour, but I will definitely do so on a future visit.

The ornate entrance

One of the two ticket booths

Stairs to the upper levels

One of the tiled panels in the entrance

Boxes in the auditorium

I may not have bought much at the festival, but that doesn't mean I came home empty handed. On the Friday afternoon I took a stroll along the front, and unexpectedly came across an actual, bricks and mortar, fabric shop! As well as fabrics on the roll there were lots of remnants, including one which I recognised as Peter Horton cotton lawn - the same as this recent purchase. It's a beautiful quality fabric, in exactly my colours, and it was at a discount as well!

Impossible to resist

Naturally, I bought it. I'm thinking of using it with the dress pattern I bought, for a truly Morecambe dress. Not this year, but perhaps in time for next year's festival?

Yes it's gone up, no I don't care