A Change is as Good as a Rest

I swatched the lacy pattern for the cardi in the picture two posts ago, with some Bendigo cotton 8ply. The swatch bore no resemblence to the size indicated on the pattern. This may have been because the pattern required mercerised cotton or it may have been cos my bamboo needles seem to have swollen with age and use.
Anyway I thought "let's not bugger around anymore". I searched my patterns and came up with this one. OK, so maybe I still want to be blond and slim but I have always liked a jacket-style cardi, with a collar. Also it designated a non-mercerised yarn and my swatch was within my accepted guidelines of a stitch each way.





So here it is in progress. i have done the back and the left front and picked up the band from the bottom and knitted up and around the collar to the halfway point at the back. It's going quite well but it's one of those patterns that expects you to undertake three steps at once every2nd, 3rd and 4th row to get the tailored shaping at the collar rever.

I drew up a chart and scratched it off as I went and so I will have to do the same for the other side too. At least the sleeves should be a cinch.














To keep myself sane, I have started the teacosy in the recent interweave news letter here .
I'm using some 5ply Bluebell and Heirloom crepe. I have done two diamonds and am enjoying the challenge of it. I hope it turns out as cute as the one in the pattern.
Cheers to all
Gillian