My first ever cardigan!

I've been a little absent from the blogging world this year. I hadn't realised just how much until I had a glance at the list of things I meant to blog about and noticed my last post was in JANUARY!!! 

I think the main thing stopping me is that I seem to always have some knitting on the go! Considering that a year ago I didn't knit at all, I actually can't imagine not having some knitting on the go now. 

Anyway, before Christmas I started my very first "big" thing - a knitted tank-cardigan from Let's Knit magazine. I was a bit daunted, but bought myself some budget wool from Leeds market, and off I went.

The completed back! Very proud moment!

 Early on I suffered a bit of a setback when I noticed I'd dropped a stitch in the ribbing. Thinking on my feet, I popped it into my bag and took it along to Purl City Yarns in Manchester to ask for help. They were more than happy to help and a couple of seconds later I was back in business!

When November hit, I stopped to make way for Christmas making, and picked it up again in January to finish the fronts and sew the whole thing together.

As this was my very first big project, I learned a few new skills in the process of making my cardigan including:

• making a tension square
• fairisle - OK, so it was only a polka dot, but it counts right?
• blanket stitch
• joining shoulder seams.

All in all I am very pleased with the results, but I've not yet managed to wear it for more than the modelling shots Andy took for me! I blame our temperamental English weather for either being too cold or too hot!

Me in my finished creation. Proud!