Sunday 30 May 2010

The Dead Sweater

So I've been living with my Mam & Dad since Tuesday.

Dad came home on Wed (see my last post). Alas, he went back in to hospital on Friday. He was in too much pain.

He's currently still in. He was still in quite a bit of pain when I saw him yesterday. To be honest, it's taking its toll on him. He's really weak and as a result of the weight loss I'm beginning to doubt if he has the strength to keep fighting & dealing with the pain.

Anyway, I was packing a bag for him for the hosp when I found the Hand in Hand Sweater I knit for him back in August 2007 (!)
The poor sweater. It had met with a horrible end:

Felted & shrunk beyond recognition. Mam must have machine washed it. :(
I made this with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, & I remember the yarn costing me about 70-75 Euro, a fortune I thought.
I was so proud of this sweater, I think it was the second garment I ever knit and my first cable project. My Dad loved it too, he wore it all the time.
So I'm going to have to make him another sleeveless vest to replace it.
This time I need to use superwash yarn, but it also needs to be nice & soft with good drape.
I don't think I'll knit the same pattern again, I think I might do this one:
Skye Tweed Vest or Peter Easy (although I think it's too plain).
I also like these ones but don't have the books, Wall Street Cables or Notting Hill Vest.
Spot the connection? They're all by the same designer. Man, does nobody else design vest patterns?
Maybe I'll get all EZ over it and do one myself. I did that for him before, with the Dads Vest, although that one didn't turn out too well. The v neck is too high and he rarely wears it.
I got a great idea for what to do with the old sweater from teaandcakes, make a cushion cover with it! Genius! I can put it on Dads chair too. He'd love that.
So there you have it. A dead sweater & a Dad still in hospital. I don't know when he's coming home, but I do know I'll be in trouble in work if I don't go in tomorrow. I've a project upgrade going live on Tuesday that lots of people are waiting on & if it's delayed they won't be best pleased. But, to be honest, family is more important right now. I'll figure something out I'm sure, right? Right?
Good knitting!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Family IS more important, but I hope you can work everything out. And turning the dead sweater into a cushion cover is genius!

Alrischa said...

I like the Wall St one, but I'm not sure how you'd get the pattern. You could probably wing it ;)

Tara said...

Oh wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I've visited your blog! Bad Internet friend, BAD INTERNET FRIEND!!!!! I hope you still love me :)