Monday 4 September 2017

Getting Ready for School

Thank you for all your supportive messages on the last post for my Big girl. I asked her to read them and she came out of the office with a modest, slightly embarrassed smile. She does not do compliments very well but she was pleased.

This is the last red cardigan I will knit for her. It is her last year at Primary school in September Sigh :( 
I have been knitting it with love since the start of June.



Naively, she said, "it won't be the last one because you can just knit me navy blue ones for the next school." Ah, bless her childlike soul. I will not be knitting Senior School cardigans for my girl and that is the end of that. However, I can still enjoy making her some home knits for as long as she wants them. Let's face it, my mum still knits for me!


This cardigan was the first thing to break my stash embargo this year - I love this yarn, it washes week in week out, dries quickly and does not bobble. So I bought some for this very specific project. No storing this in the back of the cupboard for a few years. For me this acrylic is tried, tested and needed.



I completed both fronts on holiday in the Forest of Dean six weeks ago now. The 'wobblejuice' was not consumed until the stocking stitch part! 



There seemed like endless knitting for the arms. I stopped one night thinking I will have to measure her in the morning but they were too short. Next night I thought I need to stop because now they are getting as long as my arms but can you believe it?... that was about the right length! That meant I was a ball short because the first arm used most of a whole ball. Anyway I got there in the end...



I will end with a nice bit of stash busting. I made two pump bags; one for my friends daughter who is starting school and one for Little M. I reached up and pulled various ribbons and ric rac to decorate the bags which was satisfying in that it used up those odds and ends hanging around.

The children know that 'when the windfalls appear, school is quite near' They return to school tomorrow.


I will be making jam. On my own. With the radio on, really loud.
Have a good week. Jo x

13 comments:

  1. What a lovely cardi and how sweet that Big Sis wants to wear your knits at senior school. I had to wear my nan's cardis at secondary school and I hated them (they weren't as lovely as yours)...I was dying to get one from Chelsea Girl with deep cuffs which were so fashionable in the 70's. Super shoe bag and jam too...there are no ends to your talents.xx

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  2. Lovely cardi. Red is such a good colour for uniforms. Mine go back tomorrow too. Radio on loud sounds a good idea. I think it's wonderful that your Big girl still wants you to knit for her. My girls refused a while back. My boy is the same age and I'm knitting him a hoodie, but not for school. You've reminded me that I'm meant to be making a new PE bag for him. Oops. Best check my stash.

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  3. I need to go back an read your last post again, I didn't get a chance to comment yet.
    Love red for school uniforms. Ours is blue, boring boring boring. It is so sweet that Big Sis thinks your are going to continue making her High School cardigans. Good luck with the start of school, I hope there are no wobbles. Enjoy the loud music and the solitude. I was going to listen to loud music yesterday but couldn't find the speakers. No doubt in a child's room. Happy Monday! xx

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  4. Such a beautiful cardigan, made with love. I used to make pump bags for my girls when they were small, yours were stunning. Bertie went back to school this morning, he looked so grown up and smart. It will be Wilbur and Daisy's first day Wednesday, fingers crossed they will still be as excited when they come home.

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  5. This year seems to have flown by September already. The cardigan looks lovely and you will be able to carry on knitting for little M for school a while longer. Love the pump bags, the fact that each one is unique really helps when trying to locate your own pump bag at the end of a PE session and home time as you know.

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  6. Back to school on Weds for us. Love your pump bag especially the giant ricrac, thats so cool!
    Jillxo

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  7. What a beautiful sweater, and the bag is lovely too. I think it's so wonderful that you knit for them and that your mother still knits for you! I'm glad to see that you enjoy perry cider because that's my favorite kind too! It's hard to find here so it's only a rare treat for me, but I love it.

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  8. It's lovely that you make cardigans for your two. I just buy the sweatshirt ones with the embroidered school logo, very dull. Bella is about to start Y6 too. I am slightly in denial about the secondary school visits we're going to have to do this month. And she certainly won't want me to make a pump bag for when she starts secondary school... x

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  9. What a gorgeous cardigan. And yeah to jam-making! I made my own batch or foraged blackberry jam on Friday.

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  10. I'm a big Smoothie fan too. Enjoy her last year of primary, it goes so quick in secondary.

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  11. Your daughter is going to look fabulous in that sweater. By the way you are an incredible Mum. I wish my Mum had knit for me. Good luck with all the back to school hoopla.

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  12. How lovely of you to knit the school cardigans! Your comment about not making any for secondary school made me smile, I remember the change over very well!

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  13. This makes me all wistful and a little bit sad. This is the first September in 18 years that I haven't had someone to pack off to school. Our youngest left in the summer and is off to Uni next week. No handmade jumpers for him I'm afraid, but he has let me make him some PJ bottoms.
    I remember I did have a handmade jumper in secondary school - it was huge, back in the 80s when big jumpers were a thing. I made the back, my mum made the front and my nan did the sleeves. You never know, you might get to make another school jumper yet!

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