I will Prevail!!

I'm really happy with the first cardigan. It was SUCH a relief to have one finished! So when I started the second one I thought I'd try to do it in a slightly different construction in an attempt to get around having to do intarsia on a purl row.
I decided to do the whole thing in the round with an extra 8sts for a steek at the front. Seemed a good idea. So off I went.
But I began to have doubts as the number of strands having to be held at the back increased from the 2 that I'm used to to sometimes 4! As I struggled on however, I began to look at the nearly completed chart section quietly mulling over how thick the fabric of the knitted garment felt and then a horrible realization came to me. I was still knitting on 3.25mm needles. I'd forgotten to change to 4mm needles. The two cardigan's would be different sizes and since they're for a set of twins this is a bit of an issue.
Oh. My. G....
There was only one thing to do. Only one thing that could be done to rectify this problem...
I was going to have to rip it all out.
Yep!
RIP. IT. ALL. OUT!
So, after accepting that, I reduced my work of a day and a half into a collection of yarn balls. Sigh.
I started again and this time I didn't do it in the round but I did knit the two sides and the back all at the same time since it seemed silly to knit them each seperately only to then seaming them together later. I did the intarsia like you're supposed to.
So now I finally finished the bottom of the cardigan. I'm still not that in love with intarsia but I think we've reached an amicable truse :-)
Sleeves are coming!

I should have thought this through...

I think I might have bitten off more than I can chew. I'm knitting 2 cardigans for my friend Kay for her twin grandkids. I'd forgotten how fiddly intarsia can be! The cardigan isn't difficult so I'm just going to push on. It really does look good :-)

Dyeing (as in making things other colours!) is FUN!!

I am so enjoying playing with these fabric dyes I've got that I thought I'd get creative and dye some bought yarn that I wasn't keen on the colour of. Dyeing in the microwave is much tidier than any other technique I've tried!

90% Wool, 10% Silk

This yarn feels beautiful but I find the beige SOOoo boring! I wanted to liven it up so I used a combination of Cerise (red) and Old Gold (yellow) and I mixed a blend of the two for a rich orange. I am so happy with the result I can't even begin to tell you!

After the dyeing process, just off the niddy-noddy.

All balled up...and so pretty!!

Closer view of the many gradients and variants of colour. Yummy!

This is so much better than the dull beige. Now it really stands out, so warm and lovely, almost flame-like colours! Now I'm racking my brains to think of something knit-worthy to knit in it. Definitely a shawl of some kind, with lace I think. No?

I've really enjoyed dyeing but I think I'll give it a rest for a little while. Second of which, I'm almost out of dye. Might have to get more. We'll see.

Happy Knitting!