BETTER LATE THAN NEVER ..........

Hello there! It's so good to see you again. Look! At long last my December 'End of the Year' socks are finished and I can finally show you the complete montage of socks and yarns from the 2009 Sock Challenge that josiekitten and I shared. I think it's fair to say that she won 'fair and square', but never mind, I've finally got there.... only 9 days late! What do you think? Do you like them? They all get worn, but some more often than others. Those who are lucky enough to leave the drawer most often are April and August, closely followed by September. They are all in month order by the way; travelling across each row in turn from left to right. These were not the only socks completed either, and I have to admit to having a rather fat and bulging sock drawer, so 2010 is not going to see quite so many pairs on the needles. I do so LOVE knitting socks though, and buying scrummy hand-dyed sock yarn, so I guess there'll still be a few pairs to show you.

Here's a close up of the December pair.



The yarn is an Araucania and although the colours are lovely, the last pair I made from the yarn have felted quite badly, even though they have washed according to instuctions. So we'll have to wait and see.

I've also finished my Cora scarf. I love the yarn colours and the pattern is very easy. You can download it for free here on the Rowan site.



So, the WIPs are decreasing in number. Ive frogged the beret, so that doesn't count any longer. The pink 'Fetchings' hadn't actually been started, so I'm discounting those too. The 'special teddy', although ready to go, isn't on the needles yet, so that's ones OK too. That just leaves my 'socks on the go' 'London Friendship' socks and the other mitten. Getting closer! So, it's onwards this week with the socks methinks. There you go, I'm back on the socks already! :)

Last week, I promised to show you one or two of my ideas for projects this year. Well, the 'Sock Yarn Blankie' is going to rank highly on my list of 'must do's. There's also going to be a lot of baby knitting for my little granddaughter, who will be born in May. I already have the yarn to make her a colourful Attic 24 'Ripple Blanket' and matching buttoned up cushion for her nursery.



I wanted something bright and easily washable. Debbie Bliss 'cotton DK' fitted the bill perfectly! Lots of bright colours in lovely soft cotton. This is a crochet project. I've not done much in the way of crochet for many years, but really enjoyed making the Lucy at Attic 24 inspired 'Summer Ice-cream Sorbet' bags last summer. So this could become the 'year of the blanket and the art of crochet'.

But wait there's more. I bought some lovely yarn in the John Lewis sale.....lovely, lovely yarn and lovely, lovely half price! Just had to have it.

The half price 'baby casmerino' is to knit a little hooded, cabled coat from a Debbie Bliss baby book and the gorgeous 'baby alpaca' for a beautifully simple baby cardi from the fab book 'Natural Nursery Knits' by Erika Knight'. I always seem to like her patterns.

After failing to find a suitable Ravelry pattern for the Manos del Uruguay 'silk blend', that Mr S
gave to me as a Christmas gift, I decided to go for a Manos one. Whist in the yarn store Miss S2 spotted a ready-made hat that she rather liked. She tried it on and it certainly did look good on her, so kind old mum treated her....... another project to knit, but hooray NOT for me! The younger Snoopydogs are still rather wary of hand-knitted items. Hats and scarves are acceptable and........ SOCKS! I've also made a Central Park Hoodie for Miss SD1

That's enough to keep me going for the first couple of months of the year, I'm sure! There'll be those extra 'must cast on this minute' projects too, so looks like I might be quite busy!

It's been fabulous to have time to play over the extra long weekend that I have been fortunate enough to enjoy, with two 'snow days' last Thursday and Friday. I've spent time playing about on Flickr and discovering fun new ways to display my photos. If you pop back later in the week, you'll be in for a treat with a blaze of gorgeous buttony colour. Drop in for a picture show!

Have a good week everybody!