All Fingers and Thumbs

...ME! No I didn't gift my prizes back to myself but I did win the most wonderful set of comments. Thank you all so much - reading them was a like a virtual hug; so glad you enjoy reading here as much as I enjoy reading your blogs. So glad we have this unique community. Now the actual winner of the draw is the lovely Rose Red , Rose - I hope that you like your prizes as much as I liked choosing them :o) I had meant to do a drawing like Suzie's - just the prettiest prize draw I ever saw but life has overtaken me this week as has been typical for the last couple of months. Still relief in the form of this cute hotel is just a few more hours away: San Remo Hotel, San Francisco A weeks holiday here, lots of great yarn shops to visit - I can tell it's going to be a great December! Before I run off to pack I must say a VERY BIG THANK YOU to the fantabulous Piglottie for my wonderful PIF gift - not just a gifted knitter the Piglotster is a great seamstress and card make...

Tomorrow is a momentous day in the life of this little blog - 1 whole year old. While I have been a bit low on blogging/life energy for the last couple of weeks (see below for the latest in the series of "How Sarah Feels as Demonstrated by Her Cats") I have felt lifted by your get well wishes and have as ever been enjoying reading your blogs. I don't need to tell you all what a magic place the blogosphere is and I have very much enjoyed participating for the last year; I love this unique medium of communication and have come to value my blogging friends very dearly. I have been a very lucky blogger during the past year, not just in the lovely, funny and helpful comments people leave but also in winning many prizes and now it is time to offer up a blogiversary prize draw to say thank you. I've gathered a few things made by independents as the blogworld has introduced me to many wonderful small suppliers and home crafters. I loved spending time on Ebay and Etsy finding ...

After Monday things really stopped altogether here - not even any knitting going on, just lots of this: and not in a good "book finishing indulgent" kind of a way. Ugh. I think I must be on the mend though as I've managed a few rows on the cardi this afternoon. The knitting thermometer reading is looking better. Here's to a more fun filled fantabulous week next week.

I'm having a slow start to this Monday, a day off work and I'm making the most of it, here in my PJs at 10.30am, cat on lap about to head back to bed with a cup of tea to finish this book . Bliss. Headed back to see Chris' family this weekend and apply all hands to the pump on another slow starter. Chris' sister runs a holiday play scheme for physically disabled children. As one of the fund raising efforts last year we (the three ladies of the photo) made Christmas tags from recycled Christmas cards. We started in January and worked a weekend a month on it pretty much throughout the year generating masses of tags to sell and lots of lovely, fun crafting time. This year? We've talked it through, made some efforts towards it but until yesterday we hadn't managed a good session of actual creating. I think we just about made up for our slow start through a major effort, including some much appreciated help from the boys. Plenty of laughs along the way, though I thi...

Here is where the Christmas knitting gets serious. I've been dithering about whether to knit Mum a Christmas jumper. I have a couple of scarves planned for her and with everything else I want to make I was thinking I might use the time well elsewhere. I have had the yarn for the project an age but hadn't found an inspiring enough pattern to get me past my misgivings. Till last night. A procrastinating knitter with Ravelry at her fingertips is bound to find just the right pattern to add that edge of hysteria to the gift knitting proceedings. This is a free pattern from Straw.com/Crystal Palace Yarns but I'm subbing in Rowan Plaid. Ssshhh don't disturb it, but this looks like a certain sock making some progress again: Do you feel a sense of d éjà vu? Is this the 400th picture of this toe? Still with your never flagging encouragement I'm convinced we can get this sock knit! Though would you believe I went wrong again last night? Well of course you would! Shall we hav...

Not two rounds per row then? The saga of the LMKs continues, I clearly spoke too soon last night when I claimed the worst was past and will spend tonight trying to get the toe back on to needles and get back to where I was last night when I actually read the pattern. I'm going to put this baby on some dpns this time; I hereby pronounce magic loop as too fiddly for me. Crossing that off the list of things to try.