All Fingers and Thumbs

The "ish" because of the very distinctly unmatching nature of these socks. Not, thankfully, because there is still only one and a bit of them.  Pattern:  My Own Knee Socks - Garter Rib Stitch for the legs Yarn: Regia Kaffe Fasset Design Line - 4350 Needles: 2.75mm DPNs Started: October 23rd 2010 Finished: December 25th 2010 Ravelry page I never make the effort to begin the second sock at the same place in the colour repeat as the first and with a shortage of yarn these weren't the pair to start fussing about that with. I then also decided I'd refine the calf increasing on the second one to see if hiding the increases in the purl troughs of the ribbing was neater than the increases in either knit or purl had been on the first. Answer definitely yes to the knitter's eye but if a non knitter picked it out I'd be amazed. Despite my scrappy notes I think I matched up the shaping nicely, made the heel in the right place, had the right number of stitches for the fo...

from me and a bear in a Christmas Pixie Hat

Two more gifts got finished. This is from about two weekends ago now. They got done mainly because they are CHUNKY. Chunky is definitely the way to go for my gift knitting. Chunky plus accessory = speed. Obvious I know but in previous years my focus on a pair of socks for x, y and z took the idea that small accessory item = speed. Not in 4 ply yarn and a bazillion stitches - one day I tried to count how many stitches in a sock . I wonder how many in a knee sock? Stop! I'm not going there I'm going to the sofa to knit like the wind. As, of the rest of what the list boiled down to: these socks (it's hard to make two of something when your notes are so crumby!),  a big, plumptious Springtime Bandit shawl, two hats and one scarf are started but unfinished and one scarf and an owl are still just wool and dreams. I may be crazy but I think I'm going to get everything finished as most of the gifts are for people I'm seeing between Christmas and New Year. Yay deadline ex...

I'm going as fast as my legs will carry me and yet I'm just so slow at getting to things at the moment. I'm a total bloggy loser, I've hardly visited you peeps in weeks, it feels dusty and neglected here with just a quick fly by now and again. I picked out my winners from my four year post last Sunday and then never got them announced. Still I know you dears will forgive me and four years of blogging have taught me never to do it out of obligation. I always find my way back to the blogosphere eventually because I love this little creation and all of your creations so much that the time is always found.  Thank you so much everyone for your lovely comments and with no further ado the random number generator and I picked the following winners: Winning the spotty heart buttons is Gill, Anita I hope you'd like the blue stripey hearts, Charity it's stitch markers for you and for Bells the round black and white buttons. I think I've made contact with you all to g...

That was the noise of the last week whistling past me!  This time last week I was having a lovely time in Bath. The skies were grey but we had fun in the spa, got our caffeine fix drinking the nicest coffee I've ever had in the UK - trained in Melbourne apparently - thank you Australia. Sightseeing and shopping.  I'm not sure whether you can make them out for all the reflections but this is the amazing All Saints shop window display - masses of Singer sewing machines - stunning.  Though I saved my purchases for another kind of shop . Doesn't it look cosy and welcoming? It certainly is. I'd love to shop here regularly. A gem. I was quite restrained, just another idea for a Christmas gift!

This little creation makes it to four years old tomorrow, I swear it hasn't been a year since last time and four since the first post - amazing! Nothing dramatically changes here now year on year, and that's part of the charm for me. The little ordinary details that get captured. The increased connection with the rhythm and cycles of the year. The space to obsess over things that the average work colleague or even my closest friend just doesn't quite feel the same about. Ceramic buttons - squeal!  I'd definitely say to anyone learning to knit that they should keep a blog about it along the way. (So any new knitter without a blog if you're reading this and fancy it - do it! It's fab.)   It's so easy to forget what it was you didn't know (everything) and take your skills for granted as there still feels like a whole lot of everything you don't know. There have been dramatic changes since those first days, changes that creep up on you.  I'm tickle...

...inside is the perfect antidote .