MIA

I have been, haven't I? I don't know what happened really - Christmas; the Black Dog; feeling as though I'm living under a stone, such is the quality of light (or lack of it) at this time of the year.

Anyway, the pies have been minced; the tree trimmed; the tree detrimmed; the Black Dog seen off (at least for now) and it finally looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel - even though it may yet turn out to be an on-coming train.

There has been some knitting. Only small-ish pieces as I think I'm still in shock after the WRS debacle.

I have been trawling through the Yarn Stash Wonders Book and it's a treasure trove of delights. I made some hand warmer/fingerless mittens for Ann-at-work. Her hands get cold when she's driving and since I happened to have some yarn which is exactly the same colour as her SmartCar and since she's going to be driving me to the far north in March (more about that later), I decided these were just the thing for her:



I also made the Kureyon scarf from that same book. All the projects take just one skein and this one would have too if I hadn't misread the pattern. I made the first half of the scarf too long, so then it was decision time. Should I buy another ball (what? Me? Buy yarn??), or should I try and think of another way to finish the scarf? My MIL suggested making a hole in the scarf (isn't there a Buttonhole Scarf pattern somewhere?). This I did and if you tie it in some sort of elaborate fashion that I did once and can now no longer replicate, it looks like this:



I don't usually knit gifts for Christmas (too much pressure and they won't appreciate it anyway) but that book did inspire me. I knitted a collar thingie (technical term) for myself from Rowan Polar, a yarn which is now, sadly, discontinued:



I made another similar for Aunty Pat in a teal chenille. She likes it very much. If she was getting a neck warmer, Mammy would need one too. The bulky collar is a great pattern - easy and quick but I'd already knitted it twice (which is once more than I usually knit patterns), so I needed something else. The same but not the same. One Tree Hill to the rescue with the delightful Fidget. I used some Sirdar fluffy stuff (technical term) for this, in a beige colour. These two projects needed five buttons between them. Now, I've got a huge button tin. I buy buttons that take my fancy in the boutique. I cut buttons off old clothes before they turn into cleaning rags. As I said, I've got a huge button tin. Were there any suitable buttons in that tin? Of course not. It's another one of those eternal mysteries (like what really does happen to all those odd socks, how do wire coat hangers breed and why is there always one teaspoon left at the bottom of the washing-up bowl?) I had to buy buttons.

Even though I've professed not to enjoy knitting socks, the nether regions have received quite a bit of attention lately. Another pair of the delightful Saartje's bootees:



from left-over Regia 6-ply sock yarn, for Francesca's not-yet-here baby. I know some people have converted this pattern to knit in the round but, though I am not fond of sewing, they are so quick to make and finish that it's really not necessary. The thing that takes the longest length of time is the sewing on of the buttons (and going to the shop to buy them because, of course, there aren't any suitable ones in the vast tin.)

Some Pomatomus socks for me, from left-over Gedifra fashion trend sportivo, purchased from Webs to make the Scrawl:



Finally, I bought some Tofutsies sock yarn from Crafty Cottage in Warwick:



and I have used it to make some Monkey Socks:



(these are socks for me, not socks for a monkey). They are now finished and fit very nicely. The toe on the Pomatomus socks (also by Cookie A) were a bit too pointy (technical term) for my not very pointy toes, these are much better.

That's us about up-to-date (apart from a lacy alpaca hat - no picture yet) and for me to tell you where Ann-at-work will be driving me to.

We are going to SkipNorth in Haworth (home of the Bronte sisters and their drunken brother Bramwell) next March. It's just after my birthday and being that it's a big, round birthday, this is my treat to myself. I can't wait.