At last, Christmas has arrived ....

...in the form of lovely Christmas stockings. You may remember me mentioning I had made some needlepoint stockings and had sent them away to be made up. Well, great excitement! I received an email yesterday from the company saying they would arrive today. They didn't mention they would arrive at 7.27 am this morning, but then, that would have taken the shine off the arrival as I am not a morning person, more of a lunchtime person. Anyway, couldn't wait to share them, so here we go, in the order in which they were made:

This is Joe's stocking. He is 18. These are so expensive it has taken me all this time to be able to afford them. A very colourful alphabet, mostly chosen because of the musical symbols. Joe is studying music at uni.

Next up is Lucy's. She is 21 and also at uni, this time dentistry. This also uses bright colours, but, of course, there is lots of navy. Lucy really liked this, in fact it was her favourite, which was a real relief! These two stockings are very different indeed, rather like the children. Still it all adds for interesting debate or is it argument?

Now Ian's (husband). Won't tell you his age as it is immense. This is a smaller stocking which annoyed me as I like symmetry on the mantlepiece.
The colours are muted on this one, it is lovely though. Jolly Red, who makes the kits didn't have another large one at the time, so I was going to make this one, and then perhaps another small one to match. Jolly Red, then produced this:Well, it is fantastic and of course mine. Unfortunately I cannot disclose my age suffice to say I am over 35. I just love the rocket and the robot head on this, it reminds me of toys my brothers owned when we were young. I also like the dog on wheels, I had one of these, it was already past its prime when I got it, and the straw and sawdust stuffing trail was a great indicator of where I had been throughout the house. Strangely, I had it for years, and never once did the health and safety inspector visit and close the house down. How neglectful!

Mother's Day is upon us

I know I shouldn't have, but it was too hard to resist. Mother's Day entered my awareness and so did the thought of knitting something for my mum. Ever one to take up a challenge, not that anyone set one, I decided to knit a lace scarf. Now, I am ok at lace knitting, but not brilliant. Sometimes the counting becomes too much for me. Anyway, after trying several patterns, decided on this. I cannot find the link at this particular moment but will put it up when I do. The yarn is some Handmaiden Silk, colour Vintage which I bought a year or two ago. Unfortunately the photo does not do the fabulous colours justice, but it is much more rose and subtle blues than shown here. As soon as the light is better I will take another photo. Or rather, I'll take a photo as my husband took this one........

I can resist anything except....

.... starting a new project, or two. This week an exciting parcel arrived from Amazon.com. In it was this:

My mother-in-law has one of Charlene Schurch's books and I was impressed with the clear instructions and table format instructions for three difference techniques!! I ordered from Amazon.com because it was cheaper to order the three books I wanted and have them shipped than to get them from Amazon.co.uk. This only tends to work with American published books though.
Anyway, I had to start a sock straight away. Having never knitted a sock before - yes that's right, in over 30 years of knitting, I have not attempted a sock. I think this is because my gran, who taught me to knit, hated knitting socks as did my mum - apparently caused by an overdose of sock knitting for economy in the 1940s. In fact, when I mentioned to my mum I was going to knit a sock, she asked if I needed a pair and could she purchase them for me. She couldn't understand anyone knitting one for pleasure.
This is my first attempt.
I chose an 'easy' lace pattern and here is a close-up of it.

Unfortunately I appear to be suffering from second sock syndrome already.
Whilst out and about this week, we came across a yarn shop in Kingsbridge. Naturally a visit was necessary and once inside, a purchase became compulsory. Not, I hasten to add, because the assistant was aggressive or threatening, but because it is utterly impossible to visit a yarn shop without purchasing. Which reminds me, we were also out and about in Dartmouth this week, but I kept my purchase in the LYS there to a necessary extra ball or 4 of the green Sidar Luxury Cotton for finishing my daughter's jacket.
Back to the Kingsbridge store. I bought some Regia sock yarn, but you will have to wait for a photo of that. What really took my eye was this:

It is by Elle and has a lovely fleck in it. I really am a sucker for anything 'flecked', probably because it reminds me of my childhood. I remember both my brothers and myself had flecked jumpers (and cardigans, and vests and swimsuits we really did knit for economy in my family). Some garments were blue and some were red. No other colours possible or necessary. Strangely I think fondly of them and so couldn't resist this stuff. Again, knitting for an unspecified child - there's a lot of them about. Anyway, I like the colours together. Pattern, my own. I don't say this with any great pride, anyone can think up a 2 x 2 rib, followed by repeated stripes. Still, I hope you like it.