Look what I won.

I entered a draw at artdog blog and I won some wonderful Scottie dog Christmas cards. The artist drew them of one of her dogs - Big Tommy - who she has sadly since lost. She decided to offer readers the chance to win them and I was the lucky one.They are bold and vibrant and I love them.
She also sent me a lovely Scottie bookmark too.

You can see her wonderful work at artpaw.com it is well worth a visit.

I am doing my happy dance now.

Last weeks F.O's

 First up my Serpentine Dragonfly socks- clever this. The pattern by Jocelyn Sertich (a free one on Ravelry) is designed to work with self striping yarn without distorting the stripe too much. The yarn, hand dyed (see a previous post) by Wibbo of Wibbo's Works was made to have a delicate stripe - the two together look lovely. The subtle colour changes work so well with the curve the pattern creates.
I used about 65g of yarn to make a UK 5 - pattern is worked over 60 sts - I used two 2.75mm circs. Did modify the heel a little by using a SSK as opposed to K2tog.

This is the Lacey Small Shell Cowl pattern by Teyani (again free on Rav). Knit with about 60g of my merino/silk hand spun. It is non itchy and slightly ploofy and I love it. I have enough (with what I need to finish spinning for either a hat or mittens).

Now this is a pattern I cannot praise highly enough - I am in love with it. These Cratchit Garter Mitts by Susan Newhall are a dream to knit. Knit side on in garter stitch with a short row thumb - all in one piece with a provisional cast on and a 3 needle cast off - wonderful construction and so simple. The pattern gives you a row-row guide which is well written and so easy to follow. The garter stitch allows them to hug your hand and they give a little support as well as warmth.
The yarn Cherry Tree Hill- Green Mountain Madness and I used about 30g if that. Knit on 2.75mm they took two days and they fit the whole family from J to Mike. I shall be making more!

Birthday socks for Emma P

A couple of posts back I posted a close up of these. Now they have gone to their new feet I can post them properly.

Monkey Socks by Cookie.A - free on Rav and Knitty.
Opal Uni in purple.
UK size 6.
2.75mm circular needles.

I am so pleased with these. I know I know this pattern inside out but I really think these are best ones I have ever knit, the yarn really worked for this pattern.

Dizzy with scarlet

 From ploofy fibres....

to spinning myself dizzy......

to yarn.

Have spun 100g this week in total - another 50g to go. The first two skeins are plied, washed, beaten and now are hanging to dry. Will start the final lot later today.

Today has mainly included....

 finishing Mike's sockhead hat.

 The pattern is by Kelly McClure and is a free one on Ravelry sockhead. I missed off the double brim for this one as I think it sits better on his head without it.
It was knit on a 3.25mm circ on Easyknits biffle in colourway Nymphea. John gave me this yarn as sample last year when I subbed for him at Woolfest. I couldn't find socks that it worked for (for me) but it was perfect it for this hat.

Mike hasn't grown a big black bushy beard - that's just Bogey getting a cuddle.

Bogey needed a cuddle because all Lottie wants to cuddle is her new smiley ball.

Squirrels - secret and otherwise

 A little more subversive cross stitch. Perfect for a teenage girl.

 Secret knitting project for aforementioned teenage girl. Once gifted I'll post a proper picture.

Finally, the return of pigbat monkey dog. This is Lottie being picked up to be put out for bedtime wee-wees. It's such a tough life....sleeping in M's arms, carried down to the backdoor and thrown out into the wind and the rain. Needless to say 'Lil-miss-won't-piss-when-raining' didn't!

Fell off the yarn diet wagon.....whoops.

 All the yarn that I've acquired recently has come through swaps. I haven't purchased yarn for personal use for months - but I've had some wonderful swaps. But yesterday I succumbed,

This is unique hand dyed sock yarn from Wibbo's Works in the colourway Serpentine. These are good photos  but they really don't do it true justice.

Wibbo was at a community craft show locally as part of the Brighton Craft Guerrilla and she had some of her lovely yarn for sale....the rest is history. I am lucky enough to have a few of her skeins in my stash and they are all lovely and they are dyed so evenly with rich complementing colours.

If you haven't visited the Brighton Craft Guerrilla blog - do it now. They have awesome inspiring ideas and are a bunch of very talented crafty ladies ....and who knows if they do another show you may be lucky enough to get your paws on some of Wibbo's lovely yarn.

Just for a change....

 I knit some socks. "Wow" I hear you say "now that is unusual."

They are 'Spring Forward Socks' - pattern written by Linda Welch which is available on Knitty.com and Ravelry.

Knit on 2 circs @ 2.75mm - size uk 5/6 - it's quite a stretchy pattern. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Mulit in the colourway Pilsen.

Time

Time as we count it is a man made construct yet it exsists without watches and counters. As each day passes into night and the year turns and our hair goes grey - we are using and understanding time as it is built into the earths cycle.

I mark time by what is around me - J is growing tall, M's beard has more white, my memory stretches back further than it did and the older stuff is harder to recall.

Every year as we approach November - time heads towards a day with a sad significance -the days shorten and grow colder and then the fireworks start sporadically, slowly building up to November 5th. I can't help the way my thoughts go -with such measures on time as J growing up and us aging - and then crash bang of explosions in the air bringing it all to the focus. That we have grown and aged another year and it's another year gone since I lost my Dad. He never met either of his Grandsons and they are both closer to manhood than boyhood now.

Part of me likes the fact I can never let the anniversary of his passing slide by because of the crash, flash,bang wallop, part of me wishes that just for once, after 19 years, I could let it just be another day.....that maybe I wouldn't realise the date etc.

Don't get me wrong - I am not sad just wistful.