Januarys Sock-a Month challenge socks completed!
After all the hand problems this month (sliced thumb and carpal tunnel injection in right wrist), I never thought these babies would make it off the needles but finally they have. The main colour is a sock club yarn from Posh Yarns and the stripes, heels & toes are some leftover cream anonymous sock yarn.
I made the pattern up using 60 sts on 2.5m needles from the top down with a chevron stitch on the leg highlighted by the stripes.


These other two pairs were made before all the injuries for DD1 to take on her school trip to the Welsh border last week. Both made in stash DK, very boring to knit but quick and snuggly enough for hillwalking and pot-holing apparently.
She had a great time but came home exhausted and has taken all weekend to recover-I'm still catching up with the washing, when it said on the kit list to take bin liners for the laundry, they certainly knew what they were talking about!!!

OOPs, forgot to put in the piture of the fingerless gloves as modeled by DD1. Slightly adapted the Fetching pattern from www.knitty.com to make it longer. I put extra cables at both ends but knitted in the recommended yarn-DB Casmerino aran which has been sitting in stash for a while, because of the extra length, I had to break into a second ball but I dare say the rest will be used at some point ( along with the other 6 the same)

DD is really pleased with them and took the photo herself which I didn't realise until after I had taken some more myself and came to post this only to find about 6 piccies of the same gloves on the camera!

but hey ho, at least it proves she likes them....

I was going to chicken out on the sock a month KAL on my favorite Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns forum because of other knittting commitments but the yarn was calling to me in a very LOUD voice.
The reasons for the cowardly behaviour were-
1. Needed to knit boring thick socks for DD1's school trip to the Welsh border next week (rock climbing, caving, abseiling etc etc
and she needed some handknitted for these (her words not mine but what a fab DD for saying it).
2.I also promised to make a shawl for a friends Mum for her birthday (this will be posted later) I forced myself to do 1/3 of it before starting the socks.
3.I sliced my thumb open and couldn't knit for 10 days whilst the sts were in.
4.I wanted to made DD some fingerless gloves as a surprise for above mentioned trip.

Anyway, the photo above is the sock in progress and the other a badly shot close up. The yarn is from Posh Yarns sock club, I can't remember the name of the colour but since the weather has been so grim this week, the colours cheered me up, lovely orangey reddy, brown and some ivory left over from something else for the ridges, toes and heels.

I'm making the pattern up as I go along but when I do the 2nd sock, I might try to write it out and post it on here if the technonumpty in me can figure out how to do that bit. It's basically just a ripple pattern with a couple of rows of another colour thrown in, one of which needs to be purled for the ridge effect.

Finished knitting Rogue last night and sewed hem and sleeves, just the top of the hood to stitch now but I think it may need a bit of knitting adjustment first so I was sensible and left it for today when my mind and eyes are not so tired.
Hopefully photos later!

Rogue Sweater, the story so far......
I started Rogue back in October but Christmas knitting and other small projects with deadlines kept getting in the way, I finished the sleeves way back and started the body at the beginning of November but then it was set aside until the 28th Dec when life started to calm down again, I motored through the body and was looking forward to finishing it this weekend but right thumb injury last week is making knitting very difficult (read impossible) so I thought I'd blog it instead.


The yarn is Garnstudio Alaska which is aran weight pure wool and very nice to knit, it gives a good stitch definition and soft on the hands. The colour is a bit darker than the photos, it would probably be better to photograph it in daylight but every time I remember to get the camera out it starts to cloud over and rain again!

So the top piccie is the sleeves, unblocked and curly at the edges,

the middle is the front neckline and the start of the hood and the bottom is the body bit in full with curly hem waiting to be slip stitched into place.

I chose not to do the pocket on the front, I'm feeling bulky enough round the middle at the mo and don't need extra inches added by a kangaroo pocket and besides, I'd only walk around with my hands permanently stuffed in it and stretch it out of shape or fall flat on my face cos I can't get my hands out in time (it has been known on more than one occaision)

I've tried the body on and it seems to fit quite well so here's hoping!!!

As soon as knitting activity resumes, this baby's going to be finished and worn loads.

I only have another pair of socks and gloves for DD1's school trip to finish by the 22nd January and a shawl to do for a friend by the 10th Feb so no pressure really!

Gratuitous pet photo

This is Foster the Springer trying to look innocent on Christmas day, he never quite succeeds though. What the picture doesn't show is the Christmas stocking he has nicked (under his right front paw which is empty but he won't give it back and is planning on shredding later.

I went into my LYS yesterday on the entirely innocent not stash enhancing mission to buy some KSH for a shawl I've been asked to make for someone else and the rotters had started the sale.....well whats a girl to do????
3 KSH as required. 14 balls of Rowan Little Big Wool in various shades to make the stripey sweater in Arabesqe booklet.
The LBW was reduced to £2.50 per ball and the pattern called for 11 balls but I want to make the sweater a little longer than on the pattern so I bought all they had left (well I could hardly leave just a couple of lonely ones sitting there could I?)
Now I just need my thumb to heel so I can start on it......

Christmas knitting- okay so really pictures of the Christmas knitting should have been posted ages ago but I've been busy knitting things for me since then....until last night when I sliced into my right thumb and now I can't knit for a couple of weeks.....so what to do instead, blog about knitting and sort out my stash and planned projects.

The pictures above are the lace tablecloth made for MIL's Christmas present and hopefully below will be the finished article.....

The tablecloth was very well recieved and now has pride of place on her dining table.

The yarn was crochet cotton from stash and pattern is Springtime Design by Marianne Kinzel,

size 2.5mm DPNs to start and ever increasing lengths of circulars as the cloth grew.

I also made socks for FIL in his favourite rugby team colours-green, black and gold and some for a friends Dad in his favourite rugby team colours-cerise, french grey and cream but I forgot to take photos of these before giving them away.