Happy Christmas to you - and a very Happy New Year!

OK, I don't seem to be able to improve the layout much at the moment, brain doesn't seem to be working at the mo. This will have to do for now.
Is it bearable? I suspect tis a little bit busy.

So how is everyone? Sick of turkey yet? Surely not sick of roasties or cold warmed up? (Veggie sauasages and cold fried up for tea later tonight, hurrah! With pickled onions.).
Did you all have a lovely time?

Kerri and I had a very relaxed, giggly wine fuelled Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - really really nice. Good food though I say it myself, laid back, tripe on the telly - perfect. I don't 'do' New Year really so I will be home alone (awwwww) with a glass of fizz and summat nice to eat - and my knitting. Suits me perfectly!

Talking of which - I finally finished a cardi which has been needing buttons for months. I started this planning to wear it when I went on holiday in July and it's been finished apart from buttons since then. Sigh.

This is Daisy, by Kim Hargreaves. More details on my Ravelry page - really easy, fast knit. I enjoyed making this and think the pink trim really perks the whole thing up.

So that's one thing finally finished before the end of the year! A scary amount of unfinished bits and bobs still to go ....

I made a last minute teddy for Kerri as she loved the other one so much - this didn't quite work as well (I think I maybe rushed the sewing up at the end) and it has a weird nose but she loves him just as he is. It's the sort of nose 'that adds character' ;-)

Once again I cannot praise this pattern enough - Owen, on Ravelry.

The Singing Santas were all well received:

as were the hand stitched felt coats (er - ornament sized not human sized of course!):

As with a lot of other knitters I do have one thing to finish off still, originally intended as a Christmas present. Ooops.

What else?
Healthwise - no more injections thank gawd. I was having such a bad time with the methotrexate I was told to stop the injections a couple of weeks ago, and although it didn't have much of an improvement on my overall health it definitely helped mentally. I saw the consultant again on Wednesday and have started a new medication in tablet form (hurrah!). Sulfasalazine.
Side effects will be:
orange wee
yellow tears
low sperm count
Can't beat some comedy effects! Am very disappointed so far that the orange wee is nowhere to be seen. Pah.
For the pain I am now on some stronger/strongest Tramadol which have knocked me for six, no bad thing as the pain's been bad lately and some sleep is very welcome indeed. I go back in 4 weeks.

That's about it for now. Hope everyone is well.

Watch out!

There's a new and hopefully improved blog layout due asap. Truly. I need to sort some clear photos and something half decent for the banner first. This requires daylight ...

This is just a flying visit as my knitting is calling me - did you have a wonderful Christmas?

Snoggles xx

Stash Down. Yikes!

Oh yes, it's about time. I have a silly amount of wool - that isn't too much of a problem.
However not having a clue what is where IS an issue.
Especially when I am convinced I have a specific wool and simply cannot find it anywhere.

Sigh.

So sometime over the next week I am going to empty every box, crate and bag containing wool onto the floor and sort it out once and for all.

Some I bought with A Plan - so will print out patterns for those and add them to the bags of wool, take a photo and - gulp - add it to a spreadsheet.
Some will certainly be destined for Fleabay or Ravelry for selling.
The rest - in theory, in an ideal world, I would love to know exactly what is where - colour, thickness, amount.

Hmmmm - I must at this point state that this is in theory.
In reality I am likely to start, get overwhelmed and frustrated and leg it.

Any sorting my stash ideas very gratefully welcomed!

Whose bright idea was it to make presents this year?

For a hermit I have been quite busy lately with a fair bit to report. Makes sense to me to start at the end with a couple of Christmassy things.

Bert the Bear is finished and on his way.

He is a touch overstuffed and at the mo it peeps through a little, but when I squished him it wasn't visible - so hopefully after a few cuddles he should look fine. I absolutely love him!
Great fun to knit, complex enough not to become boring and a fabulous looking bear.

I have started another one last night and am hoping (hahahahaha) to finish by Christmas Eve. Hmmmm. Wish me well with that.

The tree is up in all its subtle wonky-topped glory:

I like this - pink at the base then variegated until it is white by the top.
The top of the tree is graced by BaconSarnie, my little pink pig in a sparkly dress.

Plus the goff fairy and the glitter balls - et voila! One seriously classy tree. (Insert snort of laughter here).

There seems to be tinsel everywhere.

Keef seems to have reached puberty .....

Much more to come - I have done 'socialising' which is unheard of - not once but a couple of times.
I know!

Will let that sink in and give you time to recover. Toodles!

Pretty in Pink

Old manky carpet that was here when I moved in - I learned to ignore it!

After Kerri went 'rip it up' mad:

and as of this morning:

Lovely!
Needs a damned good hoover and the paint work retouching, but not tonight. He did a great job of my twisty stairs and it is so soft underfoot, I love it.

Some knitting has been happening - I don't do hats usually, I look a total knobber in them but it's so cold I think I need several - this one is about half done.

Sorry for the iffy photo, daylight is rare at the moment - maybe this one shows it better:

It's a nice fun hat, from knitcircus winter2011 - if I look a Twat in a Hat what the hell!

I also want a black and pink kitty hat, and have another hat in mind. Hurrah for warm ears.

Hope all are safe in this mad weather, my daughter's flat's suffered and she has work being done on it right this minute, she might turn up here tonight (but she's like me and prefers to stay in and see what's happening rather than worry elsewhere).

Latest test knit has been completed and posted for photos, really enjoyed this one too. It's nice to knit in colours and textures I would not usually choose. I also like not seeing the picture of the finished item and working it out from the instructions only - looking forward to the next one!

Keep warm and well.

Paw-nography

Teddy cannot wait to get this particular bit attached!

He's a tad hard of hearing at the moment ...

George is back! Hurrah for George!

Look who was back today, he spent about an hour squished into the (very small) bird table scoffing peanuts.
These were taken through the window, he wasn't at all bothered by me being there.

Isn't he just a delight?

Made my morning.

Knitting continues but slowly at the mo, am sleepy. I am still enjoying knitting the ted, one leg is finished - the joints are made by covering buttons and attaching that way - hopefully this will work.
I have completely fallen in love with the covered botton - I think some of these sewn onto a cardi as fake buttons in a contrasting colour would look amazing.

I suspect they are too bulky to make into a 'proper' covered button with a push-in back, but would work as fakies. It's really tickled me, almost too good to hide in a teddy's thigh!

Stocking swaps are going brilliantly so far - they work the same as advent calendars, open a gift a day. Yesterday's gifts were:

From the UK parcel, two gifts - one to open immediately which I love, a really soft quirky headband:

The bow is ace!
And inside 1 was - drum roll - something to keep them all in!

Excellent! And todays is lovely - not sure how many pink haired punky folk love the smell of roses but I definitely do!

And the USA stocking - yesterday was perfectly timed as I ached from top to toe:

and todays was also well timed as I need to finished Kerri's Christmas cardi asap:

Thank you!
It is fabulous to see lots of adults opening their gifts every day, I love it.

And the knitting continues ...

... sadly so does the pain but cannot do a damned thing about it (was in so much pain last night I couldn't get out of bed and down the stairs for a drink and more tablets, pretty dreadful night).
Never mind, Drs next week so will ask for something stronger than the Tramadol which seems to have stopped working (ie my bods got used to it).

But knitting - is this one of the most bizarre looking bits of knitting or what?

It is to me anyway, the first time I have knit anything that has such interesting and fun construction.
And that's coming from someone who hates knitting on anything but straights!

This is Owen, a teddy bear pattern on Ravelry - by far the best looking bear I have seen and I have had it queued for ages, finally got round to starting it the other day - this is about 3 days worth of work. Originally intended for my sister's Christmas pressie, but when Kerri saw it she loved it so much that I suspect two will be needed in the next few weeks. Minimum - I want one too!

He is knit from 2 balls of New Lanark wool dk, which I love using because it is so rustic. I have a load of grey upstairs that was meant to be a cardi for me (there's a surprise, a grey cardi) but I think I will snaffle a couple of balls for a grey ted.
(If you have yet to try New Lanark wools then do so! Very fast delivery, very cheap wool and fab quality - not always the softest around but I absolutely love the stuff). This is knit from the wool / silk blend a couple of years ago:

Anyway back to the teddy. I love how he is looking - the weird needles malarky is to join the head to the body so there are no visible seams, then the head gets stuffed as it is knit. I have just started the leggies which are also incredibly cute - these start with a garter stitch paw pad and the stitches are then picked up around that and knit upwards. Luvverly.

I have now completey got the hang of M1B and M1F ;-)
More piccies to come as he grows. I think a nice warm cabled jumper for each ted will be perfect.

I have also nearly finished the second test knit which again I am really enjoying, hopefully that will be in the post tomorrow or Monday at the latest (I know it is needed for photographing by the 8th).

Swapsies - I love swaps, especially at this time of year. Christmas Stocking swaps are my absolute favourites - I am in two this year, and a couple of smaller swaps. It's been a bit mad trying to get everything finished and posted in time and I am gutted that at least one parcel won't get there when it should (especially as it is to someone special) so have sent a little something via the tinternet. But look at what I received myself - isn't this fabulous? (scuse the messy floor / skirting board)

I have two hand knit stockings from previous years which are equally stunning and will be bringing them down soon to hang up - yes I am secretly a big kid! I overstuffed this one a bit trying to cram everything in, so will share the goodies between all three so it hangs properly.

And to end on something lovely here's PSidney being shy (had just cleaned his cage and he wanted to explore instead of have a camera shoved in his furry face). I love my piggy.

Happy December.