Christmas Projects photos

I promised that I would show the finished presents that I made for Christmas. As I have very little else to show you today I thought that now was the time to show and tell.

The first is a crochet jacket that I made for my friend Sylvia. I started off by using a pattern that I had but decided that the stitch was too loose. Sylvia likes to wear long jackets in place of a coat when the weather gets a bit warmer so I improvised this jacket for her. I used 5 x 200 gram balls of James C Brett Marble chunky which is a favourite of mine as although it is chunky it doesn't work up to heavy in a finished jacket. Sylvia has christened this her Jacob's Coat of Many Colours.

The next is a crochet sweater sweater for my Sister in Law. I used a pattern called Sophie from the Patons Crochet Inspirations Book 3 that I bought from Purplelinda. I also bought the 8 x 100 grams of Patons cotton DK in Navy from there also. The camera flash makes it look lighter than it actually is. I haven't got a photo of it in wear but I am assured that the cowl collar fits lovely. It looked a bit big to me when I was making it. I got her a tight navy long sleeved T shirt in navy to wear underneath it.

The beige is the Everyday Cardi by Robyn Chachula from the Sept-Oct 2010 Crochet Today magazine. It was a very fast cardi to make up and I used 4 x 100 gram balls of King Cole Bamboo DK cotton in a camelly beige. I either got the cotton from Texere or Purplelinda. I hadn't realized that the 'raglan' pattern stitch continued down the fronts and back. It is made top down so grew very quickly.I made this for Renee, my younger niece's mother in law. She is the lady who made me the lovely picture of the miniature scarf on tiny knitting needles that I showed you on one of my earlier post.

The black cardigan is for my younger niece. She wears a lot of black as she has to appear in court a lot. On the right side of the bench I must hastily explain so needs subdued colours for that. This pattern comes from a Rowan book that I borrowed from my elder niece. I can't remember it's title except that the cardigan is called Thea and is on the Ravelry data base. I used 10 x 50 grams of Patons Diploma DK from Purplelinda. The pattern stated Kid Soft which is I think an aran thickness but as my niece does not like anything fluffy I used DK. I had to knit a larger size than required and use a smaller needle. It was a bit like using the stitches of one pattern size but the length of the size I was supposed to be making. I only wished that I had written down what I did as my niece liked it and I have a feeling that she would like the same or something similar. I have ordered some charcoal grey in the same wool to make her something in the near future.

Today Buster appears a bit better although he was a bit poorly again last night. Another quick dash outside. The pup is a lot better but now Skye has started with it. I am keeping Buster for another couple of days in case the dogs keep passing the bug around between themselves. Buster is getting a bit sick of me now as he is used to long walks every day and I can only take him for a short one in my scooter. We can't get into the woodland because of the styles and also the hilly muddy terrain. Even though I can walk short distances I don't fancy slipping and sliding my way in all the mud down there.

I am sending Good Wishes to all for 2011. Quite a few bloggers and partners and some of my personal friends have had health problems this year. Some quite serious, some inconvenient mobility wise. I won't name you but you know who you are and so I am praying that 2011 is a better year health wise for you and your loved ones.

I won't be out celebrating the New Year. I haven't done that since I was much younger. I prefer to watch it on the TV and raise a glass to the New Year and then put my fingers in my ears for all the noisy cannon type fireworks that my neighbour likes to let off until the wee small hours. I don't want to be a party pooper and I think that it is lovely to have fireworks but surely after a half hour of booms we have all got the message that the New Year is here. Gosh I am a proper Grumpy Old Lady ;-)

This New Year will no doubt be let in by Buster as he will be the first to come over my threshold although technically it should be the front door. In years past we always used to put the black cat Nelson out of the door and then let him in again as black cats are supposed to be lucky. He was never very imoressed by that although it must have been lucky for him as he lived to be 19 yrs old. My son could be the first person in at the front door (apart from myself) in the New Year when he comes to pick up Buster.

As for New Year resolutions. Hmm I will have to think about that. More crochet perhaps? Now that would be an easy one to keep!