Only Two Left To Finish

I have finished the last big present. I now have a knitted scarf to finish and a gents hat to make. Whew not much if you say it fast.

This jacket is loosely based on the Doubled Up Jacket from The Crochet Closet book by Lisa Gentry. I say loosely based as once again even though the pattern said US thickness 4 (aran) the aran that I bought would not come small enough even using 2 sizes smaller hook. I didn't have time to mess about or to go and buy some double knit so I just improvised as usual. I used the pattern stitch but everything else was done by my eye.I know that I annoy people as I don't write anything down but them I was on a time schedule and I do work a lot faster without a pattern. I had added a collar to the jacket as I thought that it was more of an outdoor jacket rather than an indoor one or one to be worn underneath a coat. I had two 400 gram balls and there is probably enough to make a hat at a later stage,

I picked up the scarf knitting again last night but it is slow going compared to the crochet. I just hope that I have enough time to finish it and knit a hat before Christmas Day.

My street is still fairly impassable and so I think that I may have to walk up to the main road tomorrow to get a lift from my niece to her parents house for present swapping and Christmas dinner.

The bottom photo is one of the fairy dresses that I have bought for my great grand daughters for Christmas. I have bought them the same as they are at the age (4 and almost 3) that they argue like mad over everything and so it is easier to get them the same. There are no fairy wands but that is probably better as they would probably go around bashing the dogs on the head Christmas Day.

I hope that you all have a very Happy Christmas. I am not sure if I will have time to post tomorrow morning but I will take photos of the finished scarf and the hat if it is finished in time

It's A Boy

I have had to put away all thoughts of girly pink crochet once again. Fynnlay James was born around 6am this morning. I don't know any more details except that Louise managed a natural delivery this time as she had hoped after the traumatic emergency C section with Charlie 16 months ago.

I shall be starting little blue things as soon as I have finished Charlie's aran cardigan. I have started one of the fronts. The sleeves were easily made as they are just in double moss stitch so I did those whilst watching Midsomer Murders last night. Getting rid of those energy saving light bulbs has been the best thing that has happened recently. I honestly thought that I was losing my eyesight or getting cataracts. I might make a little beanie or weigh the wool to see if I have enough for another plainer cardigan or sweater with the remainder of the big ball of Aran. Might as well make sure that Charlie has enough woollies for the winter.I will keep any other garments back and put them with his Christmas present as they will still be plenty big enough then.I always make aran designs on the bigger side so that the child can get at least 12 months out of it. They are sturdy enough to be used as a jacket for cooler days in the summer months. I always kept an aran in the car when Ian was growing up for the days when it went unexpectedly cold.

I went shopping this morning and just came back in time to see the couple across the road bringing home baby Zac (or Zak I must enquire) I didn't get to see the baby as by the time I had walked down the street they had gone into the house. I forgot to buy any birth congratulation cards so I will have to get them tomorrow. I will hopefully get a peep at him sometime later in the week once the family has settled down a bit. I don't believe is visiting a new baby until a few days have passed. I remember being bombarded with visitors when my son was born and being so tired that I wished they would all just go home so I always bear this in mind and just pop in and pop out with my first visit to a new baby.