Last Neckwarmer (for now!)

I started making this neckwarmer last week, then got cold feet...what if she doesn't like it? Then the proposed recipient spotted it and said ' ooh, that's pretty'. So I finished it, and here it is. It is in a 4-ply yarn, and the pattern is from Yarnfoward magazine, issue 8.
So, projects finished, everything tidied away. Now I am just waiting for a parcel from Get Knitted.

''I Forgot''

Well, what do you think of this amazing Chap? My sister, Nicky, had it made for me, for Christmas. I was completely bowled over at receiving it ! Then completely forgot to show it! It is for topping a gatepost. I am keeping Dragon indoors, for the time being, while I think about a suitable placement.
I also forgot....Just prior to Yule, I mentioned Mistletoe. On our arrival here, despite the huge number of Apple trees, there was no Mistletoe. I think there has to be Mistletoe in an Orchard. So, I set about putting that right. I squashed dozens of berries onto the branches of the chosen trees over the course of about six years. Then I heard about a fascinating man, Nick Wheeldon, who has written a little book, about cultivating Mistletoe. I sent off for the book, had telephone conversations with Mr. Wheeldon.....and then found six nascent clumps, on three different trees.Hurrah!!! Turn cartwheels!! I had been doing the right thing all along, it just takes an age to germinate.
So, if you want Mistletoe in your apple trees, 'Grow your own Mistletoe' by Nick Wheeldon.
http://www.mistle.co.uk/

And I made myself one of the 'Ellen' neckwarmers. I was so pleased with the ones I knitted for Mother, and for Jenny P., that when I saw this colourway of the Elle Merino Brights, I couldn't resist. I have one more neck warmer on the go-in fact only in need of buttons. When that is complete, I shall be going off in a slightly different direction!

Spirogyra mitts

Well, I managed to finish the mitts in time for Karen's birthday. She seemed to be pleased with them, and informed me that they go beautifully with the Entrelac scarf made for her by JacquiB. Jacqui and I seem to be in tune, at the moment -we both made Ness cards with knitted fronts, toning gifts for Karen, and today, both ordered knit-picks extras from Get Knitted! Spooky? No. We just know each other well, and have a very similar way of thinking things through. ( Having said that, we have a too-similar admission to make in the next couple of weeks! ).

I cast on straight after finishing the mitts, for another Ellen neckwarmer. This time in a lovely mix of toffee, caramel, and umber. I think it will be fun, finding the right buttons for it. This one will be a little longer than those I made for Jenny P.,and my Mother.

Wassail-Or not!

I love the eary spring bulbs. They bring a little brightness, and cheer, into what can be a dank month. These are Narcissus 'ziva', one of my favourites. They smell heavenly. They will soon be followed by a procession of Hyacinths.

It was wassail day, yesterday. I heard, at the last minute, that the wassail we were planning to attend with friends had taken place over a week ago! And the weather turned very wet and stormy. So, I heated a jug of apple juice, went outside, and sang the wassail song to a particular tree, poured the juice on her roots, and rushed back indoors. NEXT year, I really will organise my own Wassail!

It was also Ness's birthday. So, I made her a knitters' card. The stitch pattern is an adapted version of 'snow angel'. ( you could find the original at VOGUEknitting.com). Jacqui also made her a card, which had the sweetest pair of mittens on the front!

I also made a present,which was a Pincushion-cum-buttonjar, and put in some odds and ends. (Including a jolly orange jelly-thimble).
The woodland walk neck warmer is hibernating for now. I have a pair of 'spirogyra' mitts on my needles for another friend's birthday. I need to have them finished and wrapped for Tuesday.

Woodland Walk Beret.

With all this cold weather, I felt in need of a warm (knitted) hat. So, in the quiet Holiday evenings, I made one. Modelled here by Poppy. It is not clear from the photos, but the basic shape is a beret. It is in Elle pure merino solids. (aran weight).I bought it in the sale at Hayes Wools, back in the autumn. The inspiration was watching stags, in the woodland above Upton, after the rutt. There is a patch of ancient, stunted oak wood, carpeted with thick moss, where the stags were standing and lying quietly.
I am trying to make a neck-warmer to go with it -I have unravelled it every evening since I started, as it just will not flow.( 5 times!)

Perhaps I need to just leave it to itself for a few days.

Dragon Fire

I do love a good fire, and over New Year, I made full use of the chance to have some really good bonfires. Best Beloved was clearing bramble, and doing some pruning and thinning, in the woodland. My bonfire material was the cleared bramble already mentioned, and any woody material that B.B. couldn't cut into logs, bean-poles, pea-sticks or props. The weather was fantastic, very cold and frosty. I made thick soups, and we had picnics by the fire. A good ,clean sweep to start 2009.