Happy Christmas and a merry Hogmanay to you all!

This is last year's mantlepiece display for a bit of festive cheer - sorry you couldn't all come round for some nice mulled wine and a few nibbles...

Now, let's see if I can remember how to blog - it's been a while, hasn't it.

Are you in a Christmassy mood yet? We went to see the panto tonight and I'm almost there - haven't heard any children singing Away in a Manger yet - that always brings a tear to my eye and marks the official start of Christmas.

I have some actual knitting content for this post. I hope a certain Granda Gerry isn't reading this. This very night, some socks are born and unto Granda Gerry they will belong as around six months ago, his very eyes chose the colours and his very hands dyed up this skein:
I thought I'd knit them up into a pair of socks for Christmas and although they came out a little on the feminine side, I think he'll appreciate the thought:
They are BOTH finished - I just haven't got a photo of them - hey, it's nearly midnight and dark outside!I used Skein Queen Plushness (80% lambswool 10% angora 10% cashmere) which is an absolute dream for socks. I used Violet Green's Standard Sock pattern, adapting it slightly for his size 9 feet.

And I made a start on my first Clapotis (ok, I know I'm slightly behind the times here). I dyed up four skeins of Skein Queen Aran silk in plum, raspberry and sage...and got stuck in...Still a long way to go, but I'm enjoying it. This is the amended photo. The first one I had up on Ravelry was the embarrassing one where I hadn't used the stitch markers properly (thanks Claire for helping me out with that one - you are my knitting guru!). I'm just rubbish at using them and NEVER use them on socks - I just remember where I am, as I always have done on every bit of knitting I've done from jumpers to baby clothes to socks to gloves. But I thought I'd better try them on this and got it cringeworthily wrong - but they looked very pretty along the edge ***blush***. Oh well, if it wasn't for Ravelry, I'd still have them wrong.

A tiny tempter of what's to come in 2008:Aran silk

Darker, more broody colourways

More collections sold as one listing

A very Merry Christmas to all my Dear Customers and all my Dear Readers and Friends. I do feel privileged for meeting so many fellow yarn enthusiasts this year (and friends who feign enthusiasm and listen to me drivel on about it). I now declare the shop is officially closed for Christmas and New Year and will open again on 5th January. Enjoy whatever you're doing over the holiday season and whatever you're knitting and see you in 2008.