The joys (and woes) of knitting...

I was getting along, slowly but surely, on my friend's birthday cardi when disaster struck in the form of a broken needle! Luckily, no stitches were dropped, so I secured the ends until I could get some more.

This gave me the opportunity to get started on a cardi an for me. How could I resist a ball (or 10!) of this vibrant green Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK yarn that is currently at a bargain price in Marmalade Yarns. I hadn't a clue what I was going to use it for but I found a lovely little pattern on Ravelry and got started. It was growing nicely when I spotted a glaring error and had to rip back 8 rows. Now if there's one thing I hate about knitting, it's ripping back and picking up the stitches again. There was much muttering and cursing.

Both cardigans need stitch markers and I was struck by the dullness of my plastic ones, and the scrappiness of my knotted cotton thread ones! I decided to cure my knitting blues by making some prettier ones. Two down and I've realised that they are fiddly little so and sos, but I shall persevere and make myself a colourful selection!

New beginnings...

I had a deliberately quiet December on the blogging front, but managed to make lots of homemade gifts for Christmas - 3 beanies, 5 strings of heart bunting, lots of crocheted tree decorations and some crocheted cotton face cloths. I really enjoyed the process of making and sending off all these gifts, and the run up to Christmas definitely had a calmer, less frenetic air about it compared to previous years.

I completed my year of not buying new clothes successfully and have reacquainted myself with a love of sewing. Whilst I will allow myself the odd shop bought treat, I am inclined to make/adapt more of my own things during 2014. I was therefore very excited by the purchase of an overlocker whilst it was on special offer at Lidl's recently. Technically a birthday present, I was allowed to open it after Christmas (how could I wait until August?!) and spent a very jolly hour learning to thread it. Not as complicated a process as I first feared, but boy am I glad they included a tweezers!

I don't make New Year resolutions but I do like to think about new things to look forward to. So, this year I am looking forward to -

1. Meeting two special little girls due to make their appearance in the world in April, and making them lots of teeny tiny clothes, and a crocheted blanket or two!

2. Actually putting something to sell on Etsy after having thought about it for over a year!

3. Getting to grips with my new overlocker and making more of my own clothes.

4. Experimenting in my studio, particularly with scraper board and Lino printing.

5. Knitting a cardigan for my dearest friend who celebrates a special birthday in May. Buoyed by my success in knitting something last year that actually fits me, I am now ready to face this challenge! I also plan to make the buttons myself too.

I am also looking forward to this constant rain actually finishing and having a house that doesn't permanently smell of damp dog!