Something to sit on

At last, got round to knitting a cushion on the CSM. Three tubes, joined vertically, washed, stuffed and the colour change lines "quilted" down. I-cord trim and ties.

Took it for first day of the course, although it was still slightly damp! it goes very well with the Victorian surroundings of the Griswold Room at the museum, so will now live there. Mind you, at the temp went down to minus point five of a degree INDOORS, I may very well find it frozen to the stool next week ...

Another skoleppar cushion

At last finished the second one. The colours have come out a bit duller, but 'im indoors prefers this one. It's the one towards the back of the chair. As it is such a dull day here, they look pretty identical through the camera's eye. Thought I would give skoleppar a rest now as I have this pair of cushions, but an out-of-the blue email came from somebody who would like me to consider giving workshops for fairly new knitters plus herself, who she considers to be quite advanced.

As this week I have also finished a baby cardigan following Pat & Steve's schematics (woollythoughts.com), it might be a good idea to do Glorious Garter, and lead them up from dishcloths via shoe inserts and the scissors keeper. Mind you, it looks as though my local shop has finally run out of those folding scissors.

Plus a course at Ruddington is due to start early Feb - my part is to teach the techniques of the CSMS to five people one day a week for up to ten weeks - petrol expenses paid. Despite having notes from the one-day learners and the Uni students, I am still having to do some prep. A lot is going to depend on what they are like - progress is never faster than the slowest one in a group. One of them will be Judi, whom I have already taught - she might find herself promoted to Deputy Sheriff.

Three-quarters-of-a-skoleppar Kindle cover

I had an idea for a bag for a skoleppar shape in rainbow stripes much earlier in the year - leaving off one of the points. Think South American shape, with the point at the bottom completed with a tassel. I abandoned it as I didn't have enough colours for the other side, but the one-sided piece looks set to be folded over into a Kindle cover, as Santa is being very kind to me this year. I can't actually sew it up to make sure it is the right size until Santa has been, but it doesn't look far off!

It's lovely when it's folded as the stripes turn two corners. I have seen lots of Kindle cover pattern on the net already, and it seems to me that if you have the opening at the top, they can all too readily slide out. I will probably sew a little piece of Velcro on for a fastening. I am really pleased not to have wasted those hours knitting!

An Angelic Christmas

Apart from my honorary twin grand-daughter appearing in her first Christmas concert as an angel, they seem to be all around me this year.

Norah's angel, a crochet one whose pattern and charming Victorian origins I learnt some years ago -- I made loads and loads of these, two hours work each in all colours of the rainbow for a couple of Craft Fairs - and not a single one sold (nor any coat hangers!) -everyone wanted sheepy handwarmers, and I actually sold out of those. So lots got given away as extra presents.

Then I came across Annemor Sundbo's angel tucked away in her book on Invisible Threads in Knitting. I'm sure it wasn't in the last time I read it! She makes a tiled square with short-row knitting, but I think I prefer my double decrease diamonds, especially as I didn't line up the silver rows very well. Ans using variegated yarn wasn't a particularly good idea. I also put an extra line of holes in the wings, just before casting off, to give a more lacy appearance. I had some Wensleydale yarn knitted up, left for a long time, then unwound which proved curly enough for craxy hair. She does have a wonderful tip in the double knitted head - to knit the stitch and slip the next one all in one. This is actually achieved when doing the last movement in a knitted stitch, catching the tip of the needle in the next one on the left hand side.

Hanging about

One of my inventions - coat hanger covers. Scoff ye may, but I love 'em - my silken blouses don't fall off like those nasty wire things (which also leave crease marks). They are made by using long tube from sock machine, sewn and cut lengthwise. Then a pair of miin-socks made as the trim. With a drop or two of lavender oil these are the same as my "smelly" socks made a couple of Christmases ago.

Plus daft hot water bottle covers - Piping Hot and Lukewarm (because pink is paler than red). The smaller one is perfect fit for sock machine tube - the larger one is two, cut and sewn together.

Autumn

Too busy to post! have been teaching some sock knitting. Interesting that the chaps of each couple picked it up quicker than the females, even though the latter had flatbed knitting experience.

Also went down for the annual Wigston Sock Ceremony - a continuance of the "peppercorn" rent they used to have to pay the local council for the museum.

Harrison moved on

No sooner had I got the Harrison up and running than I got a nasty shock at the dentists and have regretfully had to sell it to fund the treatment. I do have to confess that I found the Harrison heavier going than my Cymbal. It wa an interesting experience though to have to sort the machine out.