Yarn Along.

I have a feeling that there won't be a lot of finishes this month because most of the projects I'm working on are long term works in progress or new starts, however I'm sure I will complete these quite quickly...

Mittens for me made in lovely thick chunky yarn so they are working up quite quickly.  I find it quite hard to work with thicker yarns there seems to be more wear and tear on your hands. I'm hoping they will be ready soon my poor hands are freezing!

I had another trip to the library last week and borrowed these..

There are some really sweet projects in this book and a couple I wouldn't mind making.

Delicious socks I love those on the front cover but I fear they are way beyond me, well put it this way I know I could make them if I really put my mind to it but it would take me forever and I mean months! I'm quite happy to make plain socks and let the yarn do the talking, but it's lovely just to browse through this book and see all the sock possibilities.

Now this is more like it you can see how deep my reading goes, I'm really enjoying this book, it's about two married women who are looking for something different in their lives, they are thinking there has to be more to life than this and they leave home for a week to attend a  tai chi course. As you can imagine there is temptation aplenty when they arrive and I'm now wondering will they or won't they added to which one of them has left a very beautiful au pair at home to look after her husband and children and the usually straight laced steeped in routine hubby is finding it very hard to resist the very beautiful fun loving au pair so will he or won't he.??? I think he will myself. :)

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along

Yarn Along

I am trying very hard to finish off some of my wips before I start anything new which I have to say is absolutely killing me.  It's so hard to ignore these urges to begin something new especially when you have new yarn

These beauties just jumped right into my basket when I was shopping in Aldi today, I only went in for bread! 
One of the wips I am determined to finish are these socks which I began so long ago I can't even remember.....

I have half finished the other sock too so I'm well on the way.  I have discovered I really love making socks but I'm very slow, these were supposed to be for a friends birthday which is tomorrow, clearly that's not going to happen and so I'm going to try and make a pair a month in 2016 then I'll have lots to gift at the end of the year.

I borrowed this book from the library...

I don't usually buy knitting/crochet books so I was thrilled to borrow this, it's a great book there are lots of lovely easy children's things in there which I'm thinking will be great for charity knits.  In fact I like the book so much I may buy a copy for myself after all you can only borrow the book for so long and it may not be available if I need it again. 

I'm joining in with Ginny's yarn along

before I go...

Amanda from Crafty in the Med is having a great giveaway! Why don't you check it out. 

Wishing you all the very best for 2016! 

Yarn Along and Winter Project Link Party

Now that I have sent off my charity boxes I have been able to get back to some the unfinished projects I have lying around. 

The Crochet Alongs I've been following have been sadly neglected but although I'm behind with the Greg CAL it's not by much.  The CAL has finished already and there are lots of beautiful finished Gregs about but it's going to be a while before I can show you my completed blanket.

We had to make four of Bob the big brother, the pattern was released in four parts, I have managed to finish two of them and have only a couple of rounds left on the other two.  Then he will have to  be joined with his four brothers Tom, Joe Tim and Ian, I have done a little joining already but there's still quite a bit to do before I can add the border which thankfully is just two rows.

I have enjoyed following this CAL, the patterns are all really well written and Shelly has been a fantastic host, my aim at the moment is to complete all the crocheting and blocking, then join it all up after Christmas but if I have a bit of extra time you never know I might get it done before then.

I have other things I am trying to get finished in time for Christmas and everything else has been put aside so that they have priority. One of which is the Moogly blanket which I would love to finish in time for my daughter for Christmas, I still have three blocks to make! I always seem to be setting myself impossible targets if only there was more time, I'm always determined to be more organised at Christmas time but it never happens.

I even managed a trip to the library the other day, it's ages since I have been to my local library and it's just a few minutes walk away..

as usual I was pushed for time and went to the 'quick choice' stand, picked this one up read the back liked the sound of the story borrowed it and came straight out, I think that that's been my fastest library visit ever.  I have only read the first few chapters but it's an interesting read so far, a bit of a mystery, a handsome rugged guy and an old mansion filled with old books what more could you ask for. :)

Joining in with....

  Ginny's Yarn along
Jennifer's Winter Project Link Party,
Stash Buster Link Party
Lunamon Design
Link and Share Wednesday
Cooking and Crafting with J&J

Yarn Along

Another one of the four projects I began at the beginning of October was the Greg CAL, I'm really enjoying this one.  This week the pattern for the fourth square was published...

Ian

Now Ian is a tad fiddly to say the least because you are crocheting behind the stitches of the previous row, after my first attempt I was ready to give it up and go for the easier alternative square provided but because I love the texture of the design I stuck with it and I'm glad I did because I love the finish. I'm hoping to get all eight finished to day and then I will start to join all these four boys together.

You can see my other Greg CAL posts here

I finished this book much quicker than I thought I would I went to bed on Saturday night determined just to read for half an hour but actually it was 1 30 before I could put it down, I just had to finish it.  Thank goodness the clocks had gone back and I had an extra hours lie in.  If you haven't read this already then I can recommend it was a real page turner.  To be honest I had guessed what had gone on but couldn't figure out the how so it kept me interested right to the end.

I'm now reading this

My one criticism so far is the size of the text its very small for my ageing eyes, of course I could have got it on my Kindle but this was a freebie so I will persevere.  I've only read a few pages but I'm liking it so far.

Joining with Ginny's Yarn along why not pop along and see what others are making and reading it's fun. :)

Yarn Along

I have been meaning to join in with Ginny's Yarn Along for ages, seeing Amy's post last week jogged my memory and so here is my first yarn along post.  I think it's a great way to keep motivated and to see what projects others are working on.

For this week I'm going to show you my Spice of Life CAL progress, as usual as with most of the  CAL's I work on I'm way behind  but as long as I'm finished this by Christmas I will be happy.

The edges are a bit wobbly and I haven't tackled any ends yet either but both will be dealt with by and by.  I'm enjoying the making of this blanket, I have finished part four and am about to start part five which is just a repeat of what we have done already but in different colourways, I have a feeling that I will be doing a bit of tweaking here and there by adding a few different stitches along the way. 
The Spice of Life CAL is hosted by Black Sheep Wools and Sandra from Cherry heart

I've just started to read this...

Bob one of the lovely clients that attend the Day Unit came in with a pile of books the other day and this one caught my eye.  I can't really give it much of a review at this point because I've just started reading it but I'm liking it so far.  It's about Cynthia who's entire family vanishes when she is just 14 and the story goes on to relate how this affects her as an adult then things begin happen that stir up the past.  

My reading time is usually restricted to bed time so it could take me a while to finish it but so far it's a page turner not such a thing good when you should really be going to sleep so that you can get up for work in the morning. :)

Joining Ginny for Yarn Along