festive fair isle & jolly wreaths

Listening to Vera really makes my heart skip, shuttered up tight in our little cottage whilst the sky swirls in a windy grey spray of wintertime clouds stretched above the cherry tree,

Inside I've been swirling too, with little pieces of soft blue felt around and around my tiny hoop, and then afterwards watching as tapestry wool flowers gently grew in my hands before sitting in their little places.

I am really pleased with my wreath, sorry the photos are tinted with a murky darkness, that's how it was/is in Hampshire today, I bet the beach is lost under a winter mist.

On the book shelf a little pile is starting to grow up to meet the flowers waiting to open,

any ideas what it could be?

A little fair isle stocking to hang on the fire place. I've wanted to try fair isle for so long, this is my first attempt made last month, the tension is a bit tight pulling the strands a bit taught at the back of the work,

you can see a few 'holes' where the colours have twisted a bit too tightly, I've learnt now to keep one colour on top of the work and the other colour below it so they don't tangle and pull each other,

and here is the back of the stocking, which has knitted slightly looser so the whole shape needs to be played with a bit during blocking! Still though as my first attempt I am so pleased and I love the colour choices I have made, the pattern called for red, green, black and white very traditional but that isn't really me! (If you would like any details its all on my Ravelry page, I'm FlissC if you look for me)

This is my favourite, I love knitting it so much, this is the back of the cropped fair isle cardigan from Debbie Bliss magazine fall/winter 2010, I have never knitted like this before, its progress is slow but so relaxing and rewarding to knit. I'm hoping with all my heart that it turns out ok. I've found that putting a stitch marker at the middle stitch has helped me so that if the pattern goes wrong you only have to unpick half a row not a whole one! (which I have had to do quite a few times!)

This little chap from from the church mini market, he belongs to Sammy and he takes him everywhere, the best bit was his little price tag, 75p!

Sorry if this is a bit early but this Sunday at the flower mill I came across the perfect little artificial Christmas tree, it seems a bit silly trying to fit it in the loft now so he's kind of just hanging around looking pretty!

Well the wind is roaring, the cherry tree branches keep reaching across the window, with Sammy asleep, Vera singing and the kettle boiling I've got just enough time to sew my next stocking together,

and make a start finishing this advent calendar I'm making ready to fill with sugar mice, refreshers and flying saucers,

and wondering when its acceptable to start hanging vintage baubles on these lovely branches!

Take Care xxx