Getting ready....

...the days are getting shorter, the alarm clock goes off when it's still dark, and there's a definite nip in the air! Yes folks, that means crafters all over the world are starting to think about Christmas......I have a ludicrously long list of projects / gifts that, in an ideal world, would mean all my friends get showered in hand-made bounty. However, being realistic, I know I will have to prioritise as there really is a snowball's chance in hell of getting them all finished on time....

Of course, I couldn't make Little Miss A wait until Christmas - sending her off to nursery without something to keep her ears warm would have been just too cruel.....so I whipped this up using some of the leftovers from her little tank top from earlier this year. She loves it - thank goodness!

In addition to all the cowls, gloves, and hats that are in the pipeline, I have well and truly been bitten by the 'lace bug'. I can't quite explain just how soothing it is to knit a lovely, lacy design and seeing it grow exponentially on your needles. These projects can look like something the cat sicked up before you block it, and then 'pow', it just blooms and comes out looking gorgeous. Take this Ishbel for example:

Made using the Knitting Goddess's BFL sock yarn in semi-solid violet - just gorgeous! Of course, I still have no idea who it will go to - maybe I will wear it myself?

But that's not all....oh no, not by any means! I've also got these three (what is happening to me?) shawls on the go at the moment:

A Leaf Lace shawl by the amazing Evelyn Clark (she also designed the Swallowtail that I finished back in the summer), using some lovely, shimmery Rowan Damask in shades of blue - when I actually sit down and concentrate on it, it goes quite quickly....

An Ulmus shawl by Kirsten Kapur, using a limited edition colourway that the Knitting Goddess created for Wimbledon 2009 (that's the light green with cute little white flashes) combined with some yarn I hand-dyed in the summer (that's the dark green). In fact, it is so green, I have rechristined it Leaping Leprauchauns :-) This pattern is seriously addictive - I started it yesterday afternoon and I've already managed 7 of the 16 repeats - that is seriously wow for me....









This little Multnomah, using Easy Knits Merino Bamboo in Rhubarb, is not too advanced right now, but I think it's going to look really cute





And of course, I've also been doing lots of sewing. My No. 1 customer ordered all these goodies a while ago:

a tote bag in a lovely 'Apple' fabric, lined with red polka dot fabric. I cannot tell you just HOW pleased I am with how this came out - it's definitely my best sewing effort yet :-)

and a series of project bags with an autumnal / Halloween / Christmas theme - cute no?