Countdown to Christmas

I love the first Sunday in Advent - it's when Mr Josiekitten and I dig out all the Christmas decorations and put the tree up. My family weren't big on Christmas, and some years we didn't even have a tree, but I think that I'm more than making up for it now. I love the build up to Christmas once Advent begins, and get much pleasure from all the ornaments and trinkets we've collected over the years. So many memories in a few boxes. New on the tree this year are the mini stockings I've started knitting. I've made another one this week, with some beads, and have almost finished a third. This is the one I made first......

and here is this week's offering.......

I've finished the drop stitch scarf I've been making for Michele. I didn't quite use a whole skein of the Manos del Uruguay silk blend yarn before I decided that it was long enough to wrap round and snuggle into. The yarn is really luxurious, and I hope that she'll like it! That's all my Christmas knitting done and dusted (except for mini stockings - and the list of who to knit for gets ever longer!)

My December socks are progressing too - I've managed three pattern repeats so far. Although the pattern is simple, it's different on every odd row, and I keep making mistakes. I can't knit it in the staffroom at lunchtime, or whilst watching TV. Luckily, it's easy to frog back! Here's how it looked earlier in the week.....

I've decided to frog my Lizard Ridge blanket. Although I love the pattern, all the sewing together puts me off, and I've seen some absolutely stunning Ten Stitch blankets on Ravelry, knitted with Silk Garden. I'm not starting anything new until I've got more of my projects finished, so project 100 is not yet cast on (although I do have a pretty good idea what it's going to be now!)

Christmas has arrived in school too. We are busy making decorations to sell at the Christmas Fayre. I've been ambitious and have taught all my pupils how to sew on sequins by adding a bead, and the children are making felt trees decorated with sequins which they are then sewing on a machine and stuffing. Some of the children have struggled a bit with the sewing machine, but have persevered, and the finished trees look fantastic. I'm very proud! I will take some photos to show you when they are all done.

Snoopydog and I are planning to go to Knit Nation next summer, and are deliberating which class to take - at the moment it's a toss up between Toes and Heel for Toe Up socks with Wendy Johnson, or Two at Once Toe Up Socks using magic loop with Chrissy Gardiner. Decisions, decisions! Which would you do? Please let me know - booking opens in a couple of days, so we don't have much time to make up our minds! Have a good week!